[Woodcarver] Not a "Master Carver?"

[Ivan Whillock Studio]

Calling someone a "master carver" in America is similar to calling someone
the "king" of rock and roll or the "queen" of soul.  It's an archaic
designation that isn't appropriate to the way we do things here.  Like
"king" and "queen," Americans simply  use "master" as a term of
flattery--some even to flatter themselves--a fine American tradition.  In
the old European guild system a whole series of steps was prescribed to
become a "master carver".  Since only "master carvers" were allowed to sell,
it was a system (usually quite political) to control the competition as much
as to control the quality of the product.  Many excellent carvers didn't
have the money or political clout to obtain the official title of master and
therefore had to work in the shop of someone who had acquired the status.
(In Germany there are, for instance, many, many carvings attributed to Lang
that came from his shop but were done by his workers, many of whom were
better carvers than he--but worked in anonymity.)

We have a bit of a romantic notion about the apprentice system here--as if
it were some sort of codified and fair means one freely took to become a
recognized wood carver.  In fact it often was used to get cheap labor from
apprentices and to keep journeymen tied to a specific shop.  It put power
into the hands of a few who were then able to control who could join the
"club." In the case medicine or even electrical work, I'd surmise it is
necessary to have a qualifying procedure to control who takes out your
appendix or wires your house--but, even then, politics sometimes creeps in.
That shouldn't be the case in art.

Yes, in America anyone  can put  the title "Master Carver" on their calling
card, but if they don't produce goods people will buy, the title means
nothing.  (It might even get them a derisive chuckle or two.)  On the other
hand, if someone  does produce the goods, there is no law or supervisory
program that says they can't sell their wares to anyone who cares to buy
them--no need to pass a "test" or go through an apprenticeship or acquire a
title do so.  And isn't that they way we'd rather have it?

(Some states have a "master-apprentice program" supported by their arts
boards.  Artists  submit examples of their work and fill out some paperwork
and, if they qualify, are then designated a "master" who can take
state-funded apprentices--thus, in that regard the terms do have some
limited validity in the U. S.)




Ivan Whillock Studio
122 NE 1st Avenue
Faribault, MN 55021
Visit my website at
 http://www.whillock.com
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