Shermer Jarvis
I grew up around woodworking. My dad was a furniture worker and carpenter most of his life. Back then most woodworking tools were hand tools. I can remember making small wooden boats from California red wood as a kid, using some of dad’s old chisels and a pocketknife. I also helped dad build houses as a teenager.
I can remember my granddad and my dad setting under a shade tree whittling.
They never made much of anything except whistles, popguns, slingshots, and, a few other folk art toys. They usually made a pile of chips, which I later found made good kindling for wood burning stoves. Ha!
My dad also taught me how to sharpen axes, draw knives, chisels, handsaws, and knives. I had never seen a carving knife, which is a little different.
A few years ago I started to think about what I would like to do as a hobby when I retired. Woodworking came to mine, but that is a wide field. In 1999 my son, Ron, gave me a small set of carving gouges, a book “How to carve wood by Rick Butts” and a subscription to Woodcarving Illustrated. I thought, well I might try this. He may have pointed me in the right direction.
I started carving in the year 2000. My first carving was a small-stylized duck. I went to the Davidson County Woodcarvers show and competion in October. I was so impressed with the skill and art in woodcarving that I wanted to learn more. I joined DCWA in 2000.
I retired in 2003. I thought great, lots of time to carve. Not true, I believe I had more time to carve when I was working than now. I just need to get my priorities in order.
Come join us for fellowship, fun, and hours of wonderful carving experiences.
Shermer Jarvis
To view a larger image....click on any picture.
