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What?!? Me worry?!?
Posted On 05/13/2008 09:31:17 by FloydB
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Yesterday, I wrote about attending a class of experienced carvers last night and about how nervous I was feeling about going. I had been worried that I somehow might not "measure up" or that I wouldn't be welcomed by the group. I am pleased to say that I couldn't have been more wrong about either of those things... but the meeting had a most unexpected outcome.
Allow me to back up just a bit...
I was getting ready to go yesterday (walking out to the van, in fact) when my oldest son (Isaac, 17) pulled up in the drive and asked me where I was going. I told him and he asked if he might tag along... which was a little of a surprise, but I said "Sure!" Isaac had helped me make the carving board that I wrote an entry about a couple of days ago and after we had finished, I helped him start making a Go board and let him use a couple of my carving tools, but that is about the only exposure that he ever had to carving (besides seeing me practice, that is).
We found the meeting place and were greeted by Fran Moore, who immediately started picking at me and joking with me and immediately made me feel like I had been going to meetings there for years. He showed Isaac and me up to the studio and, after meeting the rest of the guys, any traces of nervousness I had felt vanished.
Isaac and I spent the next hour or so walking around and talking with each of the different carvers there, all of whom were extraordinarily open about what they were doing and answered all of the questions that we had for them. Though I didn't tough a carving tool the entire night, I learned a lot more than I could have expected to. Hans even spent some time with us, going over my work and showing me some things that I had been doing wrong... and some other things to try when I got the chance.
After a while of being there, Isaac gravitated to one carver in particular: Frank Byrd. Frank was working on a gorgeous carved mahagony guitar that he is making for his daughter. Isaac, being enamored of all things guitar, had to work hard to keep from drooling on the poor guy...
While there, we learned that all seven guys (the instructor included) studied under the same Master carver, Ludwig Keininger... a man who was obviously good at passing his knowledge along. I told my son that I would be willing to take lessons from any of the carvers there if given the chance. They were all that good.
We stayed for a couple of hours, said our goodbyes, and then were on our way home.
Then it happened.
We were talking about how excited we were about what we had seen and my son (who had never really expressed an interest, remember, before asking to go with me) asked me if he could learn to carve, as well.
So not only were they a great group of guys, they helped manage to get my son hooked on the idea of carving, as well. To me, that was the best result of all.
Below are some of the photos that I took last night.
Thanks for reading!
Floyd
Doug's relief panel
Doug Oliver and his relief panel
Frank Byrd and his in-progress guitar
Bill Lacy, Doug Oliver, and Hans Schwelm
Frank Byrd, Fred Banes, and Ricky Smith
Unfortunately, Fran Moore (the host) retired for the night before I started taking pictures and so he doesn't appear here. Sorry, Fran! I will get a shot of you when I come visit again...
Tags: Beginner Novice Relief Carving
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