NEWS ROUND-UP

CORRECTION NOTICE : Our Club Show on August opens for the public at 10:30 AM, and closes at 4:00 PM. Times were incorrectly printed in previous editions of the Newsletter. Please make appropriate changes in your notes. For those who may not be aware of it, our Club VP, Don Stansfield, is the Show Chairman. Got a question? Call him,. His phone number is listed on the back page of this Newsletter.

LOST & FOUND: Gary Lundquist found a like-new carving knife that was left behind by someone after the Wednesday carving session about June 11. It says "Woodcraft" on the handle. The blade is 1 ½" long, and is protected with a piece of vinyl tubing. (And the knife REALLY needs sharpening.)

Pete Avramopoulos of The Potato Shak Restaurant in Loves Park, is one of the Blackhawk Woodcarving Club Members who is financing the wood for the new Club cabinet that Jim Griparis is making. (Yes, Pete is a full-fledged, paid-up member of the Club.) The other Club members who have chipped in to pay for the cabinet materials are Larry Christensen, Tony DeVita, Jim Griparis, and Bob Hallstrom.

Woodcarver Frank Johnson & his lovely wife, Lois, celebrated their 50^th wedding anniversary June 14 in the social hall of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church. The Golden Anniversary affair was an open house for friends and family.

Ralph Rossignol carved with us on Wednesdays during June. Ralph was originally from Elgin, IL, but now makes his home at 8001 Arcadian Way, Mt. Dora, FL. He is president of the Lakewood Carvers Club in Leedsburg, Florida. While carving with us, Ralph was working on a relief carving of an eagle, about 14"x20". This is to be a gift for a nephew who recently attained the rank of Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts of America. It is similar to carving done for another nephew who earned an Eagle Scout badge. Ralph visited our Show at Klehm last year. If luck holds, he may visit again in 2008.                                                                                                                                                            Click on picture to make it larger.

Fun Oak Facts by Gordy Moscinski, from WOOD magazine: While there are over 40 different species of oak trees in the world, they may all be divided into just two groups - red oaks and white oaks. In the field, you can tell them apart by the shape of their leaves . . . red oaks have pointed leaves, and white oaks have rounded leaves.

There is also a major difference in acorns. Those from red oaks are bitter, while white oak acorns are sweet. As a matter of fact, white oak acorns can be dried, ground up, and used to bake bread. This was fairly common among American Indians who had white oaks where they lived. One variety, the English oak is known for extra large and extra tasty acorns. Nuts.

Klehm Arboretum had Monte Spinker as a featured artist selling his Wood Spirit bird houses June 6-8. Mr. Spinker was quoted in the Get To Know Me column of the local Register Star newspaper as claiming to be the first president of the Blackhawk Woodcarving Club. While he may have been carving at that time, there are long-time members who swear he was NOT the first president. Three of our members are researching club history to establish a factual version of the earliest history of our Club. This will be of great interest and value to those of us who have so very recently joined.

There have been inquiries at previous Carving Shows about souvenirs our Club might have for sale. Items mentioned specifically were pins, patches, and printed or embroidered tee shirts. We do have an arrangement with a local monogramming shop for embroidering the logo on our Club polo shirts. Maybe this could be expanded into patches and tees. But, it would mean investing in "inventory." Are we interested?

Carve-It-From-A-Sphere This event at the Club Show Competition is open to anyone interested in taking part. The rules are the same as last year.
1. Design must be original.
2. Carving must be from a 4" wood sphere.
3. Final carving must show original 4" sphere form.
4. Finish must have a natural appearance (no paint).

First prize - $50; second prize - $30; and third prize $20. All are cash awards.
If you had trouble last year making a round ball to carve, Don Stansfield has some ready-made 4" balls for sale - only $9 each.

An up-dated membership list is available. It shows members’ names, addresses, and phone numbers ... (as well as spouses where info was available). Copies were passed out at the Wednesday morning session June 15. If you didn’t get one and do want a copy, call your Membership Chair, Dona Wisner.

The 2008 Gathering Of Wood Carvers has many changes from previous years. For complete details on the activity, please go on the Internet. The site recommended is www.camperjohn.com/GOW08_main,html. There is just too much material to allow us to include it in this Newsletter.

 Rockford Register Star had a reporter at our June 18 carving session. She interviewed both President Bob Hallstrom and Vice President Don Stansfield. Then, on the next Wednesday (June 25), the paper sent a photographer to our session to get illustrations for the story. Maybe he will include pictures of the Pecatonica Indian, too. Check your local paper for coverage

President Hallstrom gets interviewed
Click on picture to enlarge

Capitol Area Carvers of Madison has a Show/Competition/Sale at Olbrich Botanical Gardens in October. If you want to get in on this, the enclosed application blank explains it all.

News from the International Woodcarving Congress in Davenport - none available at press time. We only know that Don Stansfield was down there all week, and Larry Christensen took a three-day class. If they bring back any pictures of the Show or samples of their work, the Newsletter will cover these next month.

COMMUNITY SERVICE

Pecatonica Indian for the Winnebago County Fairgrounds is coming along nicely. This seems to have morphed into a "committee" project. The regular workers include Tony DeVita, Bob Matthews, Ray Olson, and Elaine & Gale Terrell. Progress pictures are coming in the next issue of your Newsletter.

Jim Griparis & Larry Christensen put on a woodcarving program at the Shriners’ High-Twelve Club lunch on Friday, June 13. John Wacker and Arne Larsen, members of High Twelve, were the instigators of this presentation. John says the members were so impressed with Jim & Larry that during the next week’s program they spent ten minutes of the presenter’s time talking about our carvers! High Twelve want another woodcarving program

SICK BAY REPORT

Ray Olson’s son, David, came through his heart operation OK. This was to repair a leak between the upper two chambers of his heart. Not your usual heart by-pass job. Ray says that Dave is recovering slowly.

Marg Simonds injured a rotator cuff recently. Not a happy experience !

Walt Gipe is reported to be in the hospital at press time. No details. Hope all goes well.

Jack Lichtenheld went in to the hospital for an operation in June. No details available at press time.

NEW MEMBERS

Special welcome to Earle Rowe. Met him at the Macktown Re-Enactment. Neat guy.

BUSINESS MEETING

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

¬ President Bob Hallstrom called the meeting to order at Kenrock Community Center.

¬ Secretary’s Report was read and approved as corrected.

¬ Treasurer’s Report was read and approved as read.

¬ Membership Chairman reported no new members added in May.

¬ Web Master Gordy Moscinski leaving for summer home on a lake in Northern Wisconsin. However, if you want to talk to him, just call his Rockford phone number. All phone calls to his Rockford residence are automatically transferred to his lake home.

¬ Librarian Marshall Field, Jr. Reported that all the new materials donated by Bob & Frankie Fiern have been catalogued and numbered into the library system. At this time, our Club Library probably has information on any topic in woodcarving you could imagine. Check out the library list that was sent out with a recent Newsletter. You will be amazed at the wealth of carving knowledge just waiting for you.

¬ Newsletter Editor introduced carver/member Larry Clark to the Club members as the official photo journalist for your Newsletter.

Christmas pins & ornaments for hospitalized kids coming along OK. There is no official tally as to how many have been carved, but we still need some more. Have you carved your fair share?

Center For Sight & Hearing carved quilt will start work in earnest right after the Club Show in August.

Bob Matthews contacted the Keen Age Center in Belvidere to see if any of their carvers might be interested in our Club. He talked to the folks, invited them to join us, and left a copy of our Newsletter as "bait." They were mildly surprised that we met as often as once each week.

Jayne Pheiffer donated a handsome mounted bear statue she had carved to the Show Raffle. More donations are needed. Lots more !

A proposal was made for the Club to make a concentrated effort at brining Carving Programs to area organizations. Carl Hicks suggested the Adult Day Care Facility as a possibility. Our Newsletter has reported on recent such programs at the High Twelve Club and the Belvidere FORIFF Club.

Ted Faber inquired about the possibility of having the Club make available carving knives for classes. Roger Benedict was reported to have such a collection of Club knives. In the same manner, it was suggested that the Club might put together some "Starter Kits" for novice members. No action was taken in this area.

Don Stansfield reported that the July Meeting (July 16) will have a "round carving" session. We are all admonished to bring a really sharp knife and a couple of well-sharpened smaller chisels to that meeting.

Wes Englund has been working on this "found-wood" carving for literally years. Three or four, I think. All the detailed scales are nice and clean cuts. There is a lady hanging out of the dragon’s mouth, but Wes hasn’t quite finished her yet.                                                     Click on picture to enlarge

Ray Olson’s Indian bust is a most handsome piece of work. Basswood.

  Ray made special comment on the finish he had used. He first applied two coats of Min-Wax solvent-based sealer, allowing each coat to dry overnight before proceeding. Next, he got the lightest color of stain he could find, and cut it about 50/50 with mineral spirits. This went on in two coats, each wiped down with a rag. Each coat was allowed to dry very thoroughly before the next one went on. Finally, Ray sprayed the bust with DEFT, and "polished" it down with a brown paper bag. Two coats with the DEFT/paper bag treatment. The final effect is really warm appearance, yet in a natural way.

Bob Matthews brought in an Elf Owl carving he had been commissioned to do. ( His wife asked him to please do one for her.) Bob also showed a relief he had done. Then he showed a walking staff he made for someone else. This had a really fantastic (green) dragon head affixed to the top of the staff. (No pictures available at press time. Next month.)

Tom Backer showed a relief carving of a farm scene. Fairly deep relief. Nicely-detailed shingles on the shed roof.         Click on picture to enlarge 

Marshall Field showed an entwined double-heart carving he recently finished.

Ralph Rossignol, our visitor from Florida, showed us how he has made a golf ball into a handle for FlexCut interchangeable tools.

Will Rockman, another visitor, showed a handsome relief carving of a tree that he had done.

Carl Hicks had a lively presentation on carving canes. He brought along some samples of his work. Carl also explained his ideas on different woods for canes.

Click on picture to enlarge

CLUB SCHEDULE

ð July 16 - Group session "Carving In The Round"

ð August 16 - OUR CLUB SHOW

ð August 20 - Elaine Terrell weaves pine needle baskets

ð September 17 - Rich Andersen will show and talk about many antique woodworking tools Club picnic, date to come

ð October 15 - Club Carving - TBA

ð November 19 - Recognize Carver/Member of the Year, Nomination of officers

ð December 17 -Election of Officers, Christmas Party & Swap

ð January 21, 2009 - Launch 2009 programs - 2009 Show, etc.

August 16, 10:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Admission $3, children under 12 free
Tebala Shrine Temple, 7910 Newburg Rd., Rockford, IL 61108
SETUP Friday afternoon
Judges - Denny Neubauer, tool maker & Greg Wirtz, master carver
Special Show events - TBA
Food Concessions - provided by Tebala Ladies Auxiliary.

CARVING CLASSES

July 20-25, Crete, Nebraska, Burke’s 17^th annual Western & Wildlife Workshop at Doane College. Woodcarving, sculpting, & painting with 12 top instructors. Special free student drawing. Warren J. Blessing, Jr. 309 Woodbridge Road, Coventry, Conn, 06238.  800-742-3253.

September 11, 18, 25, Oct 2, & 19 - Rockford, IL. Blackhawk Carving Club members Don Stansfield and Bob Hallstrom will conduct a class these Thursday mornings at Rock Valley College CLR, 9 AM - 12 noon. Students will carve a Christian manger scene with Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus. The figures will be mounted on a carved replica stable floor, with a symbolic star shining overhead. Call CLR at 815-921-3931 to learn pricing and reserve your place.

September 12-14, Evart, MI. - Caricature Carve-In @ Osceola County Fairgrounds with Phil & Vicki Bishop, Dave & Michelle Stetson, and Floyd Rhadigan. Contact Floyd Rhadigan 734-649-3259.

September 15-20, Sandwich, IL, Kane County Fairgrounds, Gathering of Woodcarvers , week-long series of carving classes & special events. Choose among 15 nationally recognized instructors. Priced by number of classes taken. Camping available, Sponsored by The Carving Shop, 645 East LaSalle St., Somonauk, IL 60552. Joe Dillett, 815-498-9290. Detail available on the Internet at www.camperjohn.com/gow08_main.html

September 19-21, Bettendorf, IA, The Woodcraft Shop, Bob Guge teaches carving a goldfinch. Carol & Larry Yudis, 800-397-2278.

October 3-5, Bloomington, IL, Phil & Vicki Bishop caricature carving. Contact Mike Hartzler, 14 Swan Lake Road, 309-662-4276.

October 19-23, Branson, MO. Ninth annual Rendezvous II Seminar at Compton Ridge Campground & Convention Center. Variety of classes, Contact Ed Zinger, 15222 South Greenwood, Villa #2102, Olathe, Kansas, 66062;  Web site www.woodcarvingrendezvous.com

CARVING SHOWS

July - No new shows in the area close to Rockford have come to our attention. (within 3-4 hours one-way driving time)

October 26, Madison, WI. 20^th annual Capitol Area Carvers of WI show/sale @ Olbrich Botanical Gardens, 3330 Atwood Avenue, Madison, WI. 10am-4pm; admission free. Co-sponsored by Badger Woodturners. Demos, raffles, vendors,. Manny Voeltz 608-241-1188,  Patti Landmann 920-992-5226.  Website madison.com/communities/madcarvers/.

WANT ADS

CIRCULATION STATEMENT: this issue of Blackhawk Woodcarver is mailed to 58 members; 17 prospective members; ten Friends of Blackhawk Carving Club, 22 professional carvers, and 17 tool vendors Total circulation = 124. We send all copies of our Newsletter out by USPO in order to assure the greatest possible benefit to all.

G. Lundquist