As a kid I remember often
seeing men sitting on the porch, whittling away on a piece
of wood with a pocket knife. They might be making a whistle
or a figure. As kids we made crude boats that we could float
down the stream, and pretend that we were traveling the
world as we watched them navigate the current. Old-time
sailors used to while away the time at sea by carving ivory,
and who hasn't seen the beautiful soapstone sculptures created
by Inuit artists?
Carving
is making a comeback, and it is not unusual to see RVers
carving a piece of wood with specially-designed knives and
chisels. Some of our friends carve duck decoys. Some woodworkers
use a small lathe to create toys such as children's toys
or fancy pens, crafted from all types of wood with spectacular
grain patterns. Woodworkers have the ability to look at
a piece of wood and visualize a bird inside that needs help
from a skilled carver to emerge from inside the log. One
of our readers presented me with a decorated walking cane
that he made from a piece of driftwood while relaxed under
his awning in Florida during the winter. In the group that
Irene and I travel with on many weekends, Joe, Charlie,
and Ross show others the beautiful works of art that can
be made while on the road.
While attending the Ottawa RV Show earlier this yea, we
met Andre Breau, who runs the National Woodcarving School.
The school offers a unique method of instruction on its
website (www.2carve.com) that will perk the interest of
any RVer who has the urge to whittle a piece of wood. The
website features many pictures illustrating the steps that
beginners need to learn about different carving techniques.
...
Carving
is making a comeback, and it is not unusual to see RVers
carving a piece of wood with specially-designed knives and
chisels. Some of our friends carve duck decoys. Some woodworkers
use a small lathe to create toys such as children's toys
or fancy pens, crafted from all types of wood with spectacular
grain patterns. Woodworkers have the ability to look at
a piece of wood and visualize a bird inside that needs help
from a skilled carver to emerge from inside the log. One
of our readers presented me with a decorated walking cane
that he made from a piece of driftwood while relaxed under
his awning in Florida during the winter. In the group that
Irene and I travel with on many weekends, Joe, Charlie,
and Ross show others the beautiful works of art that can
be made while on the road.