Here's My Woodcarving!
by Richard Shaw
Shawnigan Lake, British Columbia, Canada
Click on any picture to see a larger version.
I have been woodcarving since 1993 here on Vancouver Island, B.C. Canada. I was able to retire from my job as a Stonemason to carve full time last year (I like woodcarving much better than stonework, easier on the back). My favorite woods to carve are yellow cedar and alder. It's important to me to use wood from local sustainable sources. Very often I get it from my firewood pile.
I use a Makita electric chainsaw followed by an
Arbortech Mini
to rough out the work followed by much sanding and handcut chip carved detail with Pfeil chip carving knives. I often use copper, steel and brass.
I like to combine old world traditional chip carving techniques with west coast native art motifs to carve the wildlife I am surrounded by here in rural British Columbia and endangered animals from around the world.
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Owl. Wood: pine on a yew wood base with mahogany
gel stain, clear laquer
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Ryan Pt 22. Wood: quilted maple, aluminum, steel finished
with shellac and Varathane gloss varnish. Made the engine
cylinders out of stacked washers
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Salmon. Wood: yellow cedar on maple burl base,
steel embellishments
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King fisher. Wood: pine on an oak base finished w/ blue
anadine dye under clear laquer
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Piliated woodpecker. Wood: pine finished with red dye and
mahogany gel stain over shellac, scuffed to simulate aged
antique look
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Sturgeon Car. Wood: alder finished with mahogany gel
stain over shellac
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Bullet-Proof-Bear. Wood: yew, stainless steel and leather
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Rhino. Wood: red cedar
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Rock cod. Wood: red cedar
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Barn owl. Wood: yellow cedar
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Bear. Wood: maple (spalted)
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Chip Carve Detail. Wood: yellow cedar
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You can visit Richard's website at
http://www.richardshawartisan.com/
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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!
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