Blackhawk Chipper
 

Meeting Times

There are two evening meetings per month, which are held at the Ken-Rock Community Center at 3218-11^th Street, Rockford, IL.

The first meeting is on the first Tuesday and is an open carving meeting from 6:30 to 9:00 PM. Join the gang and bring your friends

The second meeting is on the third Tuesday, May 17th and is the business meeting, starting at 7:00 PM until 9:00 PM.

Every Wednesday is open carving from 8:30 AM to 11:00 AM. Come and join the gang, bring a friend! Enjoy a taco.

All our meetings are aimed at enjoying one another passion for woodcarving. Always there is a lot of carving information traded back and forth, and of course the life interest stories, "three for a dollar" are worth the gas mileage and time.

April meeting notes

The Blackhawk Woodcarvers Monthly Business Meeting was called to order by President, Elaine Terrell. Old minutes were read and approved. Dolores Cascio reported the treasurers report. For old business Elaine Terrell reported on liability insurance and is finding it hard to find a reasonable supplier. Cheapest to date is $500. Will be asking other local clubs about their insurance carrier. For new business Gordon Moscinski provided a survey to determine the needs of the club, and therefore plan the future programs. The survey will be distributed at the next meeting. Don Stansfield presented the registration mailer packet for the show.

There was no presentation. However a carving project was begun with all those members present carving a doorstop turtle. This project will continue for the next three business meetings and hopefully be completed for selling in the August show.

Meetings was adjourned at 9:00 pm

Show & Tell

Tony DeVita---Presented a very novel carving depicting a shrunken head with a teepee of three spears. (Could be a traveling trophy if so designated.) Tony says this is an icon to represent members who did not finish their panel for the quilt. The shrunken head was carved from an apple that dried out during the winter while hanging over his potbelly stove.

John Wacker---Showed further progress on his relief of a country church in a meadow.

Misc. Schedule

Carving a turtle door-stop at the next business meeting, May 17^th. BRING YOUR CARVING TOOLS AND STUFF.

There is a misconception that a wood carver is a whittler, in that a person who sits around and removes wood idly with a knife. But let us not think in terms of whittling but examine what is really a carver? A probable profile is not simple to illustrate, because as artists there will be several complex definitions to explore. Most of us as carvers have a common ground of not having any professional training except for various informal classes and carving in a self taught environment. But without the formal training, we have a huge need to create! Having a passion and compulsion to create, however, does not come from formal training. It's there potentially to be used through an energetic and spontaneous desire. Regardless of the acceptance, the carver puts their heart and soul into their work. Carving subjects vary tremendously among carvers. Yet there will be beautiful and spontaneous ranges in themes of animals & birds, nature, caricature or real people, religion, culture, and of many more. It sometimes said, "feeding one's soul is taking someone somewhere."

Woodcarving, as like art, it generally speaks to a variety of people for today and for the next generations. As quoted from sculptor Lorado Taft, " Most people think of art as pretty and amusing. But art is a beauty of holiness. A fact is that separates us from our brother animals is that we humans can send messages and greetings to the world of the unborn."

Keep your tools sharp

Roger Benedict

When----- Saturday, August 13, 2005

Time------10:00 am to 4:00 pm.

Where-----Klehm Arboretum and Botanic Gardens in Rockford, IL

Get ready to be a volunteer. Very soon Jim Griparis will be asking for help within various supportive roles to make the show a success. Meanwhile get those old carvings dusted off for the raffle.

Tuesday night we began the monthly (for 4-months) carving session about a turtle doorstop. From the sounds of the 19 carvers it was a hit. Talking, talking, joking and what ever. It was good to see members having so much enjoyment. This truly reinforces what we are all about. Obviously from observations, we will have unique carved turtles. Good betting money is that no two will look alike---great! Sooo for the next meeting, bring your turtle and carving tools and continue the work.
 

At the next meeting Gordon Moscinski will take pictures of the show & tell carvings and place them in the web site. Bring your "chest pounders" to show off.
 

He called again seeking carvers to buy his inventory of odds and sods. He has magazines, books, carved unpainted birds, driftwood, and picture frames. He lives in Winnebago, IL at 512 South Elida 61088. Phone number is (815) 335-2726.
 

Taken from Chip-Chat Magazine Nov-Dec 1990 as told to me by Ralph Honeysett. (answers in next month's newsletter)

1. What is the preferred wood for baseball bats?

2. Church pews traditionally were made from what southern wood?

3. Which hardwood is preferred for tool handles?

4. What is the most popular and abundant species for furniture in the USA?

5. Trees are the only renewable energy source. True or False?

6. What is the only hardwood species suitable for making kegs or barrels to store liquids?

7. Which USA species is a popular furniture wood in Europe and the Far East, but rarely seen in American furniture?

8. What species traditionally has been used to make engravers blocks?

9. Fine gunstocks are made of which hardwood?

10. What is the favorite hardwood in making bowling pins?

11. Which species is used in making Venetian blinds and drawing boards?

12. Which hardwood's natural colors range from cream to green to purple?
 

May 14-15 Bloomington, IL. Annual Sculptors in Wood carving show and sale held at Challenger Learning Center. (309) 662-4267 Mike Hartzler.

July 9 Delafield, WI. Lake County Carvers 24^th annual show competition and show held at Public Works Building 111 Main At. (262) 542-3867 Tom Ellenson.

August 13 Rockford, IL. Blackhawk Woodcarvers 10th annual carving and competition show held at Klehm Arboretum & Botanical gardens 2701 Clifton Ave. (815) 397-8910 Roger Benedict.

September 11 Madison, WI. Capital Area Carvers of Wisconsin 17^th annual show and sale held at Olbrich Botanical Gardens Atwood Avenue.

October 22-23 Wheaton, IL. North Suburban Carvers 26^th annual Artistry in Wood Exhibition and competition held at DuPage County Fair grounds. (773) 763-1788 Marcy Samat.
 

CARVING CLUB WEBSITE (REVISED)

www.blackhawkcarving.com
 

"There are three Things extremely hard, Steel, Diamond, and to know one's self"

___Benjamin Franklin

 

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.

Blackhawk Woodcarvers

1921 Boscobel Court

Rockford, IL 61107