When wood becomes art
0 comments
WHAT: 15th Annual Woodcarver's Show
WHERE: Merry-Go-Round Museum, Sandusky
WHEN: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Aug. 30
INFO: 419-626-6111
If you've ever wondered how a regular old tree becomes a beautifully crafted piece of art, you'll want to stop by the Woodcarvers Show, where local carvers will be demonstrating their different techniques and talents.
“It is a celebration of carving,” said Merry-Go-Round Museum Director Veronica Vanden Bout. “Some of the carvers will show their own artwork but others will be carving their own artwork that day. They do demonstrations during the day, show their own work and have pieces for sale as well. They do birds, some do relief carvings, some do other types of sculpture. So there’s a wide variety.”
Vanden Bout added, “The carvers change every year, so we always have new carvers. Usually we have 20 to 25 people, and they’re from all over Ohio.”
The Woodcarvers show, which attracts between 500 and 800 visitors, features various artisans showing off their wares using many different woods. The list ranges from cedar and oak to basswood, cherry, chestnut and more. The type of works vary from small Christmas ornaments to full-size carousel animals.
“The art form is not nearly as rare as people think,” Vanden Bout said. “There are quite a few folks who are interested. We’re finding younger and younger folks carving. It’s the type of sculpture that is easier to manage than perhaps stone. Also, it’s more forgiving I think."
While not billed as a fundraising event, the museum will be selling tickets (six for $5 or $1 each) for its annual historically designed carousel horse raffle. The winning ticket will be announced at its New Year’s Eve soiree later this year.
Considering the museum employs woodcarving volunteers who create carousel pieces for its own fully operational 1939 Allan Herschel merry-go-round, Vanden Bout feels the Woodcarvers Show is kind of a tip of the hat to the unpaid artists.
For those folks who have never attended the Woodcarvers Show, or for that matter the Merry-Go-Round Museum, Vanden Bout said this is the perfect opportunity.
“It’s free admission with $1 rides for the merry-go-round,” Vanden Bout said. “And on top of that, you get to talk to these amazing artists.”