By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
For Kentwood resident Mike Bacon, what he loves most about woodcarving is that he can do it.
“That is probably the most important thing,” Bacon said. “I really enjoy the people who are in the carving group. Half the experience is the solarization, and sharing all kinds of techniques and the information that has to go along with it.”
Saturday, Sept. 29, area residents will have the opportunity to explore the world of wood carving during a Wood Carving Expo sponsored by the WSC Wood Carving Club. The event will be from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. in the Wyoming Senior Center Community Room, 2380 DeHoop Ave. SW.
The main purpose of the event is to raise awareness about the club and wood carving so there will be carving and wood burning demonstrations during the event. Many of the club members will be on hand to answer questions along with offering items up for sale.
“If you are interested in woodcarving, I would suggest joining a group because the people in the group will help you learn,” Bacon said.
The WSC Wood Carving Club started in the late seventies with a group of people who enjoyed wood carving, according to Club President Karen Brown.
“Woodcarving is one of the oldest forms of art,” Brown said. “It ranks up there with cave painting.”
Today, the love and interest in the art form continues to bring people together. The group explores all types of wood carving from bark carving to caricature carving and pyrography, the art of wood burning.
“We are all encouraging especially with younger folks because we want our skills and knowledge to be carried on by other people who are younger so we don’t lose the skills that we have learned,” Brown said, adding with a laugh, “and we’ll have someone to pass on our tools to.”
The group meeds the last Tuesdays of the month from fall to spring at the WKTV station, 5261 Clyde Park SW. Programs have included demonstrations and classes on various wood carving techniques. Whittlin’ Time, the TV program based on the monthly meetings, airs on WKTV Comcast Channel 25 and AT&T Channel 99 at 6:30 p.m. Monday, 4 p.m. Tuesday, and 11 a.m. Friday.
For more about the WSC Wood Carving Club contact Brown at 616-706-9685 or kahb69@chartermi.net.
