tributesinwood

Wood Carvings by Mark Sheridan

12 May 2013

The Start of a New Caricature

Ok…so here’s the idea. A hobo and his dog on a railroad pump car! You know, the car with the pump handles where you pump up and down for motive power?

Here’s the start to my hobo man. Note the wind swept hair and the front of his hat turned up by the breeze. I can picture him with his jacket and tie pinned back by the wind, and his little dog’s ears straight back.

He’ll have a couple of tickets in his hat band and I was thinking about a bit of a garbage-can-lid barbecue with a couple of sausages on sticks for him and his dog. Travelling first class!

01 May 2013

Some Additional Photos

Check out the Flickr item in the Links on the right column on this page. I’m in the process of adding some extra carving related photos to this site, and you’ll find them there. The only non-carving related photo is the one of my Dad and I with one of his r/c airplanes. He enjoyed carving, wood working and all activities associated with creating and building…and would have enjoyed this site.

In the coming days and weeks, I’ll do a better job at putting a title on the photos that you see so that you’re able to get a better sense of what you’re looking at. But for now, I hope you enjoy the extra shots of some of my carvings and others’ carvings that I’ve admired at shows.

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27 Apr 2013

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The Cottonwood Mill

I think that I’ve pretty much finished up my Cottonwood Mill.

A couple of posts ago, I placed a photo that will give you some sense of the amount of white bark that was on this particular bark sample. Although I didn’t originally intend it this way, I decided along the way to keep the white as it looked to me like a water-fall. So, I ended up cutting “rocks” and “timbers” around it to show why the waterfall was cascading in the way that it was…and, it turned out pretty well.

I still may do a couple of additional things, like a final coat of wax and, maybe, a couple of small dingbats doing some work around the Mill.

Posted in Bark Carving and tagged whimsical cottage

21 Apr 2013

Wood Carving Illustrated

If you’re interested in carving, you’ll want to visit woodcarvingillustrated.com

I recently registered and posted a photo of “Zeke” on their forum, and through that was introduced very quickly to a number of outstanding carvers…and, clearly, outstanding people given the nice welcome they gave me.

The web site is set up very well and there’s a wealth of information and photos to access. I’ll start putting a number of links on this page so that you can get at some of the blogs and web sites that other carvers have created. You’ll be impressed…and motivated to either start or do more carving. I know that my head is full again with ideas of things I’d like to carve.

In other news…the carving portion of my bark carving is completed. Basically, I’ve hollowed out the windows since the last photo that I posted. I’ll get to putting some urethane on it over the next few days and it’ll be ready to hang on the wall.

It’s already made quite a hit in the family and I’m sensing in conversation that the dear women in my life are quietly putting in their “purchase orders”. I can tell that this bark thing is going to be competing for caricature carving time…I’m glad that I got to finish the Corporal!

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14 Apr 2013

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Whimsical Mill Bark Carving

My “whimsical cottage” looks like it became a dwelling above a mill of some sort. I’ll have to think a bit about just what the water wheel is turning. I’m definitely going to be getting some more bark…this is a lot of fun.

I need to cut out the windows and hollow out the back a bit so it looks like you’re looking into rooms. Also need to burn the top of the chimney to make it look like it has been used by the home-owner whenever he isn’t in the mill making that whimsical what-ever.

Posted in Bark Carving and tagged whimsical cottage

13 Apr 2013

One Thousand Hits, Fifty-five Years…and Counting!

Wow. Has this blog ever been a lot of fun.

My daughter used her web savvy this past Christmas to set her less than web savvy Dad up on a blog. I’m glad she did because this has been fun. Plus, I have a 1000 hits as of today.

When you visit, don’t be afraid to leave a comment as I’d like to hear what you’ve been carving or crafting.

In other news…my same daughter sent me this birthday card, featuring best wishes from the Corporal. Just so there’s no confusion, I was not born in 1812.

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13 Apr 2013

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Bark Worse than Bite?

Ha! When I was in Niagara, Stephan Forrin’s wood carvings got me interested in Cottonwood Bark carvings. Stephan was good enough to spend some time with me explaining the basics of carving this fairly fragile bark.

I should have taken a picture of the bark before I started carving, but I guess I was just too anxious to get going. As you can see, this particular piece of Cottonwood Bark had a lot of white on the outside. I started with a little cottage on the top, grass thatched roof with some cedar shingles beneath and then, finally, a pine planked cottage.

Next, I got the idea that a bit of a spiral staircase would look good leading up to the door. Then, the more I looked at it, I thought that the white looked like water, so, I carved a little water wheel at the bottom and trimmed away the white portions of the bark to look like a waterfall.

It’s coming along quite nicely, and a lot quicker than an involved caricature. I think I’m going to need more bark…

Posted in Bark Carving and tagged Bark Carving

08 Apr 2013

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Niagara Falls Carving Show

Well, the Niagara Falls Woodcarvers Show was just terrific this past weekend. Very well organized and attended with loads of friendly people to chat with and to share ideas. This is an event that you will want to put in your calendar for next year at about this time.

I took along Chief Dan Turtle-Rock and my recently completed Cpl. Duncan Sowerby.

The Chief and I were very happy to see him awarded a First in Intermediates Caricatures. In talking with one of the judges, they really liked his overall appearance ( that calm and proud demeanour ) and appreciated the little details like the beadwork on his costume and base.

Corporal Duncan Sowerby also received a ribbon for Third Place in Intermediates Caricatures. Not bad for his first time out on the circuit.

Posted in Niagara Falls Carving Show

29 Mar 2013

The Corporal is Ready to March

Check out the photo gallery link at the top of the page for the finished pictures of Duncan Sowerby! I’m very pleased with the way that he turned out. I’m also pleased that he’s finished!