Almost 20 years ago, John Scott was browsing a Richmond Carvers Society demonstration when the gaze of his wife, Beryl, arrested on a beautiful, wooden carousel horse.
“She said ‘that’s very nice, why don’t you go along and make me one,’” said Scott.
Two decades later, and from the kitchen of the couple’s comfy General Currie Road condo, Beryl shouted through to the living room that “she’s still waiting” for said horse.
Still, she has a menagerie of weird and wonderful, wooden objects and creatures, lovingly carved by her husband on display and “cluttering” every shelf space available.
Feathers, owls (Scott’s favourite, one of which took four months to make), love spoons, fish, bowls and orcas feature heavily in the couple’s living room.
While carving out a smile at his wife’s protestations, Scott, a retired mortgage broker, picked up one of his dearly beloved creations — an old fashioned boot the size of a baby’s foot.
“This was my first. It took me about three months to make; I can now make one in about eight hours,” said Scott, who had no carpentry or carving experience before joining the society that day.
“They are all over the place in here; I do get told off quite a lot. We have too many, so I’m told. ‘We’ give them away now...to my children and to charity.”
Scott, who is currently the society’s treasurer, said of his passion that he’s “no good at golf” and enjoys the relaxation the hobby affords.
“It’s also very stress-relieving and a very friendly club to belong to,” he added.
One of Scott’s comrades in carving — recently retired pilot and society secretary Dave Price — fell into the hobby by accident, similar to Scott, after stumbling over a society demo seven years ago at the Steveston Farmers’ Market.
“I can’t hang a picture straight and can just about mount a book shelf, but it will likely be squint, as well,” Price said of his previous skill set with wooden objects.
“The thing I enjoy about carving is there is a tremendous amount of mental effort required, you’ve got to think things through and, of course, when you don’t think it through, that’s when you make a mistake. But it’s a ‘redesign opportunity.’
“We sit around and talk BS and learn from each other. There are experts there, as well as beginners, and they will always take time to teach you a new technique.”
Price said he doesn’t spend half as much time as Scott on carving, playing lots of tennis, cycling and volunteering for a local cancer charity instead.
And, by his own admission, he’s not nearly as accomplished as Scott. So much so, that Price’s wife gently advises that his creations “aren’t quite up to standard yet” to be on display and are better served decorating the garage.
“I only do about three projects a year, it’s a hobby, but it doesn’t take over my life or anything,” added Price, who’s made fish, a couple of mammals and a few mythical castles for his grandkids.
Together, the pair of carvers will be organizing and taking part in their 70-strong member society’s 28th Annual Woodcarving Show on Saturday and Sunday, May 27 and 28 at Steveston Community Centre.
This year, for the first time, admission for the public will be free, thanks, in part, to an $8,000 grant from the City of Richmond, as part of its Richmond Canada 150 celebrations.
The grant is also helping to boost the prize money for the wonderful carvings on show, many of which will have a Canada 150 theme and will be coming, along with their creators, from as far east as Saskatoon and as far south as Oregon.
If you attend one of the show days, you can sign up for a free course for beginners and intermediates, with the society even “chipping” in the equipment and the tools, so people can experience carving from beginning to end at no cost.
If you’re interested in joining the society — which meets once a week at McRoberts secondary — get along to the show or go online to RichmondCarvers.com.
