The January presentation offered members a peek into the world of hand carving. Chip carving was introduced and practiced for the purpose of adding dimension and interest to turned canes, walking sticks, vessels, and bowls. It was nice to see that the financial investment is small – a good chip carving knife and a pattern. So please give it a try if you are interested. The technique of using oil pencils for color and design, outlined with thin line cuts also was demonstrated and practiced. The artwork can be traced or hand drawn and we were reminded of the endless supply of pictures available on the internet and the use of carbon to transfer pictures onto the wood.

Spiraling was discussed briefly and we saw the results of both the Sorby spiraling system and hand-produced work. Use of a spindle sander was touched on as a means to make curved work on rims and bases. Please refer back to the presenter’s handout to find detailed information as well as an invitation to learn more about carving. Don’t hesitate to contact Keeley to learn more about carving classes or simply to ask questions. She will be more than happy to help.