The Blackhawk Woodcarvers Monthly Business Meeting was called to order by Roger Benedict; Elaine Terrell was absent. The minutes of the last meeting were read and approved. John Wacker gave the Treasurers report with a reported balance.

Information announced:

Bob Matthews will present at the next meeting a session on painting a wooden feather.

On Saturday November 4^th Roger Benedict will lead a tour of the Rockford Art Museum to see the "Human Touch" Exhibition.

Congratulation to Don Stansfield for his excellent carving class on flat plane carving. (For those who have a vote, let's vote Don into a new position of education director.)

Gordon Moscinski made a good suggestion that we should bring carved Christmas items to the December meeting, which is the Christmas party. Things to bring would be Santas, ornaments, etc.

The evening's presentation was by Lew Riley, who taught several ways to draw three-dimensional solids. Then later everyone sketch three bottles that were positioned on a center piece table. The objective was to observe the light source and therefore provide pencil shading to define the solid forms. Everyone came away with something to add to their pre-carved sketches.

Don Stansfield-----Framed relief of a leaf on a cherry wood background. He said. "His wife was proud of him for not buying any special wood, because he used old wood laying around in his shop."

In carving it is likened to sharpening, there are no two carvers who sharpen the same way, and similarly there are no two carvers who finesse their carvings the same way. I am more understanding of Individualism after reading Ivan Whillock's article, "the Doorways to Woodcarving" in the recent issue of Carving Magazine. He points out many carvers bring with them a specific background in a metaphor of doorways. For instance there is a "shop door," a "studio door" and perhaps a mixture of the two doors. The shop door carver represents a person who has extensive experience in woodworking with the love of wood, patterns and tools. His or her success is usually measured by the amount of accuracy accomplished to reproduce the pattern. It is easy to visualize the shop door person as Whillock explains. This person would strive to achieve perfect saw cuts, tight joints, and absolutely flawless finishes, whereby this person after becoming a carver emulates a continued precision.

The studio door carver, if you have not figured this out by now, is the person who may have a flair for art, originality, and according to Whillock, wants to be different with something that has not been done before. This person is more interested in self-expression and may not care about quality clean cuts and finishes as the shop door carver does.

Then of course there will be the blending of the doors, which most of us in Rockford fall under. But there is a flaw in these doors' comparison if a carver becomes evolved with competition at carving shows. Depending on which carving door you come through, you may be at a drastic disadvantage based on the judges' doorway of thinking. Over many years of observing shows, it is apparent that judges are more interested in the shop door carver with perfect lines and finishes. But that is another story for another time in "Clearing off the Bench." Back to this unique comparison by Whillock, which is your door and have you, reflected on your carving visions related to your completed carvings?

Keep you tools sharp

Roger Benedict

November 18^th-----Rockford Art Museum tour a 10:30 am and lunch at the Olympic Tavern. (was November 4^th; cancelled due to Sandy Schmitt's service)

November 21^st---- Guest speaker Bob Matthews on painting your carving; bring paints and brushes.

December 19^th----Christmas party and swap night.

January 16^th ----Guest Speaker Don Miller of Severson Dells on nature and the carver.

Bob Matthews will present a painting session of a feather. During the class each person will paint a single side pocket feather from a female mallard. It is an application that requires the participant to mix and layer several colors to get the required effect. Bob says that it is not hard, just requires patience. If you have them, please bring your paints and brushes. However Bob will have brushes, paints, paper towels, paper plates, plastic cups, and water. For those who will bring there own supplies the following list applies:

Acrylic paint: Titanium white Brushes: #2 round

Unbleached titanium #3 round

Raw Sienna #10 filbert

Raw umber

Burnt umber

Yellow ocher

Bob is retired and lives with his wife, Karen, in Belvidere, and has two children and five grandchildren. He is retired from United Airlines after 40 years of service. If you can not find Bob at home he and Karen are probably traveling the country in their motor home. Wildlife and woodworking has been Bob's passion of interest. It was in 1979 that he began to carve wildfowl and has never stopped since then. Through many seminars and special training from a master carver Dick LeMaster, he has mastered the art of carving and painting birds. Today, after 27 years Bob says that he is still learning and striving to improve his work. He does not attempt to improve on Mother Natures' accomplishments, but strives to represent any species in attitude, shape, and color. He jokes about the past regarding his first carved bird from a kit that was crude, and tells us that his wife suggested that he change from a paint roller to a brush if he wants to amount to anything. And has he ever made the long distance run!-------his bird carvings are in a class act of there own.

The museum tour of November 4^th has been postponed because of the funeral service of the same date for Sandy Schmitt, who passed away.

Roger Benedict will guide a tour of Rockford Art Museum. This years exhibit is the RBC Dain Rauscher Collection, titled the "Human Touch." The collection ranges from serious to whimsical, from realistic to abstract, from paintings to three-dimensional works, from photographs to works on canvas, and from large scale to small. Everyone is encourage to attend and recognize that art is selected to engage rather than decorate, it encourage us to imagine, to test, to challenge, and to ask, "why?" This can be helpful with our passions of woodcarving.

It is that time of the year to update your membership. Please pay membership dues of $18.00 by the end of January 2007. Make checks payable to Blackhawk Woodcarvers and submit to John Wacker, Treasurer, or any of the officers. This money supports several continuous expenses as rent, newsletter, and club events. We can not exist without your support. Currently we have 48 full-time members, and 23 half-year members.

Sandy Gene Schmitt passed away on Monday, October 30, 2006 at St Anne's Nursing Home. Our sincere sympathy goes to his family. Sandy was a "pillar" of carving with his carvings representing a familiar object. Carving was his passion. However, there may be a belief that tools were his passion and therefore carving was his means to own every possible carving tool. We will miss Sandy; his wit, humor, kindness, and determination to overcome any burden.

An old time member recently rejoined the carving club after a few years of absence. Please welcome back Frank Johnson, who was once a president of the club.

NEWS STUFF Please forward any club or member information to the editor.

The Blackhawk Woodcarvers was founded in 1993 and has a goal of preserving and encouraging the art of woodcarving. Membership is open to anyone having any skill of carving, including those who have never carved and want to learn about carving.