[Woodcarver] Not a "Master Carver?"

[Joe Dillett]

> It appears to me that could well be the age old discussion about whether
> carving is a form of art, or a craft.
> "Master Carver" = craftsman.
> "Renowned Artist"  = Artist
>
> Just my $.02 worth.
> Byron
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Just like with any profession, there are individuals of every level and
interest. Some have great technical skill, some with great skill observing
the human condition and great communication skills and some that have all
those skills and of those with all those skills and the burning desire to
use them we might call an artist.

Woodcarving is such a broad area where people tend to specialize in their
area of interest. I have had many students who work for stair companies. May
of them are doing things that other masters wouldn't know where to begin.
Still the only technology for fitting a curved rail is by hand carving and
with some very cool mathematics and guesswork. Yet with all that skill they
may never be able to do a bird. I also have students who are pattern makers
because much of their work can only be done by hand carving. The
understanding of draft angles, gating, cooling rates vs material thickness',
sharpness of edges vs tool life is something a stair carver or bird carver
couldn't do. The artist chooses a path and even down that path the artist
chooses several branches.

Coming up with a definition of as artist would be almost as difficult as
defining love. I am not prepared to say the stair rail carver is not an
artist because I've seen some of their work as most creative and
inspirational. I've seen some pattern carving that stirred as much feelings
in me as a great painting. Why does a work suddenly become art when it is
cast in bronze but if not, the original wood pattern would be ignored my
most? Why do two painting standing side by side, using the same basic color
and essential form, both exhibiting excellent technical skill and one can
rip your heart out while the other does little to the soul. Volumes could be
written about the artist who ripped out your heart and still might not
define what an artist is.

Perhaps the difference between Master and Artist is that the Master is
easier to define. And, as exhibited here, the definition of a Master is not
that easy either.


Joe Dillett
The Carving Shop
645 E. LaSalle St. Suite 3
Somonauk, IL. 60552
(815) 498-9290 phone
(815) 498-9249 fax
http://www.thecarvingshop.com
jdillett at thecarvingshop.com
http://www.carvingmagazine.com Carving Magazine web site and Readers Forum
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