1999 CARVING COMPETITION A BIG SUCCESS

This year’s’ 10th Annual Competition proved to be a roaring success. The new digs and weather could not be topped.

The weekend started out at the Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History on Thursday with a Power Carving Seminar put on by Glenn Mc Murdo from Coburg ON. On Thursday and Friday local carvers carved and painted a Shoveler Drake head.

On Friday carvers registered their carvings as the Museum staff were busy preparing the area for us.

The display of the past nine ‘Best in Show’ carvings were made available by the Bowater Mersey Collection, and from the private collections of John Knowles and Richard D’Entremont. The display was liked by all.

Good weather again greeted all on Saturday morning. Once the late entries were registered the judging was started. Head Judge Glenn Mc Murdo, along with local carvers Fred Kendall, George German and Dan Mac Lean were left with the difficult job of picking the best of the best. This was a particularly hard job as the level of carving once again improved. By the end of the afternoon all the ribbons were given out.

On Saturday evening most carvers attended the awards presentation. The presentations were proceeded by an informative slide presentation and talk on the Ward World Competition.

The 1999 results are as follows.

Best in Show: A Virginia Rail by Jim Edsall

Best in Show Novice: An Interpretive Atlantic Salmon by Tom Tonks

Best in Show Intermediate: A miniature Harlequin Pair by Alan & Janet Dorey

Best in Show Open: A Virginia Rail by Jim Edsall

Youth Division: Winners included Christine Mc Manaman, Greg Grist, and Nicholas Turner

Peoples Choice: Jim Edsall’s Virginia Rail

Best Theme Bird: a Harlequin Hen by Earl & Sheila Young

We will not be publishing the overall winners’ list. Somehow some of the lists of the winners were lost. A search did not find these papers, so we felt that it would be unfair to publish a partial list. Should these records be found we will publish the list.

The overall carving quality and an excellent location were the reason for the success of the competition.

A special thanks, to all the people at the Nova Scotia Museum for their supreme efforts. Their efforts were a big part in the success of the competition.

A big hand should go to Carl Purcell and the competition committee for their efforts.

The Theme Bird for the year 2000 will be the Merlin. It was decided that next years theme would be a bird of prey.

The Merlin was the competition committee’s choice due to his size and it’s challenge to carve.

The most requested, Osprey, was not the pick because of its’ size. A small owl was also in the running.

Dig out your references and put your knife to the wood. Let’s have a record number of entries for Comp 2000.

The Atlantic Wildlife Carving Competition & Show will be again held at the Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History for the year

2000. The date for the 2000 Competition will be June 17 & 18, 2000. This is the only date available for the use of the Museum.

The Judge has yet to be firmed up. Names tossed around are: Pat Godin, Mike Arthurs, and Floyd Scholz. The June date is better suited to entice judges for our competition as it is further away from the dates of the Worlds.

Competition Chairman, Alan Dorey, has already been busy. His efforts have made it possible for us to use the NS Museum of Natural History once again.

If there is an area of expertise that you possess that may help with COMP 2000 feel free to contact Alan Dorey or Dan MacLean. All hands are welcome.

Mark June 17 & 18^th on your signed by Glenn Mc Murdo Calendar. See ya all there!

The year of ‘Wildlife in Wood’ is proving to be a great success. The travelling road display has been well accepted. The display has allowed the carvers in the area that it appears to show their talents. In no way could the Association and/or carvers have the access to this type of exposure.

In my travels this summer most info centres, gift and antique shops had either the pamphlet or booklet displayed. I personally have demonstrated at Mastodon Ridge (twice), The Cole Harbour Heritage Farm Museum, Fisherman’s Cove (twice) and The Heritage Boat House and Museum in Avondale. All locations were well accepted. At these demonstrations I was surprised as to how many people have tried it or will like to give it a try. Wildlife in Wood is the product of the hard work of Carl Purcell, Alan Dorey, and Dan Mac Lean. A Job well done.

No one can explain what you’ll see at the World’s and give you the full effect of being there. I will make an attempt to pass along my view of this event.

Finally on the afternoon of April 21, we were leaving for the World Carving Competition in Ocean City Maryland. I knew Alan Dorey a bit, only knew who Wilson Crowell was, and did not have a clue who Ron Fancy was. Being fairly new at the carving thing, I really didn’t know what to expect. The hype was really setting in and I was really excited about it all.

After picking Ron up in Truro we hit the highway south. The trip down was fairly uneventful for the best part. I think that Wilson talked non-stop all the way down.

We arrived in Ocean City late morning on Thursday and checked into the motel. After checking out the beach outside our Motel and a little R&R we made our way to the convention center for registration. I don’t think that registration will be the ever be the same again.

Friday started at about 4:30ish with everyone wanting to make sure that they would make it to the comp on time. After all the doors opened at 10 am…. The first person we ran into at the door was Victor Paroyan. After a short chat with Victor we all snuck into the show area to sneak a peek. I think we all were asked to leave a couple of times, as the show was not open yet. My first impression was WOW, it was amazing what an artist could accomplish in wood. The more the entries came in the neater this all became.

The next area to be hit was the vendor’s area. One had to be careful that he didn’t have to pawn the house and car to pay for his purchases. It is unreal as to the amount of carving tools and supplies that are available, a kid in a toy shop to be sure. A quick trip out into the parking lot left one thinking that there every stick of Tupelo was removed from the swamps of Louisiana. There were actually trailer loads of the stuff. A man could sure run his plastic into melt down.

Saturday morning once again started in the dusk. Don’t these guys know that an older person needs his sleep? After breakie at Denny’s in Salisbury we headed back for judging.

Floating of the gunning rigs in the bay was very interesting indeed. The multitudes of gunning rigs were first judged on the tables situated on the Marina docks behind the Convention Centre. The chosen rigs were put on a floating platform, and along with judges, were floated into the bay. From here people in waders floated the figs in the bay. It was neat to see fifteen or so rigs in the water. Slick!!!!

Novice Intermediate and open judging took place on Saturday. Alan’s Starling and his Harley both received honourable mentions in Novice. His Starling was up against some pretty stiff competition.

Ron’s Trout also received an honourable in Novice. His fish also was up against some good competition.

Wilson’s pieces both were part of the musical bird game. In both cases his birds were left standing. Both of his birds were close.

Earl and Sheila young’s pieces did well as usual, as did the pieces of John and Sonja Mac Leod. Maurice Isnor of Seabright won a 1 st. place ribbon in Intermediate competition.

Sunday was another early one… boy I’m getting tired. A left onto the Main Drag on a red brought the only car in sight down on us. The local Smokey was insistent that we were not supposed to make that turn. After a discussion on what is allowed down there… he sent us on our way with a warning. I guess U-turns are legal and lefts on a red are not.

After Breakfast at Denny’s in Salisbury Md. we made our way to the Ward Museum of Wildfowl Carving, via the local zoo to pass time before the Museum opened. The trip to the Museum was to me ever as impressive as the competition itself. The pictures in the magazines definitely don’t do the carvings any justice. For duck carvers, there were decoys that covered the spectrum from ancient (straw & feathers) antique (many from NS) to the present decorative ducks. Interesting to see where this all has evolved.

The carving shop of Lem & Steve Ward has been moved to the museum. Kind of neat to see.

All other carving wildlife is also well displayed. Many of the feature carvings that have been in various carving magazines were much more impressive in real life. If I ever go back to the Worlds, I will definitely spend at least a day at the museum.

World class judging was real neat. Most pieces were fantastic to say the least.

Ontario carvers again proved that they are in the top echelon of carvers. In World miniature all three winners were from Ontario. Pat Godin’s Miniature Ruffled Grouse won, followed by Bruce Lepper and Glenn Ladenberger. Pat’s Grouse impressed me more than anything else in the show did.

The scene at competition closing is mass confusion that seems to work. Everybody heading in different directions with boxes in hand. We were on the road in fifteen minutes or so and on our way home.

In closing… every carver should attempt to make it to the Worlds at least once. This is a must, if you want to see where the art form is heading.

MEMBERSHIP DUES?

To set things straight…. All memberships are due on September 1^st of each year. We don’t know where the false impression that there is a grace period on membership has come from.

Membership to NSWCAA is a steal. Not too many other associations are as cheap to belong to.

The strength of any association depends on the participation of its individual members.

FOOT CONTROL SPLITTER BOX

If you use both the Foredom and the Drumel Tool I have a slick way as how to control either one off your Foredom Foot control. The awkward way is to switch the plugs from one to the other, which is somewhat of a hassle.

I find that using a foot control to control the speed of the Drumel is much better than always reaching up for the tool to turn it on or off and adjust the speed. For those who are using the single speed Drumel this is definitely a plus.

Here is what you need:

From Radio Shack;

• A two position switch or a switch with two position on and center off switch. Preferably the latter.

• One double electrical box (steel or plastic).
• One male 110v three prong plug.
• Five or so feet of three-wire extension cord wire.
• One standard two plug receptacle.
• One wire clamps that fit into one of the knockouts.
• One four by four inch piece of 1/8" ply or hard board.

Assembly:

1. Knock out one of the knockouts in the electrical box.
2. On one side of the double receptacle cut the joiner between the two receptacles with a pair of side cutters. Bend the two tads so they do not touch.
3. Strip back both ends of the wire and install the plug on one end. On the other end use stake-on terminals or solder a loop on all three wires. Terminal size to fit the screws on the switch and Receptacle.

Make a face plate out of the 1/8" 4X4" board with holes on one side to fit the Receptacle and a ½" hole to receive the switch.

4. Run the wire through the clamp and into the box.
5. Hook up the wiring as per supplied diagram. Note: leave enough slack in the wires attached to the plug so that the switch can be turned so that the throw of the switch is in the direction to the receptacle being us
6. Mount the switch and receptacle to the faceplate and attach the face plate to the box.
7. Mark the faceplate to indicate which tool belongs to which Receptacle.

Turn on your Drumel to the highest speed and plug it into the box. Plug your Foredoom into the other receptacle. The foot control should now run whichever tool is selected.

This will give you easier and more convenient speed control on your Drumel and the same operation of your Foredom.

Once your used to operating the Drumel by the foot control it will make for easier and better carving.

The monthly NSWCAA meetings are held on the second Thursday of each month at the Finley School on Elliott St. in Dartmouth, from September to June. The meeting time is 7:30 p.m.

Once again the Wood Show will be held from November 12^th to the 14^th at the Atlantic Winter Fair Exhibition Park

I would very much like to thank the committee members associated with the very successful 10^th Annual Atlantic Wildlife Carving Competition and Show. Hopefully in the year 2000 we will break 300 carvings entered. The Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History was an excellent venue for this event.

It was good to see a new "chapter" in Truro. The Valley and Pictou are hot beds for carvers and carvers in these areas may want to become chapters also. Hopefully the Bridgewater group may reorganize and become a vibrant chapter once again.

Food for thought might include having one or more formal meetings away from Metro and hosted by that chapter of the association.

It is interesting that the majority of membership has moved from Metro, hopefully "Wildlife in Wood" theme year helped to contribute to this.

Finally, a tremendous thanks to Dick Bone and George German for their fine effort in organizing the juried exhibition at the Mary Black Gallery.

Once again, thank you to all that supported the organization in many different ways. See you in a years time when I return from "north of 60".

Thanks

Carl Purcell

Well the summer/fall has arrived and our association has been in hiatus over the summer. Looking back over 1998-1999 year, you almost have to stop and catch you’re your breath. Many of our members or Carving Ambassadors" (as I call them) have been out amongst the public doing a bang-up job of demonstrating, exhibiting or just talking plain old carving talk. These are just the types of activities that speak well for NSWCAA.

As our association moves forward into its’ 11^th year and into the new century I am sensing that excitement is building up within our membership. I attribute this excitement to past association activities and future commitments. Some of these activities include:

• 1999 Competition - a huge success
• Wildlife in Wood – (in NS only) travelling road show, demonstrations and other associated activities.
• Membership – truly a geographically spread membership
• Association Web Site – shows off our association to the world
• Mentoring – personal development of the individual artist achieved by feedback from other members (solicited or not). Ha ha!

In conclusion, I will tell you that with the way time flies, we will be in the thick of things before we know it. With that said your executive and myself are looking forward to serving you.