About
• WHY HIKING STICKS?
”A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. ”With wood carving: ” A carving begins with the first cut.” My carving journey started in November, 2021, when I hand-carved my first “Santa” after watching countless videos. That first “Santa” ended quickly when I accidentally cut off his nose. In one carving, I combined my first cut and my first mis-cut!
Shortly after I started carving, I learned of, and joined, the River Valley Wood Carvers who meet in Taylor Mill, KY, a group of friendly and like-minded carvers who encouraged me at each meeting. They are carvers who enjoy what they do, enjoy teaching, and strive for excellence.
Many carvers develop an area of interest or a specialty where they focus their carving efforts: chip carvers, caricature carvers, wildlife carvers, etc. I soon realized that I needed to create carvings with a purpose. Creating toppers for hiking staffs met the need. A hiking staff has a purpose, and a carved topper creates a unique hiking staff. After carving a few variations on gnomes and wizards, I was looking for something different to try. For some forgotten reason, I decided to try carving the Aesop Fable “The North Wind and the Sun.” Adding the moral of the story by laser burning it into a leather hand wrap completed what I had been searching for, a carving with a real purpose. The hiking stick provides a physical assist for the hiker. The Aesop Fable carving complimented with the engraved leather moral of the fable provides a moral assist for the holder and those who view it. The internal rewards of that caving led to — Carving Aesop ©.
The moral foundations of any society are built upon wisdom, often forged through just living. Knowledge is passed on from generation to generation like advancements in technology are built upon previous discoveries and then passed on. But wisdom — how can that lived experience be passed along? For many, wisdom only comes after making the same mistakes that countless others have made before — and then learning.
There are moral absolutes. There is black and white. There is right and wrong. There is universal wisdom that, until only recently, has been passed on from father to son, mother to daughter, generation to generation. The Aesop’s Fables represent wisdom from ancestors long gone. That wisdom has not become invalid or old fashioned -- it is only forgotten. The Carving Aesop Hiking Staffs are my small contribution to reviving this lost wisdom, to express and revive, through carving, the wisdom and morals of generations past.
• MY PROCESS
I start each carving by finding the fable that sparks my interest. Next, I search for examples of artwork other artists have used to illustrate the fable. From there I cut and paste various pieces of artwork that I then assemble to create the image I want to carve. The final artwork must be able to resolve itself on a wood cylinder. Next, the pattern is transferred via carbon paper to a 2” diameter x 12” tall piece of basswood.
And then the carving begins. Depending upon the complexity of the carving, it may take anywhere from 12 hours to 25 hours to complete. On some occasions when I am not satisfied with the direction of the carving, I will stop and redesign the art work and begin anew.
After finishing the carving and cleaning it, I then coat it with boiled-linseed oil to prepare for the painting. Then I set it aside and study it for a few days just to make sure that some final carving refinement is not necessary.
Painting is done with acrylic paints and, depending upon the complexity of the carving, can take between 5 and 10 hours. After the paint has dried, a coat of Howard Feed-N-Wax is applied to protect the paint.
The topper is then mounted to a hiking stick that I have harvested and sanded to a 400-grit finish. If necessary, a little steam-bending may correct an undesirable crook, though some curve can provide a level of interest. Five coats of tung oil varnish provide a beautiful finish to the wood staff.
The leather wrap with the moral of the fable is laser engraved and then added to cover the joint between the topper and the walking staff. A rubber tip at the base and a maker’s mark completes the final piece.
There are hundreds of Aesop’s Fables, providing ample opportunities for more carving.
• IS IT POSSIBLE TO PURCHASE A HIKING STICK?
Not at this time. I once heard another carver respond to a question posed to him, one that had lingered in my own thoughts: "How do you decide on whether to sell your carvings?" Without hesitation, the wise carver shared his insight, explaining that his decision hinges on where he finds the greatest source of joy. He explained he must weigh the intrinsic satisfaction derived from creating a memorable carving against the potential monetary gain it may bring. As I ponder his words, I too arrive at a similar conclusion. For now, I find joy in both the act of creating the carving and the pleasure of displaying my representations of the fables of Aesop in wood. The mere thought of parting with them for money feels less enticing than the gratification they bring me with every passing glance.
• IS IT POSSIBLE TO FOLLOW CARVING AESOP ON SOCIAL MEDIA?
Not at this time.