[Woodcarver] Not a "Master Carver?"

Sat Jun 12 11:26:36 EDT 2004

Barney,

I absolutely agree!  For some the years of dedication, practice, and
honing of skills to full the requirements to earn the designation of
"Master Carver" are worth the work. For others of us there are different
avenues to explore in this craft-art-hobby.  Some of us teach, some
create patterns, so are authors, so are craftsman and craftswomen
carving marketable products for galleries and shows, some are carving
just because they like to make others smile when they are gifted with
that carver's newest creation ... and all of us started at the beginning
with that first piece of wood, a knife, and total confusion about
exactly where to make that first cut.

I don't know that I even qualify at Bill's level of Advanced Beginner.
My personal concern is simply "have I learned something new with this
latest carving and is it perhaps just a little bit better than the
last?"  And if I did a little better or learned something new have I
shared it with the carving community so that someone else might be able
to learn from my experience.

Having explored many crafts and arts I am so pleased that this is one
area of the arts where everyone from the rawest beginning wood butcher
to the finest certified Master Carver fits in, has something to share,
and is always welcome in any discussion of our favorite hobby. All of us
seem to carve just for the shear enjoyment of carving!

Susan Irish

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

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Dog Art At It's Finest!
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-----Original Message-----
From: woodcarver-bounces at six.pairlist.net
[mailto:woodcarver-bounces at six.pairlist.net] On Behalf Of Barney Elking
Sent: Saturday, June 12, 2004 9:28 AM
To: [Woodcarver]
Subject: Re: [Woodcarver] Not a "Master Carver?"

Let's not lose track of the fact that most of us are carving for our own
personal enjoyment and that of our friends and relatives.  The "Master
Carver" discussion is extremely interesting but shouldn't intimidate
those just starting to carve or those whose carvings don't meet some
sort of nebulous standard.  Look around at the "art" currently being
produced.  Does it stand up to the work of the "Masters" in order to be
appreciated?  

Barney
Fortuna, CA

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Bill Judt <mailto:bjudt at sasktel.net>  
To: [Woodcarver] <mailto:woodcarver at six.pairlist.net>  
Sent: Friday, June 11, 2004 11:46 AM
Subject: [Woodcarver] Not a "Master Carver?"

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Ray and Joe:

Here in North America, we must be careful to make a clear distinction
between the European trade designation "Master Carver" and the more
relaxed way we use the term.
Unless one is trained as a master carver according to an accredited
standard, he/she is NOT a master carver. One might be a GOOD carver,
even and excellent carver... gifted, talented, professional, etc... but
not a MASTER CARVER, unless he/she has earned that title. I can
understand European carvers looking at the way some carvers rate
themselves or are rated by others and questioning their standards. I
don't let this type of thing bother me, though. I know how good my work
is. It is somewhere between the absolutely WORST carving on earth and
the absolutely BEST.<grinning widely>

This raises the question "What shall we call those North American
carvers who have show excellence in their craft/art... who stand above
the crowd? And what is the standard by which we measure their
abilities?" Your comments and suggestions are welcome.

This is a question I've long pondered. Please note that I do NOT
consider myself a "Master Carver".

Bill
List Owner

W.F. Judt,
46 Harvard Cres,
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan,
S7H3R1
PH: 306-373-6649
Email: bjudt at sasktel.net
Website: http://www.wwwoodcarver.com

On Jun 11, 2004, at 8:49 AM, RAY MIGHELLS wrote:

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Hi Joe;  sounds good to me.  I do know that some classicaly trained
carvers kind of look down their nose at excellent carvings done by
carvers "not trained".  I agree with you that you do whatever is
necessary to achieve the dimension and projection you want.  Carving is
still evolving;  you may need to go to college to get a degree,  but you
don't need to go to college to get an education.  ( subscribing to all
the carving magazines is comparable to taking a correspondence course,
although there are some things you can not learn from a book)Regards
Ray Mighells  6760 Rt 417 Killbuck NY 716 945 0098 Please view my work
at:  http://www.picturetrail.com/razaxnstuff 
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