[Woodcarver] Not A Master Carver?

Mon Jun 14 09:36:01 EDT 2004

Hi Loren,
My site link  is in my online signature beneath my name.
The web page is quite stripped down without the portfolio on it right now.
It will be rebuilt in a month or so with about 120 completed commissions
added to it. It is mostly architectural but with a few fun diversions that I
suffered through also. My work now primarily focuses on production work for
other carvers and my current new commission work is only a few projects a
year.
Much of what I do suffers from permanent anonymity because of
non-disclosures involving work for other carvers. ( much like a ghost
writer)

Good carving, Phill

Phill Pittman
digicarve at verizon.net
www.masterwerkes.com

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Loren Woodard" <lorenwoodard at charter.net>
To: <cbjbindhammer at mindspring.com>; "[Woodcarver]"
<woodcarver at six.pairlist.net>
Sent: Sunday, June 13, 2004 4:25 PM
Subject: Re: [Woodcarver] Not A Master Carver?

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> Carl:
>
> Do you and/or Phill have a web page.  Sounds like you guys have had some
> great training.  I'd love to see your work if it is available online.
> Thanks much!
>
> Loren Woodard
>
> My carvings can be seen at http://www.woodcarvers-gallery.com
> http://www.carvingmagazine.com  Carving Magazine's web site - Check out
the
> reader's forum.
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: <cbjbindhammer at mindspring.com>
> To: "[Woodcarver]" <woodcarver at six.pairlist.net>; "RAY MIGHELLS"
> <raymighells at earthlink.net>; "[Woodcarver]" <woodcarver at six.pairlist.net>
> Sent: Sunday, June 13, 2004 3:17 PM
> Subject: Re: [Woodcarver] Not A Master Carver?
>
>
> > To make a DONATION to the Mailing List using PayPal OR regular mail,
click
> this link: http://wwwoodcarver.com/WWWList/WWWList.html
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> >
>
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
--
> ----
>
>
> Thanks, Phill.  I agree with you.  I, too, was trained by Ludwig.  I count
> those years as some of the most wonderful in my life.  I've had 14
wonderful
> years as a professional woodcarver and still counting. I won't let any
> publicist refer to me or my work as "master".  All have agreed but only
> after an argument.  Recently a well known video reporter did a story on my
> teaching  and sculpture studio (which hit some of the cable channels) and
> expressed that he felt that I was too hard on myself.  That's OK.  It's
> about respect for those who's shoulders I hope to one day stand upon.
>
> Carl Bindhammer
> cb at purelyonline.com
>
>
> -----Original Message----- 
> From: Phill Pittman
> Sent: Jun 13, 2004 11:11 AM
> To: RAY MIGHELLS , "[Woodcarver]"
> Subject: Re: [Woodcarver] Not A Master Carver?
>
>
> Hi group, been away from the list for a couple of days and wanted to share
> an opinion or two.
> Just a bit from my perspective, as skewed as it may be. ( no pun
intended )
>
> In my former life I got more than my share of printed publicity and took a
> lot of flack from the art community because I was young and possibly
> borderline caustic in presenting my views in public. I didn't really care
to
> be referred to as an artist. I appreciated the intent, but I reserved the
> term for those far more talented than myself who truly created within
their
> craft. I was real decent at assembling my variations of foliage, cherubs
> etc., but refused to give my self credit for any more than being a decent
> copyist. Creation was protected territory in my eyes. Think about all
> creation and deduce my inference from that.
>
> I was lucky enough in my very early carving days to work/study with a true
> master (more about him in a minute). This saved me from ever making any
> mistaken assumptions about my own ( or others) credentials. I corrected
the
> magazine writers when they would refer to me as a master or even an
artist,
> not out of lack of self appreciation, but rather for the dire respect the
> others had earned.
>
> Journeyman ? That's a pretty cool title to me.  I did a four year
> apprenticeship that was very demanding to become a carpenter. The early
> guilds referred to a journeyman as someone that had completed all required
> training for his craft, been overseen for a significant duration by an
> accomplished journeyman and was found proficient to take his tools, travel
> ( journey ) and support himself in the trade without further training or
> support. The label journeyman seemed like an honorable accomplishment to
me.
> The carpenters do not use the phrase "Master" out of respect for it's
roots
> in Europe. The phrase master in carpentry was a master builder and if cut
> wood was all you did,, well.
>
> My carving came as a natural evolution of my carpentry ( actually some
time
> before I "turned out" as a journeyman ). If I was referred to as a
> craftsman, I was flattered. I never really cared what anyone called me (
> within reason) as long as the check cleared at the end of the day.
>
>
> Ludwig Keininger
> The Bavarian master, Ludwig Keininger, I studied with, did a "formal"
seven
> year apprenticeship ending in the 1930's. That included two years of
> mandatory art school (college).
> After serving four years of "finishing" ( this made eleven years so far)
> with the master as  journeyman, he was allowed to test for the "Master
> License" This test was given over a two week period on two occasions. The
> Masters license Ludwig acquired was totally controlled by the German
> government. He had to get permission to relocate or do a commission for a
> particular entity. It WAS very political. The second WWII found him in the
> German army thankful when he was shot, captured and sent to a Russian
> hospital. He said they treated him far better than his own army. The air
> raids on London took their toll on the churches. The German government
sent
> him on loan ( restitution) to do reparation work rebuilding the
cathedrals.
> His immense talent caught the attention of the Vatican who quietly bought
> his masters license from the German government. I don't remember the
title,
> but he was basically the head sculptor for the Vatican for a couple of
> decades. He had a Mahogany forest ( and a granite quarry ) in south
America
> ( owned by the Vatican )  where he worked several dozen " apprentices."
He
> specialized in heroic scale human form using a 6 lb mallet made from
brass.
> His strength was such in his upper body, I saw him in his seventies "
palm"
> a 20" cube of granite on the floor and lift it to a workbench after I and
> two friends failed to budge it.
>
> I could obviously ramble forever about Ludwig, out of respect and
admiration
> for him and many others that have truly earned the title "master".
> His basic opinion about all the Americans that assume it first person was
to
> the point and inarguable. I won't repeat or contest it.
>
> I am happy ( and very lucky ) just earning a living in this trade. He
taught
> me a lot and much of it was very hard for me to accept at first. His first
> concern was not that I was a good carver because of the proficiency with
the
> tools and materials, but rather that I carved fast enough and at
"adequate"
> quality to make a living.( I still hold a degree of disdain for the word
> "adequate")  No matter what you did, it had to be profitable. He hammered
> that in, saying that don't worry, you will find your own level of talent
> after a few years and the course you take will be self defining. He was
dead
> right. Our carving styles were very different and he destroyed more than
one
> of my carving because a saint was " too fat", but his point was always
made.
>
> By the way, If you ask Ludwig if he is a Master Carver, he will
> matter-of-fact answer yes, but add; it doesn't mean much if you have to
tell
> others about your talent in words. What matters is not what you say about
> yourself, but what you show them.
>
> Sorry about the oration, just needed a brain flush I guess.
>
> Best of days, Phill
>
>
> Phill Pittman
> digicarve at verizon.net
> www.masterwerkes.com
>
>
>   ----- Original Message ----- 
>   From: RAY MIGHELLS
>   To: [Woodcarver]
>   Sent: Friday, June 11, 2004 3:13 PM
>   Subject: [Woodcarver] Not A Master Carver?
>
>
>   To make a DONATION to the Mailing List using PayPal OR regular mail,
click
> this link: http://wwwoodcarver.com/WWWList/WWWList.html
>
>
>
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
--
> --
>
>
>   Thanks for the input Bill.  I hope we can discuss these subjects further
> next Thursday evening at Evart.  Offhand, I would comment that when other
> carvers strive to emulate your work (I don't mean just you personaly,
> although you are one),  you are pretty close to the pinnacle.  This
combined
> with bonifide collectors seeking out your work and seeking commissions to
> add to collections to me would be more rewarding than the titlle of
"Master
> Woodcarver"  As far as I'm concerned,  anyone who makes his living,
raises
> his family and puts his kids through college has my vote,  and the
> difference between the professional and the master is negligable and moot.
> I'm happy to see Phil Pittman join this thread,  I've been meaning to send
> him a word of encouragement in writing the book.  We need a good
> comprehensive 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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