The show in Longview went well; have a couple of invitations based on that presentation; have carvings at the 505 in Toledo through September.  Showing two carvings at the State Fair in Puyallup.  Carvings below are in preparation for the ARTrails events of the last two weekends in September.  Come see them in person; we're at studio two near Little Rock.  Also visit the train station in Centralia on Friday the 19th to see a piece of work by each ARTrails member.  See what I'll have there!

Between traveling to see grand-kids and illness, carving has taken a back seat.  Still, bases that should have been built for ducks made in 2013 are completed and a couple of pieces roughed out in December of last year have formed up very nicely.

During ARTrails, we had some spare time so I created a chicken and then my partners painted and tailed him; we left him for Bertha as she supplied the show site. 

I made this as my first ornament for the ARTrails December event but then wanted to get rid of all Bob O'Neil's scraps and put Santa to riding an eagle as my entry.  This is black walnut root wad and Douglas fir measuring 8", 3", 3". 

Meryl and I saw an itinerant brown booby at the Seattle Zoo; I liked his panache, funny bluish bill and tasty looking lemon feet; White cedar with feet of alder and red cedar; abalone eyes:  18"h, 12"front to ba

For the annual ARTrails Christmas bash, I made an "ornament" that fit in a brown paper bag, plus two.  Bob O'Neill's scrap wood box supplied the eagle bowl, wings and Santa; I supplied the hook and rubber band.  Wingspan must have been 32".

It's the end of August, 31st in fact, and I've got the 8' mask painted, abalone and shell embedded and am now ready to make the cedar bark cape, if I can get enough.  I actually need material for two capes as an older carving is missing it's mantle too.  This mask is heavy; 49#, but, it should be 8' of log and paint is a lot of wood. 

Notice the bandaged finger?  Notice the unguarded angle grinder.  The grinder jumped and ran across several fingers and an arm before it leaped onto the concrete and then resided into mirth at all the blood and adrenalin it caused; just as some experienced carvers warned.  A finger nail was trimmed by this method; I don't recommend it.