Elf

This is a Gary Falin roughout that I saw at the Renegade Roundup last March. I've carved a few original designs the past year, but I think I've learned a few things by carving the designs of others, even though I end up "improving" them. Gary's work has a lot of intricacies and it is quite educational doing his roughouts. I'm really looking forward to the next one! Merry Christmas to all!

More Ornaments

Whew! I am about carved out for Christmas! I did manage to get a few more Santa ornaments completed, but these may be the last holiday things I do for a bit, since I'm not sure I could finish and sell soething before next week. I'll stick these in my store at http://mikepounders.weebly.com and may take them to a Christmas party at work this week and see if I can sell a few more things. Not sure when the cutoff would be for shipping to someone for Christmas, but it is probably soon! Thanks for looking. These are around 3 inches tall and about an inch wide.

"New Web Site"

I was able to start an online store, where I can sell a few things, on my Weebly website, so I may start posting more things there. The website is mikepounders.weebly.com .It makes a nice looking website and , through Paypal, I can accept online payments with credit cards. We'll see how it works out!

"Saint Nicholas"

Here is another Santa I just finished, based on a Michele Stetson roughout. I love the ornate style of painting that Michele was known for and have tried to incorporate that. I'm really pleased with how he turned out! Thanks for looking!

Dancing Santa

This is from the Shawn Cipa design published a few years back. It's still pretty close to his, with a different paint job, and the beard carved a little more. It's one of those patterns I've always wanted to try and I decided to just make a little time for it. My wife started dropping hints that she might want to keep it, before it was even completed! Thanks for looking!

 

 

"Blue"

I got a Tom Wolfe book on carving dogs, last Christmas, and I'm finally getting around to trying one. I like the base on this one...just a piece salvaged from the side of the road. Thanks for looking!

"Tassle Santa"

I carved this from a Michele Stetson roughout. Dave Stetson taught a class earlier this year at our club and I fell in love with his wife Michele's Santas. I had never seen one shaped quite like this and her painting was amazing! This carving is 11 inches tall and 7 inches wide, but is only about 3 inches thick (possibly to fit better on a shelf?). The width certainly gives plenty of room for a lot of painting details. When I carve roughouts, I always reach a certain point where I stop looking at the "go-by" and start carving and painting what I think looks best, or what I'm actually capable of carving/painting, rather than trying to duplicate someone e

lse's work. Michele's Santas have a certain look to the face that mine don't and I painted mine slightly different also. I really like how it turned out; it seems to have an old world, maybe a Russian influence. And the gold seems to add a richness also. Michele's health doesn't allow her to carve any more, but her artistry still continues to teach and inspire! Thanks for looking!

Liberty

This is from a Mark Akers' roughout that I worked on my first day at the Renegade back in March. Mark really set the bar for the other instructors that followed over the next few days. He is a very good instructor and offered lots of tips for carving and painting. I picked this guy because he was different from what I usually carved and I admired the beard and the way Mark painted his plaid shirt. Mark said it was easy, but I believe I have probably spent more time on the painting than I did in carving! I did a lot of research and practice before painting the flannel shirt on this guy. And I searched a while for a suitable design on his cap..I wanted something that seemed to go well with his flannel shirt.




I've exchanged a few emails over the past month with an old Navy buddy, Phiil Marshall, and it got me to thinking about my military service. Or maybe it's just the approach of the July 4th holiday. "Liberty" was a Navy term for being able to leave the ship and go where you pleased. After being on a ship for several weeks, you really wanted some liberty. It's also what we were defending, what we fought for. "Liberty and justice for all". I hope that everyone, no matter where you live, can celebrate those things. Thanks for looking!

The Tennesee Stud

"The Tennesee stud was long and lean,


the color of the sun, and his eyes were green.

He had the nerve, and he had the blood...

there never was a horse like the Tennesee stud!"



This old hoss is feeling pretty stud-ly, with his stripe-dy pants and rodeo buckle! He is ready to chase a few fillies, and even has a stick to beat them off, should he prove to be tooo irisistable down at the county fairgrounds.



This is another completed project from the Renegade Roundup, a Gary Falin roughout called "Muffin". Gary suggested that I change his design up a bit, by adding the mustache, and it kinda grew into this fellow. I liked the pants and the way he was posed, but it was hard to pick from all the roughouts that Gary had available. Great guy, great carver, and great instructor!



If you get a chance, google Tennesee Stud and listen to the song....the versions by Doc Watson or Johnny Cash on YouTube are both good! Thanks for looking!

"Some days, you're the hydrant....some days, you're the dog."

Here's another of Chris Hammack's bar buddies roughouts. I started this and got it pretty much finished on my day with Chris at the last Renegade Roundup. These fellows are pretty challenging with all the details that he puts in them. I'm finally getting caught up enough to paint the ones I worked on while there.....but haven't even started carving on all the extras I bought! Really enjoyed myself and learned a lot! This old fella resembles a guy I used to know..you can almost read his mind when you look at him. Thanks for looking!

"Rememberies"

I was messing around with a small piece of wood and it turned into a pretty neat little face. It was about the size of a bottlestopper, but I wanted to present it more as a piece of art. I asked for advice in another post and decided on a base, but it took a while to think of a title. He reminds me of someone, maybe myself, and I got to thinking about years past. Remembering hair this long, and a full beard (not this long). Remembering motorcycles ridden and places seen. People and music, sadness and celebration. The years flow like a river and some memories fade and wash away and others are changed some by the flow of years. I think the best times are always in the present moment and have never had any urge to turn back the clock, to live in the past. But the past can be a nice place to visit, in our "rememberies". Thanks for looking! (hope you like the carving and the base)

Carving with Dave Stetson

The Central Arkansas Woodcarvers had a two day class with Dave Stetson this past weekend. Dave is a founding member of the Caricature Carvers of America and has has been carving and teaching for over 30 years. He focused on carving from a blank, using symetry and adding motion to a carving. It was a lot of fun, and I must have learned something. These carvings look different from most of my carvings! I like how they turned out and have a lots of ideas. Dave was a great instructor!

Delmar the Hillbilly

One of these days I'll get around to carving a design of my own, but this Mike Shipley design was a a Christmas present! Mine isn't exactly his flat-plane style, but I like the subject and I like his style. This was a lot of fun to carve and I have him sitting next to my Harold Enlow hillbilly. Thanks for looking.

a staff for Santa

A guy in Ohio who plays Santa contacted me about making him a staff similar to one I did a few years back. This one is taller and I added the teddy bear. And I think the elf is cuter than the last one! The carved portion is 22" and the shaft portion is 48" making it 5' 10" tall. The Santa and packages and stuff are all stacked on a metal rod that is attached to the shaft. I used a threaded insert on the shaft and then ran a metal pin thru it and the wood. I expoxied that end. Then I used wood glue between the other pieces and tightened it all up with a nut on top of the top package, which made it very sturdy, despite the length of the rod. The Santa was then glued on top with epoxy. Here's a few pictures; thanks for looking!

Some Christmas Bling

Here is a necklace I just finished. I had the idea a year ago to add some festive cord and bells to some of the Santa ornaments I carve, to make necklaces and sell quite a few. But I decided to make one that was a little more elaborate with the carved elves, and presents and such. This just doesn't catch your eye, it kind reaches out and grabs you! The beads are handcarved and handpainted from basswood. Thanks for looking!