Day One at the Fair

The weather this week would have been perfect for the fair.  We can only hope that it will continue into next week.   A dozen entries have already been submitted for the Woodcarving Exposition. The usual display elements are located again at the NE corner of the Arts Building, and someone will be there from 10 AM until about 4 PM to hang the redwood signs and lights, clean shelves, and take care of receiving all the new entries.

President Bill and I closed up shop at 4 PM.   About 30 entries were all we could count.  Some excellent relief carvings and pyrography came in from members of the Active Generations Wood Carving Class, and there were some impressive wild fowl carvings brought in by a couple of retired Lutheran pastors.

 Judging takes place at 10 AM tomorrow.

Happy Birthday, Frank!

On this day, ninety-one years ago, Frank Orthmeyer was born.   He retired from his position as City Engineer for Grand Forks, ND, in 1991 and moved with his wife, Inez, to Sioux Falls, SD.  They have four children and ten grandchildren--all of whom receive a carving from Frank each Christmas.

Frank became interested in carving during their retirement winters in Texas. Inez steered him to a carving group where the instructor gave him a knife and a cutout and said, "Go to work!"

Since then he has achieved excellence in the art of carving.  He served as Treasurer and very active member of our club. He became a beloved instructor of wood carving classes at the Center for Active Generations, and continues to be a blessing and an inspiration for everyone who has the good fortune of knowing him.

God bless you, Frank, and HAVE A HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Sioux Empire Fair is Weeks Away

Last December my wife wanted the bathroom remodeled.  I said, "Why not wait until summer time when we don't have to be dragging stuff in and out in the cold weather?"  Last week she said, "Remember what you said about the bathroom?...  It is now summertime!"

So I spent some days, including Independence Day, tearing out the old and putting in the new bathroom.  Needless to say, getting any thing done for the fair is  not happening.

 Rules and Entry Form for the Sioux Empire Woodcarving Exposition can be found at Sioux Empire Fair website. (The date for Saturday judging will be corrected to read Aug. 2nd.)   Printed copies will be available at our  third Saturday meeting, July 19.

The schedule for security volunteers and Artist of the Day is the same as for previous years.  As the featured "Artist of the Day" you do some "show and tell" and get to sell your carvings with no consignment fees.  Volunteers for security watch get a  gate pass and (maybe) a vehicle pass to drive in to Arts Building Parking area.

Wilderness Woodcarving Rendezvous & Picnic

Here is the plan for a fun day at Pointer's Ridge, Saturday, June 21:

10 AM to Noon--Explore the area and find some interesting twigs or dead wood to carve.

Noon to 1 PM--Picnic Lunch.  There will be a pot of chili, some hot dogs to grill, and whatever anyone brings as pot luck.

1 PM to 4 PM--Carve twigs, etc. and possibly explore chain saw carving.

What to bring (besides your imagination): A guest, your spouse, kids, grand kids, etc.; something to eat and drink with chili and hot dogs, your whittling knife and gouges, and (optional) a hatchet and pocket saw.  (Chain saws are welcome with proper safety equipment.)  And of course, bug spray and sun screen.    

Find detailed instructions on how to get there at Pointer's Ridge. org

Sample Human Twig Carving

Sample Bird Twig Carvimg

There's a Bear in That There Wood!

Cherry Wood Relief
by
Derek Boekoff

Had the pictures I took at last Saturday's meeting turned out, you could have seen Dick Peterson offering advice about carving the head of a bear or wolf mounted on a slice of wood, cross-cut, with bark still attached, from a basswood tree branch.  The glued-up and ready-to-carve blanks were provided by Dick along with study pictures of bear and wolf heads.  

Another picture that was too blurry to publish was of Nancy Cummings working on one of her excellent relief carvings.  She has gotten to be quite an expert at accenting her reliefs with the wood burning pen. Hopefully she will be on hand at our next Third Saturday meeting, May 17th, to help us apply the wood burned hair and details to finish our bears and wolves.

The one picture that turned out OK is another example of Derek Boekoff's excellent progress in the art of woodcarving.  Thank you, Derek, for contributing to our "Show and Tell".