The Blackhawk Woodcarver

Volume XXIV, Issue 1,  January 2019

P. O. Box 8285 Rockford, IL 61126
Open Carving every Wednesday (8:30-11am).  Ken Rock Community Center, 3218 Eleventh St, Rockford, IL 61109
Business Meeting; third Wednesday of the month. Friends and spouses of carvers are  welcome to come to meet and visit. Carvers bring in finished carvings for “Show & Tell.”

Presidents Report

Welcome to 2019! We are ready to start a new year with renewed enthusiasm! New Year’s resolutions are always made with the best intentions, hopefully resulting in positive and satisfying accomplishments.

Hence, I am sharing one of Roger's phrases - “clearing off the bench!" However, my meaning might be to just clean up and organize my work surfaces and areas, and even, complete some project! The first I never get done and probably never will. The last, to complete some projects, is always a goal. But, in any event, I do like to think about new projects, new ideas. I know I need them; and maybe the Club does too. So let's see what 2019 brings us.

We did finish 2018 with another great Christmas Party. A tasty brunch with carving displays by the attending members was enjoyed in the multi-purpose room next to our club room. A special thanks to Gordy and Mary Moscinski and Denny and Beckie Neubauer for making this happen. The colorful Christmas decorations were quite festive!

We did not have special programs every month but we did enjoy quite a few. All is great! Also, let's not forget the events outside our normal club meeting time and location, such as an open house on a Saturday morning and afternoon and/or Denny Neubauer’s knife making class. I want to thank all the members who shared their talent, knowledge, or information; and those who were able to line up others to share their talents and knowledge.

All of that contributed to another enjoyable year for our club members. I know it will again this new year!

Tyrone Johnsen

Club Activity Schedule

January 2 open carving
January 9 open carving
January16 open carving and meeting
January 23 open carving
January 30 open carving

February 6 open carving
February 13 open carving
February 20 open carving and meeting
February 27 open carving

March 6 open carving
March 13 open carving
March 20 open carving and meeting
March 27 open carving

April 3 open carving
April 10 open carving
April 17 open carving and meeting
April 24 open carving

May 1 open carving
May 8 open carving
May15 open carving and meeting
May 22 open carving
May 29 open carving

The Rockford Art Museum

The Rockford Art Museum is displaying Roger Benedict's carvings in the art annex and are on display until January 11, 2019.  There are 10 reliefs of which four are expressionism abstracts and six are reprehensive objects.  This display is part of an annual museum project to show a different Rockford artist every three months annually.  The art annex is open to the public.

Class at the Center for Learning in Retirement

Beginning Woodburning This class will cover the basics of the wood burning tool.  It will include instruction on creating fine line detailing and sepia tones of shadowing as well as textures and color.  All burning will be done on a flat board.  Participants will need to have their own wood burner. Instructor Gordy Moscinski

 

Classes at the Woodcraft Shop

Realistic Bird Carving and Painting with Josh Guge. Northern Pygmy Owl. Friday to Monday: January 25, 26, 27 and 28, 2019 - $240 (plus a material fee)

Scandinavian Flat Plane Carving with Harley Refsal. Caricatures and wooden wearables.  Friday evening 6:00 pm to Sunday at 4:00 pm: February 8, 9, and 10, 2019 $125 (plus whatever cutouts you choose to carve)

All things painting… with Josh Guge. Learn color theory and paint a Woodcock. Friday to Sunday: February 22, 23, and 24, 2019 - $185. Plus a $10 material

Carving Caricatures with Floyd Rhadigan. 60 different roughouts to choose from. March 8, 9, 10, 2019. Friday to Sunday: $185 (plus roughouts: $15 to $55)

Carving Realistic Human Faces in Bark with Alec Lacasse. Friday to Sunday: May 10, 11, and 12, 2019 - $174 plus $25 material fee

Medium Relief Woodcarving with John Engler. Friday to Sunday: May 24, 25 and 26, 2019 - $185 (pre-stenciled blanks are $35+)

The Woodcraft Shop, 2724 State Street, Bettendorf, IA 52722
For more information call toll-free 800-397-2278 or go to www.thewoodcraftshop.com

Christmas Holiday Social December 12, 2018

The annual Christmas Social was held at 9:00 am on Wednesday, December 12, 2018. Members along with a guest were welcome.  We had an egg bake provided by ABC catering.  Everyone brought a dish to pass. The Christmas social committee was Becky Neubauer and Mary Moscinski

 

Like us on Facebook “Blackhawk Woodcarvers”.  Many pictures and information.

Deadline for the news for the next newsletter is February 6, 2019.

January Birthdays  (that we know of)

5 Ron Watson
11 Gale Terrell
18 Craig Sorensen
20 Will Rottman

 February Birthdays  (that we know of)

  6  Gary Curl                          6 Gary Lundquist
13 David Van Barriger         16 Nancy Mayfield         
21 George Tolliver               26 Gordy Moscinski

Door Prizes

Don't forget the Door Prize drawing on First Wednesdays. Bring something you don't need or want anymore, but know someone would be thrilled to win at the drawing.

 Want to buy or sell

If you have anything that you would like to buy or sell send me an email and I will put it in the newsletter.   Gordy

 

 Passed Treasured Carvings

At our monthly meetings members are encouraged to bring in SHOW and TELL items along with carvings that are tucked away from the past.  Even though you might be tired of looking at them, they may be teaching tools for others. Dust them off, bring them in!

Blackhawk Carving Club Minutes December 2018

 Minutes of the regular monthly business meeting of Blackhawk Woodcarvers; held on December 19, 2018 at 3218 Eleventh Street, Rockford, Illinois.

President Tyrone Johnsen opened the meeting at 9:05 with Show and Tell, reversing the usual order for Tony DeVita who has a commitment later.  Show and Tell summary will be at the end of this report.  Tyrone reported that first of all Gordy brought in some nice Banana Bread that we should all sample. The business meeting began at 9:15

Secretary, Steve Terrill read the Minutes of the previous meeting November 28^th.. The minutes were approved as read. 

Treasurer, John Skaggs reported that we are solvent. Tyrone thanked John for his 10 years as Treasurer and he received nice applause for his service from the membership.  Larry
Stenzel will be our new treasurer. 

Membership:  Chuck Drewes reported that he is still taking money for dues.

Tyrone gave praise for the Christmas party.  We had less carving displays than last year but they were very well done.  Tyrone thanked Gordy and Denny, but especially their wives who were very crucial to the setup and arrangements.  Becky made wonderful displays for each table.  Chuck commented on the fact that the room is nicer.  It is nice for people to step up and volunteer.  We had 43 attendees. 

For Snow days, if RPS 205 is closed, we are closed.  For Holidays the building is not committing to being open before 10.  January 2 is to be determined.  Information will be available via e-mail if we can meet on the second.   Denny moved that we will not meet on December 26^th.  The motion was seconded and passed.

There was no new business.

The meeting was adjourned at 9:35. 

Respectfully Submitted: Steve Terrill, Club Secretary

 

Club Officers       (815 area code)
President - Tyrone Johnsen, 397-9274
Vice Pres. - Louis Jurisch, 568-7096
Treasurer - John Skaggs, 547-6951
Secretary - Steve Terrill,  708-0471

Committees   (815 area code)
Photographer - Larry Clark, 262-9982
Membership  - Chuck Drewes, 985-8575
Librarian - Bernie Budzynski
Petty Cash - Dona Wisner
Webmaster and  Newsletter Editor- Gordy Moscinski, 874-7978
Newsletter Publisher, Gary Johnson 399-1697
Historian - Elaine Terrell 765-2886
Programs - Tyrone Johnsen, 397-927
Picnic - Tony Devita

 Show and Tell pictures by Gordy Moscinski comments by Steve Terrill

Tony DeVita showed a Cheese knife that he created in Denny’s forging class.  It was cut from a circular saw blade and then ground and polished.  It copied a cheese knife that his son bought for his sister to go with a cutting board he made that cost $75.  Denny said that he could make one.  He also brought in a relief Santa that he made in a class from Don Morse down in Sterling a while back. 

 

Bob Hallstrom brought his grandson Sam to the forging class at Denny’s this past weekend and Sam did all of the forging grinding etc.  Sam, 13, really enjoyed the experience.  He made a Brazillian Cherry flooring into a handle with a whole lot of sanding since it was extremely hard. 

 

Steve Terrill made a flat gouge with a curved shaft to get into the recesses of the Cuboctahedron he is carving for his son which will have a ball inside.  The handle was just a scrap of walnut that he had been practicing on with a lathe.  He intends to make a proper palm tool handle at his friends with the lathe he traded for a jointer. 

 

Richard Dunphey made two knives at Denny’s one a smaller detail and the other larger one.  They both had cactus spine handles.  He uses knives mostly to carve people pens that he gives away as Christmas presents.  He brought several along including a Viking an old time copper from England, a pirate with a hook, and a self-portrait from a time when he had more hair, with the legs crossed which was more challenging than he anticipated. He completed about 30 this year for Christmas.

 

Arne Larsen showed two knives that he pounded the heck out of.  They had Cactus handles one of which he forgot the hardener of the epoxy and spent two days trying to get the goop off of his hands.  Arne had a blast.  

 

Tyrone Johnsen made a small detail knife at Denny’s class for the little people he has become fond of carving.  He showed two other knives he had previously made at Denny’s. 

 

Gale Terrell carved a piece of soft Jade he carved into a ball about 3” which has a ball inside it and another ball inside that.  It was a challenge.  He showed the basswood model that he used as a model. 

 

Elaine Terrell showed a stylized Chip carving of a poinsettia in relief. It was a pattern that she modified and painted.

 

 

John Skaggs showed three ornaments that he painted first then carved. 

 

Gordy Moscinski showed some little guys that he is learning from Denny.  He had 5 in all, two santas and three others.