For as long ago as people can remember, we have been using wood to create. From ancient sculptures to that simple carving of a bird found in your grandfather’s basement, the tools may have changed, but interest in one of nature’s oldest canvasses has rarely waned.
Every Wednesday afternoon, the main room at Midland’s Askennonia Senior Centre is filled with the smell of sawdust as a group of about 20 people work diligently on creating their next masterpiece.
As the sound of engravers and hand-held sanders bounces off the walls in the non-descript room, it slowly but surely becomes the home of a multitude of wildlife.
With nearly 5,000 people participating in various woodworking groups across the province, the art is as strong as ever, noted Brian Dent, convener of the Askennonia woodworkers.
“It’s out there. Every town has a wood-carving club,” he said.
Dent took over responsibility for the club from accomplished carver Fred Howard about three years ago, and said the group offers a place where people can search out and expand upon creative challenges or interests.
“Carving can go from a folk art to a fine art, and there’s a spot in there that can suit anybody’s specific interests. It’s just an opportunity for people to explore their interests and creativity using wood as a medium,” he said, adding he prefers to create character carvings.
“It’s a case of picking the foibles of more humorous parts or people or animals,” he said. “You can change the characters and find the humorous side of life.”
Dent’s interest in carving came back in 1995 after meeting a group of bird carvers based out of Barrie. Immediately inspired by their talent, Dent began investigating as much as he could about the craft, eventually learning enough to take over teaching it to fellow hobbyists.
“It was something that was supposed to be a hobby, but ended up becoming a small business,” he said.
What’s interesting with wood is the medium itself, he said. Since it’s something that is very common and easy to get access to, it has become very much a part of society.
“It doesn’t matter whether you go into a public office, churches or homes, there’s always something there carved with wood,” he said, adding the subjects to choose from are broad. “It’s an artist’s medium, so basically you can follow whatever your interests are.”
For him, that interest has always led to waterfowl.
“It’s something that goes hand in hand with the enjoyment of being out in nature. With them, their colours change with the season, (and) the challenge behind them is in the object you’re trying to portray and the season you’re trying to have them blend into,” he said.
“There’s so much more to it than just the carving. There’s the painting, the initial design, the layout, the individual grouping of the feathers…”
The Askennonia woodworkers group also provides a great social opportunity, said Dent. That’s the reason Jim Nunn, 74, has spent his Wednesdays for the past nine years around the big table at the senior centre.
“A lot of times, you come and you don’t even carve. You just sit there and chit-chat,” he said. “I find it inspires, too. Somebody else is working on a bird, and you realize you would like to do one.”
Betty Baumgardner, another longtime member, said the social aspect of the group is a big attraction.
“There are conversations going all the time, and some of them are just hilarious. There are a lot of great characters, but not necessarily good carvers,” she joked, adding seeing what others create often helps to elevate her work to a higher level.
While Nunn said he has been creative most of his life – he started messing around with woodcarving as a teen – Baumgardner only started when she joined the group 13 years ago as something to keep her busy during retirement.
Much like Nunn, who prefers the three-dimensional aspect of woodcarving, Baumgartner said she opted to join the group instead of taking a painting class because of the greater challenge it offers.
“Plus, I didn’t want to paint,” she said. “There are all different levels in this. When you start, you carve, and then you have to put all the details in and make the feet, feathers, etc.”
Every year, the group participates in Midland’s Winterfest, where members of all skill levels have the chance to showcase the results of their hard work.
“The group (includes) all different skill levels from accomplished carvers to beginners,” noted Dent. “What’s nice about woodcarving is it can be broken down technically as a craft, and you can take people through step by step.
“(As well), it doesn’t have to be an individual thing,” he added. “The interaction from it is that you’re learning from others.”
The Askennonia woodworkers group meets every Wednesday afternoon.
Going with the grain
Date: Jun 11, 2009
Carvers in Midland’s Askennonia woodworkers group have a wide array of interests, plying their skills to create everything from waterfowl to forest animals.
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