Foundations of Classical Carving with Chuck Rinehart 20-1
A White Card is Not Required
This is a three week class that covers the essential topics with a lot of hands-on work, to prepare you for more adventuresome projects. No prior carving experience is assumed, nor experience with long handled carving gouges.
Each session is four hours of classroom time. An additional but optional two hour carving "lab" time is scheduled from 2:00 - 4:00 for doing homework.
Chuck Rinehart has been woodworking for 60 years and the last 25 have included an extensive background in classical European carving. This will be a hands-on opportunity to be guided by an expert. Chuck taught carving classes in Rochester, NY before moving here in 2017.
The class is limited to seven students because there is a lot of personal supervision and limited space for carving benches.
This class requires specific carving tools, and a detailed list can be seen by clicking here, which shows tools in both major numbering systems (metric and imperial, Swiss and British). If you don't have carving tools now, we strongly suggest that you rent a set from the Guild in order to make better investment decisions. The cost of new tools can be $200-300, and many require sharpening or tuneup. The Guild bought substantial collections from two estates, and we have sets to rent for $50 for you use and take home for the duration of the class plus a few weeks afterwards, already sharpened, as a way to keep your initial costs down while you explore whether you want to continue.
For the duration of the course you will be provided a mallet, stropping kit, plaster cast of the leaf, and the wood to do your projects (Basswood or Butternut).
The four hours per session are mostly you carving, interspersed with demonstrations and lectures. The culminating project is the leaf design shown above. Preceding this are training projects on tool familiarity and handling, experiencing right and wrong ways to handle grain, using mallets, and how to be safe,
The class will be held in three weekly sessions at the Multnomah Art Center (MAC). You should arrive at least 20 minutes early to set up your bench and get organized. You will be encouraged to carve at home between sessions, and the more you are able to do the better, but we know time is limited for some. .
You will be required to buy or borrow "Chris Pye's Woodcarving Course & Reference Manual "(Fox Chapel), about $15 on Amazon, lower price if used, Powell's might have it, and copies are sometimes available in libraries.
We strongly encourage you to register for the free section Mary May's online school of traditional carving (click here). There are seven free lessons but watch the introduction video and the one on caring the donut (grain training). Later on you can decide whether to watch the two sharpening videos or subscribe to more of her lessons ($15/month).
Students should plan to bring any food they need; lunch will not be provided, but there will be drinks and some snacks.
The class coordinator is Larry Wade, 503-312-7745; contact him for any questions.
In order to complete your registration payment must be made, preferably online when registering, but no later than 7 days before the class. Please go online and use PayPal or Visa, and if mailing a check make it payable to the Guild of Oregon Woodworkers. Reference the class title on the memo line (especially the date code at the end, i.e., 20-1) and mail it to: GOOW-Registrar, c/o Julie Niemeyer, 20282 SW Inglis Drive, Beaverton, OR 97007
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