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Here's My Woodcarving!

by Richard Shaw
Shawnigan Lake, British Columbia, Canada

Click on any picture to see a larger version.

I have been woodcarving since 1993 here on Vancouver Island, B.C. Canada. I was able to retire from my job as a Stonemason to carve full time last year (I like woodcarving much better than stonework, easier on the back). My favorite woods to carve are yellow cedar and alder. It's important to me to use wood from local sustainable sources. Very often I get it from my firewood pile.

I use a Makita electric chainsaw followed by an Arbortech Mini to rough out the work followed by much sanding and handcut chip carved detail with Pfeil chip carving knives. I often use copper, steel and brass.

I like to combine old world traditional chip carving techniques with west coast native art motifs to carve the wildlife I am surrounded by here in rural British Columbia and endangered animals from around the world.

Owl. Wood: pine on a yew wood base with mahogany
gel stain, clear laquer

Ryan Pt 22. Wood: quilted maple, aluminum, steel finished
with shellac and Varathane gloss varnish. Made the engine
cylinders out of stacked washers

Salmon. Wood: yellow cedar on maple burl base,
steel embellishments

King fisher. Wood: pine on an oak base finished w/ blue
anadine dye under clear laquer

Piliated woodpecker. Wood: pine finished with red dye and
mahogany gel stain over shellac, scuffed to simulate aged
antique look

Sturgeon Car. Wood: alder finished with mahogany gel
stain over shellac

Bullet-Proof-Bear. Wood: yew, stainless steel and leather

Rhino. Wood: red cedar

Rock cod. Wood: red cedar

Barn owl. Wood: yellow cedar

Bear. Wood: maple (spalted)

Chip Carve Detail. Wood: yellow cedar



You can visit Richard's website at http://www.richardshawartisan.com/ .

Would you like to see your carvings in this column? We invite you to SEND US PHOTOS of your favorite woodcarving projects along with captions and a brief history of your woodcarving. (Email photos at 800x600 resolution.) Receive a $50 store gift card if we show your carving work in a future issue!


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