[Woodcarver] I need your help

Thu Aug 12 14:33:56 EDT 2004

Hey Patti,

I have been thinking on your question since it hit the inbox and have
several thoughts.  Please, these are just my opinions, so take what you
want and throw the rest away.

>From what you have written it seems that success for you is achieving a
higher skill level than the preceding work.  You note that first you
were a successful beginner then a successful intermediate and working on
becoming a successful advanced carver.  To me this means that you are
judging your latest works on the execution of more difficult or new
skills that you are developing in carving.  You are looking for a
maturing in your technique to gauge your success level.

Then you note that you are using others to judge (gauge) your success by
viewing the finished piece. Are you handing them a completely finished
work and then applying their reaction to how well you achieved your new
skill level, a new technique?  

My thoughts go in several directions ... 

One, how can someone else know that you worked very very hard to learn
and accomplish a new technique unless you grab them by the shirt collar
and say "Look right there, at that cut and this cut, see what I learned
to do!"  I am not at all abashed to tell Mike, my hubby, that this area
is what I want him to look at and why. I have even been known to say
"You can Ohhh and AHHH now!"

Two, I am not my art nor do I chose what I feel based on what other's
feel about my art.  Just because someone is not very interested in a
carving can mean something as simple as we have different tastes in art.
I like to carve wildlife, wood spirits, and fun cutesy chickens in
relief  ... But the person looking at the carving may be interested in
3-d little cowboy dudes. So their first reaction, of course, is going to
be ... It's not a 3-d cowboy caricature so I'm not really interested.
This doesn't make my carving right, wrong, or unvaluable and it sure
doesn't make me feel bad about what I like to carve.  It only means they
like 3-d little dudes!

Third, Have you considered the possibility that you have already
developed your carving to the point of excellence?  Many times when you
start getting a null reaction it is because the people around you have
come to expect each and every one of your works to be outstanding so
outstanding work becomes an everyday occurrence. If for example you had
never cooked dinner so started out opening a box of macaroni and cheese
... Then you go to school and learn culinary arts so your family is now
getting Duck Almandine, everyone raves about your dinner ... After a
while it's the duck dinner that is the every day normal meal on the
table and so hum-drum! Just see what happens if you slap boxed macaroni
in front of them again.

If it were me ... (watch out I am about to offer some advice!)

I would simple not show my work for a while to anyone for the reason of
seeing what their reaction is.  Meaning, do the work, post it to your
site and then quietly put it away somewhere in the studio.  I guarantee
that after a few pieces those around you will begin to notice that you
are not coming to them for their reaction!  After just a few pieces they
will begin to 'hover' around asking, "What are you carving now?"  Let
them come to you for a change.

You could also post your newest piece to your site, tell what technique
you were working on to develop, then post it to the digest where other
carvers who understand how difficult it is to hone your skill can give
you feedback.

Also, at least here in the studio, my Michael has seen about everything
come off my work table.  For him arts, crafts, and carvings are just
everyday objects.  So once in a while I will throw in something totally
different then he is use to seeing.  If you are doing Santas try doing
cowboys ... Doing a different theme may be enough to rekindle interest
in those around you. Last week I tried my hand at carving a gourd, this
morning I am adding the painting.  I also have noticed that he has
stopped by the drawing table several times to check where I am at in the
work ... It's new to him too!

Just some thoughts.

Susan Irish

Carving Patterns Online
Designs Online Since 1997!
Classic Carving Patterns By L.S.Irish
http://www.CarvingPatterns.com
http://www.WoodCarvingPatterns.com

Fine Art Dog Prints
Dog Art At It's Finest!
http://www.MuttArt.com
http://www.FineDogArt.com 

-----Original Message-----
From: woodcarver-bounces at six.pairlist.net
[mailto:woodcarver-bounces at six.pairlist.net] On Behalf Of Patti Landmann
Sent: Thursday, August 12, 2004 12:06 PM
To: [Woodcarver]
Subject: Re: [Woodcarver] I need your help

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--- Joe DiDillettjdjdilletththecarvingshopom> wrote:

> To make a DONATION to the Mailing List using
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>  How do you define success?
> Fellow Carvers,
> 
>Hi Joe,

Here are my thoughts:

When I started carving 7 years ago it was to carve
Father Christmas figures.  After 10 or 15 SaSantas
looked around and discovered the wonderful world of
woodcarving.  When carving SaSantasif it was carved
clean and painted well,  it was not hard to convince
anyone that it was wonderful as the subject itself is
pleasant.

I then wanted to carve everything I saw and just as
quickly found that I did not have the skill to carve
many of the exciting things that came to mind.  After
numerous classes and seminars and more importantly
observing the really good carvers that are in our club
and area I found skills and techniques that would
allow me to grow and move beyond my wildest dreams in
the beginning.

My web page is titled "Treasure and Pleasure" and that
pretty much explains how I feel about my carvings. 
Some are true Treasures and some just give me
Pleasure.  This being said it would be logical to
think that I was a successful beginner.  And I have
grown to a successful intermediate.  And I have
promise to be a successful advanced carver given time
and effort.  But my most profound problem comes with
exposure of the piece to others.  When finishing a
piece I feel that I love it and have been successful
in creating what I saw in my mind.  I am excited and
pleased.  At this point I show it to others and then
watch their reactions for a sign of what I feel.  It
rarely happens and I take this lack of good reaction
as an immediate "not good enough".

There are many reasons for reactions...disinterest,
distraction, jealousy, and on and on.  So that being
said, one should be able to rationalize away all
negative or passive reactions.  I go away crestfallen
and wonder if I will ever carve anything really good.

So my advise to anyone is carve for your self from
your heart.  Make yourself happy and that is the
ultimate feeling of success.  Learn and grow as your
goals change but always make yourself happy in your
heart.  

My obvious answer is to never show anything but it is
in the sharing of the art that we all grow.

I would love to hear from anyone who has any idea how
to overcome this feeling of lack of confidence and the
 extraordinary amount of importance I place on the
reactions of others.  I doubt this is normal  But who
ever said I was normal.

>
> 

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=====
Patti Landmann 

lowvillecarver at yahoo.com  
http://www.centuryinter.net/treasures/

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