Wood sculpting Symposiums are soul food for me. Sculptors from all over the world share these venues to shape exiting new art works. The support from the towns and their people, the atmosphere and encouragement are down to earth wonderful. New friendships will be made and new ideas come alive.
Wood Sculpting Symposium 2018, Kloster Andechs, Bavaria, Germany. Eight days of carving, at the end of the summer, in this amazing Kloster, with so much Bavarian culture. Another fantastic group of artists came together and created our individual pieces...
Wood Sculpting Symposium 2017, Oberding, Germany. Ten, "Kunstler's," seven days, Pretzels, Weis Wurst, Beer, and lots of laughter and fun. Here my idea was to create a Bench in the shape of a dugout canoe. On the one side of the bench there are three level's, my idea being that they represent three generations of people; youngsters, the middle aged, and the elders... On the other side I decided to represent more of the ocean, the flowing, knotting, and forming of water and life.
Wood Sculpting Symposium 2016, Tsooru, Estonia. I was invited to this symposium by Lauri Tamm, a professor for sculpting at the university town of Tartu, Estonia. Here I made a giant fern/ fiddle head out of an Ash tree fork. We were working in a small town Tsooru which used to have an old Manor House later on it became a Kolchose farm, and now it's become a beautiful park. In this park our sculptures have been placed and are there for everyone to enjoy.
Wood Sculpting Symposium 2015, Luebbenau Brandenburg, Germany. The theme of this Symopsium was to celebrate 700th Birthday of Luebbenau. My sculpture was to resemble the fish that are in the river, Spree, which runs and webs throughout Luebbenau and the surounding Spreewald. Out of my Maple Tree I sculpted a big Cat Fish surrounded by smaller circling fish, and the Traut, and the Carp, the Pike, and the Eel, and the Babbe. To me fresh fish resembles fresh water, and I wanted to congratulate Luebbenau for having sustained this for 700 hundred years; the luxury of clean water and fish, and to wish them this for many more years to come. http://www.spreewaldatelier.de/kunst-des-spreewaldateliers-2015
Wood Sculpting Symposium, 2015, kakslauttanen, Finland. Kakslautanen is a resort town which is themed all around Santa Claus, and his rain deer. My idea here was to make a snow flake wind chime, to sync up with the 'theme'. Using a Northern Arctic Pine I carved elipticle discs connected by an inner core of the log. I made it so that when the log is hung in mid air, like a wind chime, it will turn with the wind and my image of the snow flakes will shape shift in the wind, just as they do in nature. In winter they have a whole village of glass domes here that you can sleep under and watch the spectacular Northern Lights. I had the privladge to see the light show when I was there. http://www.kakslauttanen.fi
Wood Sculpting Symposium, 2015, Kaemijarvi, Finland. This was my 4th time coming to Kaemijarvi. This town is at the Arctic Circle as well as the above symposium. This year I decided to go with a snowflake theme for these Northern towns so this is another variation of the snowflake. I created 5 pine board segments which I fastened by using a mortise and tenon joint into a central hollow stem. I cut the boards in diagonal fashions with my chainsaw. Only cutting half way into the wood so I could turn over the board and do the same in opposite composition to the other side. This enables the viewer to look through the wood shafts in a diagonal pattern. Kaemijarvi is always a highlight for me, I have lots of fun here, and look forward to it every year I go. https://www.facebook.com/KemijarviWoodsculpting/ http://www.kemijarven-kuvanveistoviikot.fi/kuvanveistoviikot_vuodesta_1985eng.htm
Wood Sculpting Symposium 2013, Kemijarvi, Finland . The Kemijarvi wood sculpting symposium is a very special happening were 16 sculptors from around the globe will meet at this Arctic circle town. The Artists unfold their magic in six days and turn their raw and approximate wood chunks into original creations . Kemijarvi 2013 was my third time I participated, and my inspiration this time was the make a profile face mask that I could walk in from behind and play with the my arms in active part of the sculpture. The profile was orientated by the chief of the symposium Urpi Kerry he is a very inspirational and generous man of the Arts world wide. https://www.facebook.com/KemijarviWoodsculpting/ http://www.kemijarven-kuvanveistoviikot.fi/kuvanveistoviikot_vuodesta_1985eng.htm
Wood sculpting symposium 2013 in Markt-Wartenberg, Oberbayern, Germany. The Idea is from my friend and sculpting comrade Wolfgang Fritz. His vision and determination made this bicycle " Sculpt - Tour " a reality. Ten sculptors worked in the market square and in 9 days created a history related sculpture of and for each destination and individual village or small town near the Munich Airport.
Wood sculpting symposium Luebbenau Germany 2011. Symposium theme was : Heaven and Earth. Title to my sculpture is " Sventewit and Trigelaw in the traffic circle of time ". Sventewit and Trigelaw are ancient Gods of of heaven and earth . The Sorben and Wenden are slavish tribes that have settled this particular are of Germany for hundreds of years. In the four sided faces i have carved the images of friends i have made during the days of the symposium and face images of various ages and mood.
Wood sculpting symposium 2011, Kemijarvi, Finland. My second time above the arctic circle I carved the idea of a four sided human void image and gave it the title: Kuningasjatkan Tyhjio meaning in English, 'The Kings Vagabonds Void.'
Wood sculpting Symposium 2009, Kemijarvi, Finland. Titled, 'Free Prayer Wheel' . With this idea I enlarged a dreidel on top which is a four direction face image that goes from a sleeping mode to the awoken stage of face expression. The eyes going from closed to open as you can see below in the photos. The sculpture turns inside it's base when moved by the protruding crossed legs .
Wood Sculpting Symposium 2008, Halle, Saale, Germany. The title of this piece is, 'Trance Dance.'
Wood sculpting symposium 2005, Saint John Port Joli, Quebec, Canada.
Wood Sculpting Symposium 1986, Vancouver, BC, Canada. My first symposium was a public event to celebrate Vancouver's 100th birthday. The Sculptors Society of British Columbia presented the sculptural birth of ten works expressing " Vancouver - City of the Century " in 1986.