The Blackhawk Woodcarver
Volume XXV, Issue 12
Presidents Report
December 2020
Did
you carve a turkey for Thanksgiving? I think a turkey carved of wood is to
be admired. They appear more rare than I thought! Bob Hallstrom sent me this
picture of a carved turkey pin he picked up for his wife years ago. Carved
wood Santas and snowmen are definitely more common than Turkeys.
Our members have certainly been busy
carving ornaments and gifts for friends and relatives. Bob Matthews, Tony
DeVita, and I carved some. Bob brought seven pieces over to Peterson Meadows
to add to their Christmas decorations. Member, Ray Pederson, who is also a
resident at Peterson Meadows, informed me that the main building is still
off limits even to the residents. Hopefully, the forthcoming vaccines will
help retard the virus spread so that early next year we can return to more
open socialization.
Our
annual election of the club officers has concluded. The current officers
were willing to serve again in 2021; and the membership reelected them. I
wish to thank the Nominating Committee consisting of Roger Benedict, Martha
Fitch, and Chuck Drewes. They also served as the Election Committee with our
Membership Chair Chuck Drewes who acted as the Chief Election Judge. I also
wish to thank the other members who serve in the non-elected positions which
help our club to function: Newsletter Editor & Webmaster Gordy Moscinski,
Membership Chuck Drewes, and Bob Matthews who coordinates with Peterson
Meadows on our use of their facilities. Vice President Richard Dunphey also
serves by heading up our Programs. Treasurer Larry Stenzel coordinates with
former club treasurers John Skaggs and Bob Hallstrom who serve as auditors.
Steve Terrill and I continue to serve as Secretary and President
respectively.
May we all continue to enjoy and
appreciate our blessings. Member Franklin Johnson recently told me that he
stays busy at home wood carving, and carving helps him enjoy life. I wish
all of you a very happy and blessed Christmas and a wonderful new year!
Tyrone Johnsen
Blackhawk Carving Club Minutes November 2020
The
Nominating Committee
The nominating committee of Martha
Fitch, Chuck Drewes, and Roger Benedict are pleased to announced the
following slate for 2021:
President, Tyrone Johnsen
Vice President, Richard Dunphey
Secretary, Steve Terrill
Treasurer, Larry Stenzel
Join in to applaud these folks to
continue serving in these officer positions. We need to recognize
Tyrone for his contribution to continue for a fourth term as president,
which is unusual under ordinary times . But we are not in ordinary
times right now as the coronavirus has prevented our means to function in
typical and familiar manners as a group. However Tyrone's decision to
continue as president is focused on his willingness to keep alive the
historical meaning of the Blackhawk Carvers group. Think about what you can
also provide, perhaps, with a zoom presentation, an idea for a carving
challenge, or anything to enhance meaning for mutual interest. Take
care and stay healthy.
Roger Benedict
Officers
results
We had 23 yes votes and no nays.
11/15/2020 10 votes
11/16
6 votes
11/17
1 votes
11/18
1 votes
11/21
5 votes
___
Total
23
With a total of 41 members, 23 is a
majority.
I expected more would vote.
Chuck Drewes
The
Butternut Tree
The butternut tree is a deciduous tree growing
to 20 m (66 ft) tall, rarely 40 m (130 ft). Butternut is a slow-growing
species, and rarely lives longer than 75 years. It has a 40–80 cm (16–31 in)
stem diameter, with light gray bark.
Butternut wood is light in weight and takes polish well, and is highly rot
resistant, but is much softer than black
walnut wood. Oiled, the grain of the wood
usually shows much light. It is often used to make furniture,
and is a favorite of woodcarvers.
Butternut bark and nut rinds were
once often used to dye cloth to colors between light yellow and
dark brown. To produce the darker colors, the bark is boiled to concentrate
the color. This appears to never have been used as a commercial dye, but
rather was used to color homespun cloth.
In the mid-19th century, inhabitants
of areas such as southern
Illinois and southern Indiana – many of whom
had moved there from the Southern United States – were known as "butternuts"
from the butternut-dyed homespun cloth that some of them wore. Later, during
the American
Civil War, the term "butternut" was sometimes
applied to Confederate soldiers.
Some Confederate uniforms apparently faded from gray to a tan or light
brown. It is also possible that butternut was used to color the cloth worn
by a small number of Confederate soldiers. The resemblance of these uniforms
to butternut-dyed clothing, and the association of butternut dye with
home-made clothing, resulted in this derisive nickname.
A Very Covid-19 Christmas
carol:
I’ll be home for Christmas
January
Birthdays (that we Know of)
18 Craig Sorensen
20 Will Rottman
Vice Present
Treasurer Larry Stenzel
389-4714
Secretary Steve Terrill
708-0471
Committees
Programs, Richard Dunphey, 633-9003
Webmaster & Newsletter Editor Gordy Moscinski 874-7978
Membership Chuck Drewes 985-8575
Photographer Steve Terrill
Picnic Tony Devita
Carvers
wanted
Sometimes I get calls from people
wanting to have a carving done (for money). If you are interested in
any of these contacts, let me know and what kind of carvings you are
interested in doing for people. Don Stansfield,
woodchip1508@comcast.net
Let’s get creative
We would like to challenge all
members of the club to carve a snowman for the JANUARY newsletter.
It can also be one that you have already carved from other years.
You can make them any size or thickness, in the round or one sided,
chip carved or woodburned. This will showcase the diversity and talent of
our club members. Sorry, no $$ prize.
Send them in by January 6th 2021.
Thank
You
A big thank you to all who
contributed pictures and commentary for this newsletter.
Great job! Keep the knives sharp!
Keep sending your pictures by the
January 6, 2021 deadline.
Obituary
Gary Lundquist sent a note saying
that Lois Bachelor had passed away. She and her husband
used to belong to Blackhawk Woodcarvers (around 2014). The obituary is on
RRStar website.
A look
behind closed doors
A Christmas surprise for my wife.
Black walnut trees with small ornaments. Finish is tung oil. They'll get
another coat
The small trees are about 7 inches
tall.
Chuck Drewes
Been carving more snowmen for
Christmas and worked on a wood burning project.
Phyllis Hogberg
This carving is 22 x 28 x 1-1/4
inches basswood plaque to be mounted on the exterior of our house in Door
County---a pair to be mounted in an offset viewing format. I had to
use about every carving tool imaginable to create it; including a hand
jig-saw and powered rasping. The finishing will be two coats of
primer, and two or three coats of house paint. If it lasts five years
in the outdoor weather I will be happy.
Roger Benedict
One rough-cut & one my-kinda-cut
Richard Dunphey
Here are three burnings: an
aardvark, a rattlesnake, and a basset hound. I did a similar
rattlesnake several years ago but didn’t color it. This one is colored
with watercolor pencils.
Larry Stenzel
Here are a few of the items I have
been carving for Christmas after I finished the Halloween witches.
I plan to carve about 12 each of the Christmas items.
John Skaggs
These are Christmas ornaments
for gifts this year. Chip carved from pattern in "Woodcarving
Illustrated" winter 2020. A fun project.
Jerry Robey
A Kingfisher bird, 3 small santas
and a group of Santas was sent in with the excellent help of Mary Lou. Tony
wants to be sure Bob Mathews gets credit for the help he gave him with the
bird.
Tony Devita
Bob Matthews
An angel for Christmas
John Martin
Icicles with tops
Gordy Moscinski
Santas being donated to Peterson
Meadows.
Tyrone Johnsen
Santa Claus
Gordy Moscinski
Happy
Holidays Everyone
