The Blackhawk Woodcarver
Volume XXI, Issue 1, January 2014

                    Clearing Off The Bench
Well, another time around for me as president.  How things have changed in the last 10 years from about 30 members and now over 100 members.  The challenge will be much easier as I look over the membership with many new folks and their potential to help with the club’s activities.  Of course the new infrastructure has improved everything from those days of evening carving, evening business meetings, and pizzas for our evening Christmas parties----what deserving kudos are needed for past presidents who made the necessary positive changes to be where we are today!  I plan to write my old column under the heading of “clearing off the bench,” only because I am a sentimental odds man. Take care and,
Keep your tools sharp
Roger Benedict

Time to Pay your Dues ($25) for 2014! See Chuck Drewes our new Membership and Directory Coordinator (he will gladly take your money and maybe even write you a receipt.)

Happy New Year!

January Birthdays that we know about). -
Mike Petty 1-1
Emile LeBeau 1-9
Elaine Terrell 1-11
Will Rottman 1-20

LUCIA FEST!
At First Lutheran Church on December 14th was a success!
Thanks to: Will Rottman, Tod Wisner, Gordy Moscinski and Gary Johnson

Minutes (Dec. 18th)
The December 18th’s, 2013 monthly meeting of the Blackhawk Woodcarvers.

The meeting began at 9 am as usual.  President Bob Coleman thanked
everyone for their help while he was Pres. and wished everyone a Merry
Christmas. We’ll miss Bob he did a great job. Thanks!
 Arne read the limited minute’s from the Nov 19th meeting and wished each member a very Merry Christmas.  He also told everyone that he had no more news’s on Carl Hicks, but would try and make contact with Carl soon as he could.
Arne also read off the Officers elected at the Nov. meeting, Pres.: Roger
Benedict, Vice Pres.: Frank Lay, Arne m. Larsen Sec.; and Dona Wisner
as head of Petty Cash.
At about 9;15 a.m. John Skaggs gave his Treasurers report and told
everyone that due to costs of everything from signs for the show and
the Christmas party vendors, our bank account has gone down $1100
with expenses outweighing revenue, and reminded everyone to please
pay their dues as soon as they could.
Dona Wisner gave her petty cash report and once again explained why!
Tod Wisner talked briefly about the Christmas party at church and said
everyone had a great time.
Charles Drewes introduced our newest member. Bob Edwards. The
meeting ended at 9:28 a.m.
Secretary
Arne m Larsen

Show and Tell  Dec. 4

Arne Larsen Christmas Tree with ornaments


Bernie Budzynski Christmas Tree carved and painted with presents.


Bob Matthews Castle Relief Carving Gnome/Cyprus Knee


Bunny Nordheim five Ornaments, a round Santa, a long Santa, a Reindeer, and two icicles


Colin Bystrom Three Ornaments - Monk, Gnome, and an Ornament in a cage.


Dave Meyer Relief carving of a sea scape with boat, pier and houses


Gale Terrell a bark ornament with lighting.


Jerome Mais Mouse in a stocking


John Skaggs three chip carved ornaments


Louis Jurisch three ornaments, two elves and a Nutcracker/ marionette


Richard Prutz Carved Santa in a sleigh


Tom Backer relief carving of a barn with landscape.


Show and Tell  Dec. 18

Carrie Lay showed a Santa from Gordy’s class that she finished and painted.


Gale Terrell had a Bark House Ornament that he carved, and finished that was lighted inside and had smoke coming out of the chimney.  Way to go Gale.


Elaine Terrell chip carved a plate that she finished with Golden Pecan Stain and Neutral Shoe Polish.


Bob Matthews showed a Peregrine Falcon in ¼ size, a Pelican in breeding colors, and Three feathers he carved and one was curved by soaking in water and left to dry around a Coke can.
   

Gordy Moscinski had a pair of painted Christmas tree ornaments made from miniature Gourds.


Richard Prutz completed a “Uncle Sam” that he had traced and made his own cut out.


Gary Curl wood burned three items: St. Nicholas, a Nativity silhouette, and a Forrest “Oak Man”.
 


Wood For Sale !
Monroe Wisconsin, Jason Kundert, Deppler Woodshop
(608) 558-0945 (Cell), (608) 325-3329 (Mill)  M-F 7-4:30; Sat7-12

Report from the Activities Committee

January 16, 2014
From the desk of Denny Neubauer and Bob Matthews:
During December, Denny and I met several times before our first business meeting this year. We discussed several ideas and developed a list of guest speakers. To you the reader/Club Member here is a brief description of the subjects that we are considering for this year.
Ideas on how find a carving subject; then develop your own pattern; decide on habitat and exhibit, select materials to use and of course create it. Of course Carve the subject.
How to present your project; and what catches the eye of a potential judge and/or customer. Is it considered a piece of art or is it a craft
We would like to learn more about judging. Denny and I plan to hold a mock-judging session. The idea is to select members from the club to serve as judges and have members bring their carvings. The judges will then provide the member with their opinions and pointers on what could be improved. No ribbons will be provided, however members will learn what judges look for.
Starting in the late spring we will have a list of names of people who will make presentations to the club. We did this last year and received a lot of favorable comments.
At our next meeting on January 22nd we will start with how to select a subject you want to carve, think about tools to develop a pattern, habitat, materials, and exhibit. We will start 3 tables and see how it goes from there.
Thanks and keep making chips.
Denny and Bob

CARVING SHOWS/Classes
Shows within 3 to 4 hours one-way drive time of Rockford will be listed as they become known.
February 15-16 - St. Charles, IL
Winter Wood Wonders Wood Art Show at Kane County Fair Grounds, 525 Randall Rd. Admission: $4 donation. Silent Auction. Jan Cairns
April 5-6 – Portage, IN.
Duneland Carvers present 38th Annual Show. Bob Stevens, 1343 Byington Ct. Crown Point, IN 46392. Sanford Pangburn
April 12 - Sheboygan Falls, WI
Kettle Karvers’ 24th show, sale, and compe-tition. Judy Larson (920) 395-5161
April 12-13 - Waterloo IA
41st annual Iowa State Woodcarvers Show. Steve Russell (319) 269-3450. www.neiawoodcarvers,com
June 9-14 - Maquoketa, IA
48th International Woodcarvers Congress seminars. Carol (563) 505-2700; Larry (563) 676-8264 www.awcltd.org
June 12-15 - Maquoketa IA
48th International Woodcarvers Congress show. Carol (563) 505-2700; Larry (563) 676-8264 www.awcltd.org

More listings are available in Chip Chats! (ed. Note - Be aware of the many shows coming up in Florida and Arizona for those of you who travel south.)

Classes @ The Woodcraft Shop (In Bettendorf IA - http://www.thewoodcraftshop.com / 1-800-397-2278)
February 21, 22, 23-2014 Scandinavian Flat Plane Carving with Harley Refsal (6pm Friday to 5pm Sunday)
March 7, 8, 9 -2014 Realistic Animal Carving with Kirt Curtis
March 14, 15, 16 - 2014 Classic European Carving with Helli Mayr (likeness of Albert Einstein)
March 28, 29, 30 - 2014 Habitat Making and Airbrushing with Josh Guge
April 25, 26, 27 - 2014 Advanced Pyrography with Sharon Bechtold (Friday evening, Saturday and Sunday)
May 23, 24, 25 - 2014 Medium Relief Woodcarving with John Engler (Friday to Sunday)
Registration Blanks are available online (see above). Registration by mail only. Complete seminar brochure available online.

Help Needed!
We are looking for a coordinator for our fall Show.
We are also looking for a new Newsletter Editor. It could be a two person job for a writer or writers and an editor who can format the copy to give to the publisher.
See Roger Benedict if interested.


About Blackhawk Woodcarvers
CLUB ACTIVITY SCHEDULE -
Business Meetings & Special Events -
NEW YEAR - 2014
 February 19 - Business Meeting
 March 20 - Business Meeting
 April 16 - Business Meting
 May 21 - Business Meeting
 June 18 - Business Meeting
 July 16 - Business Meeting
 August 20 - Business Meeting
 August 16 Club Show, Tebala Center
 September 17 - Business Meeting
 October 15 - Business Meeting
 November 19 - Business Meeting
 December 3 - Christmas Party
 December 17 - Business Meeting
 January 21 - Business Meeting


BLACKHAWK WOODCARVERS
P. O. Box 8285 Rockford, IL 61126
Open Carving every Wednesday (8:30-11am) except Dec 25, Jan 1
Ken Rock Community Center (Sacred Heart Academy, Multi-purpose room)
3218 Eleventh St, Rockford, IL 61109
Business Meeting; third Wednesday. of the month. Friends and spouses of carvers are especially welcome to come to meet and visit. Carvers bring in finished carvings for “Show & Tell.”

CLUB OFFICERS        (all numbers have a 815 area code)
President - Roger Benedict 988-3314
Vice Pres. - Frank Lay, 677-1190
Treasurer - John Skaggs, 547-6951
Secretary - Arne Larsen, 398-8796

COMMITTEES
Librarian - Bernie Budzynski, 332-2395
2014 Show Co-Chairmen - Bob Hallstrom, 963-1326, Vacant
2013 Show Publicity - Roger Benedict 988-3314
Webmaster - Gordon Moscinski, 874-7978
Club Website - blackhawkcarving.com
Membership Chair - Chuck Drewes, 316-0398
Newsletter -Publisher - Gary Johnson 399-1697
Newsletter Editor- Steve Terrill, 393-4581
Photographer - Larry Clark, 262-9982
Historian - Elaine Terrell 765-2886