Progress pics of some of my carvings

I have always had an affinity with wood, I loved the way it looked and felt in your hands. I did a few  wood projects whilst still at school. In my final year of high school I made a spinning wheel, which I still have today. 

I only learnt to carve properly in 2011 during an online session. This carving tutorial was pivotal to my wood carving journey. I learnt so much, not only to carve, but also to believe in myself. At that particular time I was extremely unwell. I was literally in the midst of my lowest point of health and well being. So, it was a vital and positive step forward for me.

Being passionate about wood, I am constantly learning and improving, my work is always changing and evolving - hopefully for the better.

During COVID I  was fortunate to be constantly busy working on one project or another. People were constantly requesting carvings. Bird sculptures were popular, as were decorated chopping boards. I also carved a lot of comfort pieces, which now includes a variety of shapes that I have personally designed. I will try my hand at carving a lot things.

One carving I am most proud of, as there were a lot of firsts in this particular carving, is this carving of a Vizsla

It was my first at making a large carving where I had to glue timber together before starting. Also I had never carved any sort of dog before and had to do a lot of research, even on the male dog anatomy! Which could of been a bit embarrassing !

I made a foam replica before I started, to get the proportions right so I could "see" the dog in 3D rather than just in my head. Creating the entire sculpture took a long time to complete as I was learning all the way along. But it turned out to be one of my finest carvings and a great representation of the breed Vizsla dog.  

 I am constantly learning new techniques with each new project. My knowledge has improved dramatically & I am confident with my ability. However, I am still learning new ways and techniques and probably always will. I think this is part of why I love what I do, and would be lost if I couldn't play and create with wood.
I can honestly say that I have a true passion for woodworking and at this stage my obsession is for carving. 

I have even carved a golf ball and a cork from a bottle, just to see if I could!