Here's My Woodcarving!
by Tom Fink
North Caldwell, NJ
Click on any picture to see a larger version.
Thanks to Highland for letting me share my carvings.
I moved to New Jersey right out of college, and I’ve been working in the financial industry ever since. Nothing lasts forever, and I’ve always liked working with my hands, even if the projects take a long time to finish. (I do have a day job.)
Four years ago, I wanted to get involved in a creative craft which would involve some form of three dimensional work. Glass blowing turned out to be too expensive, and the closest school was two hours from where I live. Fortunately, the American Woodcarving School is just up the road in Wayne, New Jersey, and I started taking lessons there. After finishing the three mandatory projects (a whale, a leaf and a monk), I started creating my own pieces.
I primarily work in three dimensions, but reliefs and masks are sometimes the better medium for a piece of work. I find inspiration from my travels, both in other woodcarvings and in the extensive carvings which decorate public buildings. Many of my pieces decorate my home and office, though I have given quite a few away to friends. The owl shown below was donated to the annual fundraiser at my son’s high school, and sold at auction for $1,500.
This one is a small male head, primarily done as a practice piece.
I carved this owl for a fund raiser at my son's school, Regis High School in New York City. Regis has 3 cast concrete owls decorating the central quad in the school, and this carving is based on those owls.
The carving is 15" high, with the owl being 12 1/2" high.
The owl is carved from a single piece of basswood, and is finished with oil, with a protective coating of carnauba wax.
I carved this one as a Valentine's Day present for my wife. It was based on a Valentine's Day Card she gave me.
And finally, this carving is from 2010. It is a full sized bust and won the blue ribbon in the advanced carving group at the North Jersey Woodcarvers annual show.
Would you like to see your carvings in this column? We invite you to
SEND US PHOTOS
of your
favorite woodcarving projects along with captions and a brief history of your woodcarving. (Email
photos at 800x600 resolution.) Receive a $50 store gift card if we show your carving work in a
future issue!
Return to
Wood News
front page
