Sunday 3 November 2013

Chiseles, Knives And The Box Of Little Wooden Heads

Underneath my drawing table there was a certain wooden box, it laid there for years forgotten until one day I moved it's dust covered led...


 Inside I found my chisels and carving knives wrapped up in neglect, once were busy now in stealth a mere trap for dust.. and blocks of wood and wooden heads, a work in progress that never saw a ray of light.. different ingredients to create magic, different recipes to make art.


Four years ago, I first laid hands on these chisels and knives and carved away a little piece of old cracked wood, clueless as I was at the time, and without a pattern or guide, my first carving emerged, my first little wooden head... It was the start of  something new, and my passion for carving and wood work grew.... 


Oh, how I love the wood aroma when I carve, how I love being immersed in wood shavings and saw dust, but most of all the joy I find when giving life to an old piece of cracked wood.
I still have a lot to learn but I'm determined.

So after years of hesitation last night I held my chisels and knifes, for hours that felt like minutes and with no plan of guide I carved  away a block of wood... 


 until a wooden-button-nosed-egg emerged... I wonder what egg-white-yellow-yolk-stories lurking in its shell... waiting to be heard, waiting to be told.

6 comments:

  1. Oh what a treasure !!! I almost can't imagine you could forgét such lovely things !!! It's probably more like it happens to me: I like different techniques ... but you can't keep busy with áll of them áll the time ;-)
    YES ... the scent of freshly carved wood !!!!
    I love your "unfinished" faces a lot ....

    I once bought a doll's head in Indonesia. It wasn't finished (painted) at all and at first the maker didn't want to sell it to me, because it clearly wasn't ready for sale !!!
    At last I convinced him I loved it as it was right away and ... I could buy it ..... mmmmm I still lóve it ;-)

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  2. I'm glad the Indonesian craftsman agreed to give you the unfinished head :-) Like you, Els I feel there's something magical about unfinished wooden pieces, and perhaps the Indonesian craftsman, like myself was shying away from bringing his unfinished pieces into the light. Being a perfectionist, I always hoped I'd do better "tomorrow" which tied my hands "today", but I have learned to enjoy the journey of art making, to develop, accept and embrace my work with all its imperfections. I delight at your posts and I'm truly thankful to the kind words you often leave on my blog, they encourage me in turn :-) Wishing you a happy autumn from the edge of the desert land.

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  3. knives with wooden handle looking so amazing. I also like the blade of this knife.
    otf knife

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    1. Thank you, they are my first carving knives and even after years of neglect they're just as good as new, I'm proud of them :-)

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  4. Bravo Hussam! I am eager to see the development of your little wooden beings. Mmmm- the smell of wood :) It is such a comforting scent.

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    1. Isn't it just :-) Thank you Cathie, I'm really excited to pick up my carving tools and meet these old wooden heads and hear the tales they have to tell

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