On carving a figurehead

[druxey]

This video on the carving of a new figure for the Cutty Sark gives one carver's philosophy on carving. Five minutes worth spending!

 

https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/topics/new-figurehead-cutty-sark?mc_cid=1a42470307&mc_eid=ffd41ea53a#history

[knightyo]

Thanks Druxey, I really enjoyed the content on that page.

 

Alan

[druxey]

As an extension of this thread to carving in general,  I've just come across the story of two master carvers, past and present:

 

https://spitalfieldslife.com/2021/07/12/the-quest-for-grinling-gibbons/#comments

 

Studying the photos, it's a lesson in how to carve brilliantly. Something to aspire to!

[Mark P]

Thanks Druxey;

 

That's all wonderful work. To be recognised as a master-carver, as Gibbons undoubtedly was, at a time when there was so much carving being done for so many buildings and objects, and therefore so many carvers everywhere, he must have been really, really, special. This is obvious in his work, which can be found in so many of England's great houses; but I was not aware that he had done so much in St Pauls. Thanks for posting this. 

 

I would really like to have heard the conversation(s) which must have taken place when Evelyn first came across Gibbons, and realised that he was beyond the ordinary. 

 

When I can carve as well as his less famous contemporaries, I will have achieved all that could ever be reasonably expected. Gibbons will always remain an aspiration beyond reach!

 

All the best,

 

Mark P

 

 

[druxey]

I look at photos of his work and ask myself, "How on earth did he manage to do that?!" It is sublime. (pun intended!)

[Jack12477]

If you visit the Cloisters in Riverside Fort Tryon Park, Manhattan,  just north of the George Washington Bridge,  you will see similar examples of exquisite woodcarving.  

Edited July 12, 2021 by Jack12477

[TBlack]

2 hours ago, druxey said:

I look at photos of his work and ask myself, "How on earth did he manage to do that?!" It is sublime. (pun intended!)

Actually, Druxey, when we look at photos of your work we also ask, “How on earth did he manage to do that!?”

And, BTW, do you suppose the size of your hands is a factor?

Tom

[druxey]

Oh, Tom, if only you could see my hands. They are wrecked from over 40 years of arthritis and I'm not sure how much longer I can work at the level I have in the past. I'm not looking for pity here. It's to encourage those who aren't hand-icapped  (another wretched pun!) that, with practice,  you can probably do better than me.

[Marcus.K.]

Thanks Druxey, just stepped across this interesting thread and that very nice insight in Cutty Sark´s figure heads actual and past history.

 

Some months (years by now?) ago I started digging into the "theme" carving (just theoretically by now) since I would like to reconstruct the appearance of my favorite subject, the US Frigate Constitution in hear earlier years. I collected photos of works of William Rush and the Skillin Family who DID the design Rush was proposing. And I try to learn about the Allegories used in the Washington, Adams and Jefferson Administration for decorating ships - since there are at least 2 more figures (if not more) to be represented beside Lady Liberty and Lady Justice (the two only written mentioned ones we know about by now).

 

If only my Art and History teachers would know how much I am attracted by this subject today, since they just knew that ignorant boy who´s only intellectual interest was natural science and astronautics .. they would be so much surprised! .. and how poor their efforts have been to attract my attention for this interesting fields.. But boy, how frustrated they must have been with such a bunch of ignorants in front of them :-)))

 

Does someone of this carving-addicted here has an idea where I may learn more about American Allegories and ship carvings on the early American Ships? Of course I am aware of @uss frolick´s very interesting posts for the "stern view" on different ships (thanks here for that by the way). And my Brewington ("Shipcarvers of North America") of course I got and studied long time ago ... 🙂

But I am looking for any help, book, posts, souces about this very special subject and appreciate every hint.

 

And I LOVE the way those british shipkeepers deal with their Nanny!

Thanks for sharing!

[knightyo]

18 hours ago, druxey said:

 not sure how much longer I can work at the level I have in the past. I'm not looking for pity here. It's to encourage those who aren't hand-icapped  (another wretched pun!) that, with practice,  you can probably do better than me.

 

When I was around 40, I was visiting my parents over the holidays and was in "my" room working on one of the little quarter gallery pieces for my Syren. (I used to carry a small toolbox wherever I went with parts I could work on during downtime).  My older sister happened to stick her head in at one point, observed what I was doing, and proclaimed "you won't be able to do that much longer".  As you can imagine, my verbal reply to her was more polite than the reply in my head).... But, I blew off what she said, and didn't think anything of it.  I'd always been able to hold small pieces in my hands without magnification and work on them with perfect clarity. 

 

Now that I'm in my 50's, I dearly wish I could have my 40's eyesight again!   I think it is indeed important to encourage younger modelers to enjoy the hobby as much as possible in their free time, as our abilities decline incrementally over time. 

 

Alan

 

 

 

[Seahawk1313]

Marcus K,  If you can get it ?, The Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts had a book "William Rush, American Sculptor".  It is excellent source of Rush's work. - Hal

[Phil Babb]

Re, cutty sark figurehead, my distant relatives the Hellyers where the original carvers, I also carve and have restored many pieces carved a Anderson who at one time worked for the Hellyers, also I can commiserate with you Druxey, arthritis is a bugger

[bartley]

An interesting aside to the obviously brilliant work of Grinling Gibbons is the fact that his signature was a pea pod.  If the pod was open he had been paid for the work . If it was closed had had received no payment.

 

John

[druxey]

That was a factoid that I didn't know! Thanks, John.