[Woodcarver] When should a carving be retired from competion?

[J and C Lukens]

Mike....ive weighed in on this before, but you bring up a different aspect
of the carver that goes from show to show with the same carving.....lets
say that I place a carving in a show and get a first place.....IF this
award boosts me up to the next level (IF we were under judging credentials
and standards, either local AND national)....then it would, in my opinion,
be acceptable to go to another show, but compete in the next level....there
is absolutely no contradiction in that move.....BUT it seems to me that
just moving around the country with you carvings to see if you could get a
better chance to get a better award, and that is what i believe they are
doing, is playing the judging game......UNTIL we have a national standard
by which we ALL can come to agreement with, we will probably see those who
just rotate around the shows and gather ribbons like trophies and are not
judged on their abilities, but only on their one-time creations......does
this really provoke us to do better, or just stay the same??????

John aka Mr Chips (say hello to the chat gang)


> what I wanted to aim for (or maybe just gaze at it incredulously and sadly
> shake my head).  And finally, and this has been touched on, if I owned the
> carving in question (sweated over it... cried over it... bled over it), I
> would want to test it against as many competitions, other pieces, and
other
> judges as possible. Especially considering the variables in those areas.
>
> Cruising between levels, between different shows or competing with it at a
> lower level than it belongs is a whole 'nuther thing.  The record keeping
to
> bring that under control is beyond most organizations.  I believe the
> California Woodcarvers Guild might be the closest to having a handle on
> that, but the view from this side of the States is kinda fur, and I
wouldn't
> want to speak for them.