19/Jul/2007
Meet Your Neighbor
Retired Teacher Finds Bird Watching Pastime Within Woodcarving Hobby
By Pat Friedrich
Just like the birth of a baby,
the process of creating a woodcarving makes every piece an original. Each is
created from its very own unique piece of wood. The grain is different, as are
the knots and natural imperfections. And because they are carved with love by
humans, and not machine, they all have their very own unique character.
Central resident Edna Speyrer was drawn to woodcarving as a college student more than four decades ago. While at McNeese State University, she came upon a carved figure in a local store. The cost was $50, which was too much for a struggling college student.
“I can do that,” Edna thought to
herself. Using a pocketknife Edna created a beautiful mahogany bull. She carved
another bull and two horses before putting her talent on hold while carving out
a career as a teacher.
Twenty years ago, the carving bug took hold again. When Edna went to a meeting of the Pelican Woodcarver’s Guild and saw the work of other carvers she was “in awe.” Her first carved bird was a mockingbird.
Although wood carvers create everything from duck decoys to butterflies to human figures, Edna creates bird carvings. Eagles, owls and other birds adorn her shop. Her backyard is a mecca for ideas as birds of all kinds find a home in her trees.
“Although I am not an official bird watcher, I do find myself studying birds,” she said. The way a bird lands or gets ready to fly may become a new pose for a yet unborn creation of Edna’s. “Bird carving has given me a deep respect for wildlife.”
A retired teacher and a life long learner, Edna knew that the way to improve her art was to go back to school. For the past ten years Edna Speyrer has studied with some of the best including her mentor, Floyd Scholz of Vermont, a self taught carver. Edna travels yearly to his five to ten day seminars where she works long hours to improve her craft.
Edna finds carving requires patience and focus. She can spend up to ten hours at a time in her shop, slowly bringing a block of wood to life.
When asked which of her carvings her favorite one is, Edna laughs and responds, “My last one. My favorite is always the one I have just finished.”
Pelican Woodcarvers’ Guild
The
Pelican Woodcarvers’ Guild of Baton Rouge is a great place to find fellow
carvers.
The guild was formed in 1978,
and its goal is to encourage the “art and craft of woodcarving as a hobby or
professional endeavor.” They meet on the third Monday of the month at the
Bluebonnet Swamp Nature Center at 7:00 p.m.
Many of
the guild’s members also offer weekly woodcarving classes at the Council On
Aging Facility on Florida Boulevard and Saint Martha’s Activity Center on
Bishop Ott Drive. Outside artists are also invited to share their work. Members
have shows. Edna and other members have displayed their work at the Greenwell
Springs Library.
If you
are interested in learning more about the Pelican Woodcarvers’ Guild of Baton
Rouge visit http://pelicanwoodcarversguild.com.
If you are interested in purchasing woodcarvings from Edna Speyher, contact her at 485-1374, or visit the St. Francisville Art and Antique Store to see her current work.
Step by Step for
Creating Wood Carvings
Woodcarving, or wood sculpting, is a classic art form whose earliest history is found in a report dated from the year 1111. Edna says that anyone with a desire to learn can be a wood carver, and you don’t need a lot of tools to start carving. One knife will get you started until you decide if you really want to keep on carving. A small blade from a craft store is good to start with.
To create your own artwork, follow these steps:
1.
Prepare
a design or pattern for woodcarving. Edna uses pictures from bird
magazines as a starting point.
2. Select blocks of wood to carve. Tupelo Gum is the choice of wood for those in our region. This wood is found in the swamps of Pierre Parte.
3.
When you are r
eady for carving, the wood has already undergone a
”qualifying" process. Imperfect and knotted boards are discarded. The wood
is allowed to dry naturally so that the grain of the wood comes out and the
possibility of cracking is eliminated.
4.
The
carving is handcrafted and may be entirely hand painted from start to
finish. The detail work requires a skilled craftsman or woman and a lot
of dedication. While some carvers use only knives, Edna uses some power
tools to include a ban saw and burner. After cutting out a “rough,” Edna adds the
details by first drawing and then burning them in.
5.
After painting
the finished piece is sealed so that the detail and beauty will last a
lifetime.
Comments
Posted by: s_riggi
Status: Guest |
Member since: | Date Posted: 30/Aug/2007 18:50:02
What a beautifully written piece! Very fluid. Very inspiring.
Posted by: kenny_turner52
Status: Member |
Member since: 01/Sep/2007 | Date Posted: 02/Sep/2007 11:59:09
Wonderful, heartfelt, earth moving! I wonder if the author is the same Pat F. with the really flat abs and tone arms. I loved her work in cup of comfort