The next meeting is January 10, 2013 "Look into the garden, Where the grass was green; Covered by the snowflakes, Not a blade is seen. - Ezra Pound January 2013 Newsletter Our Guild meets the second Thursday of each month all year round at 6:30 P.M. at the Woodcraft located at the Overland Park Shopping Center at 7005 West Overland Road, Boise ID 83709 (208) 338-1190. Happy New Year! I hope this new year has started off well for you and will continue to get better. Keep your knives sharp, know where the knife tip is at all times, and carve every day is a good philosophy to follow. The Idaho Artistry in Wood Show is fast approaching (February 24-25). I am looking forward to a great showing from the carving members, and I especially look forward to your new creations. Think about the time you would wish to staff our demo table, volunteer time taking tickets, helping out with the raffles, donating items for the raffles, auctions and table Newsletter Contents Presidential Message Party Photos Jan Carving project Show and Tell Announcements 1 2 4 5 6 President: Eric Owens 1 st Vice President: Carolyn Greener Secretary: John Greener Treasurer: Jane Eubanks 1 st Trustee: Beck Beus 2 nd Trustee: Dean Shaw 3 rd Trustee: Don Brigham Past President: Steve Moreno Newsletter Editor: David Sharp 208-890-7478 Email: dsharpcarver@hotmail.com IWG Website: Idahowoodcarversguild.org table prizes. As always, an enterprise of this magnitude does not operate without the dedication of others willing to give generously as we always do. We (Carolyn and I) will be asking for items, time and ideas to make this show a great success. In my quest to learn all I can on my woodcarving journey, I spend a lot of time looking through publications, books and websites, including tutorials, blogs, forums, and artist websites. I want to share some of those with you so that you may enjoy them as well. I have found many tutorials (for free) and have engaged in discussions with other carvers on various subjects. For some simple, flat-plane lessons on carving, try youtube.com. On YouTube, there are a great number of tutorials. One carver in particular is Gene Messer, from Texas. His carving videos are particularly helpful for those wishing to do simple flat-plane figure carvings. He has literally hundreds of videos on carving everything from a fisherman to a dala horse to a simple santa. If you are stuck on what to do next, look on YouTube under the title whittler0507 to view his videos. Some of them are simple, others are more involved, but his generosity in posting free instructional videos can be very helpful. A blog by a member of the CCA, Don Mertz, is very valuable to see progressions of carvings from a block of wood to a finished carving. His website has dozens of links to knife makers, other carvers, tutorials, and information about various aspects of carving. These are only two that I have found in my online journeys. I hope to bring you some more in the future. In the meanwhile, stay sharp, carve a little every day, and most of all, enjoy the journey. If it is no fun, you probably won t carve for very long. Thanks! Eric Owens President, IWG Hint - Some woods, such as walnut or oak, are very tough and hard to carve. You can soften the wood up by applying de-natured alcohol to it. The alcohol will not cause the grain to raise like water will. The alcohol, of course, will evaporate with time. Smoky Mountain Carvers
IWG Minutes Dec 2012 We had a wonderful Christmas Party filled with fun and food instead of our regular meeting. The following are photos of very nice folks having a very nice time. 2
Christmas Party cont d Thanks to all whose hard work made this evening so nice! 3
January Meeting Project Inviting all to come for this months episode of "Chips with Carolyn. Yummm! Little Hairy Snow Dude, and the list of tools needed. Tools: 3/8" v-tool, 1/8" v-tool, 3/8" #2 gouge, and a sharp bench knife. And your strop! Of course! The prospectus and registration forms for wood carving entries have now been sent to the Idaho Artistry in Wood website: idahoartistryinwood.com. Carving Hint -Some woods will be pithy and will fuzz up (some basswood) when you cut it or grind it. I have found that when you mix 50% de-natured alcohol and 50% white shellac and coat the wood, it stabilizes the wood and makes it very smooth to cut and grind. This mixture will not hurt the wood or cause the grain to raise up. You can paint or burn the wood after you finish carving just like always. You will have to re-apply the mixture as you waste the wood. Smoky Mountain Woodcarvers "Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: it is the time for home." - Edith Sitwell 4
Show and Tell this month is made up of photos of Christmas Gifts carved by some of our members Bottle Stoppers and Wood Spirits by Steve Moreno Greetings from sunny NJ. Just arrived last night. Reporting for duty tomorrow...destination and assignment...unknown. Just like a mystery movie. Brought my tools and blanks with me...oh nuts just remembered I forgot to power sharpen everything prior to leaving. Guess I'll be getting better at hand honing. Say hi to the boys and girls for me. Steve Gifts carved with love by David Sharp and sent off to Texas and Arkansas. Some stayed in Idaho. 5
Carving Classes offered by Woodcraft Weekly Wood Carving with Lennie Williams Lennie teaches on Tuesdays from 6 pm 8 pm New students need to meet with the instructor one week prior to their first class. $30.00/class or 4 class punch-card for $99.00. Class fee does not include materials. Call Woodcraft at (208) 338-1190 to learn how to register. Lennie is a member of the IWG and is a great carver. 6