Wood Carving
Out of the blue, I met Colin Etherington, aged 80, master wood carver in Settle! And his passion is passing on his love of woof carving to novices keen to learn. I have always loved working with wood, having done an Adult Education course in the 1970s in which I produced a ragged side table, quickly thrown away. But Colin used lime wood as a forgiving wood for learners too and started me off on a leaf which gives you all the basicsto understand how to create further studies. I was hooked. He was very generous in his time and gifts of surplus tools to begin with and I was astonished at how I took to it. See!
 Leaf This was my first study, taken to give all the basic steps to allow me to tackle further studies. It is only 5in by 4 in but loved. |
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 Grapes cut off Two little pieces of lime wood were used to play with the steps learnt. |
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 Flower study cut off The other cut off played with. |
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 Dad 1949 I had an instant desire to do a memory of Mum and Dad. The photos of them on their honeymoon in 1949 showed me what I wanted to do. Dad came first, simplifying where it might be too much like face details and full round. His great coat, trilby and job as a wool buyer in Bradford became my design. With careful but non intervention from Colin except on a chip out of the trilby, I wanted to do it myself. As it grew, I became very nervous not to ruin it. Him growing out of a huge wool bale that he is testing for its quality, only 5ins by 8ins is proudly hanging at the foot of the stairs with the one of Mum. It gives me huge satsifaction. |
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 Mum 1949 Mum's design, taken straight from the photo on a balcony in Paris in 1949 on their honeymoon, dressed in her wool coat, holding a bag that became a book lent itself to be a celebration of her love of reading and her early exploration of writing stories, tragically cut short by her death at 50 in 1976. I ventured to capture the railings too and her hair style and face. It's her. |
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 Cretan Woman My latest carving in progress in Lockdown 2020 is from Jennifer's pottery head which reminds me of Cretan women in plaster paintings seen at Knossos. It also reminds me of Vicky, my neice. |
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