A Hobby and Lots of Talent

My Dad started woodcarving when he was 75. For a span of 9 years he carved a few hundred pieces, of various kinds. This Indian Chief has always been my husband's favorite of all of daddy's carvings. I can still hear Daddy saying that when you look at a piece of wood, it tells you what it wants to be. You can see the design in the chunk of knots and gnarls. As I get older, I understand more clearly what he meant by that statement. I can apply it to a lot of areas of my life actually.

He loved to paint his pieces with a colored stain, so the grain of the wood most usually would show through. He carved a Sea Captain like this for each of his 10 children. However, each Captain is slightly different, because he made them as separate individuals.
My daddy was an amazing man. These carvings are just a small glimpse of his hobbies and talents.

This carving titled "Coffee Time" is a cowboy crouched over a campfire, making coffee. Years ago, when land surveyors were first mapping the United States ( ie. Lewis and Clark expedition, etc.) each "survey party" also had a cook that traveled with the group and fixed meals for the surveyors over a campfire. I think this little guy is telling me that the coffee is ready. Come on, join me. Let's talk over coffee.

I hope your day is wonderful.

Love, Rachel