| The chips fly in Mel's living room where he does most of his carving. His fist-full
of blue ribbons is proof of improvement since the first 'flat faced'
caricatures he did as a novice when starting in 1992. Blue ribbons are
much harder to come by now that he competes in the open classes.
Mel is the current president of the Woodbee Carvers Club in Iron Mountain, MI, and teaches classes on animals, wood spirits, love spoons, 4-part roses, many kinds of ornaments, whistles, toys, knives, and pins. In addition to the aforementioned items, he has carved Indians, children, cowboys, animals (birds, bears, cougars, wolves, deer, horses, boars, etc.), caricatures, walking sticks, bottle stoppers, candle sticks, and a variety of cottonwood bark and driftwood items. Traveling by motorhome, Mel has attended seminars and shows in Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Nebraska, Iowa, Arkansas, Ohio, and North Carolina, and has taught at many of them. Mel is one of the favorite instructors at carving seminars because he lets students choose whatever blanks they want, and his chairs usually fill up right away. He charges $10 per 1/2 day and blanks run from $5.00 to $20.00.
|
 Roughing out an Indian on the carving arm, before bringing it into the living room for more detail work. |
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