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Woodworkers carve out a hobby

Photo

Photo by Dan Lassiter

Ruth McNally uses an electric power carver to grind details into the unfinished half of a wood bear at her Janesville studio.

Photo

Photo by Dan Lassiter

Ruth McNally uses an oil-based Prisma pencil to color and shade details on her bear wood carving in her Janesville studio.

Ruth McNally held the wooden carving of a bear in her left hand used a black Prisma pencil to fill grooves in the wood.

To create a different effect, the Janesville woman stroked the oil-based pencil lightly and quickly over the wood’s surface.

“They blend just wonderful,” McNally said

Sometimes she uses the pencils with paint.

McNally, who began working with Prisma pencils less than five years ago, will demonstrate their use on paper and wood at the Rock River Valley Wood Carvers of Wisconsin’s annual show and sale Saturday, Sept. 20, at the Rock County 4-H Fairgrounds.

The 58-year-old self-taught woodcarver was chosen by club members to be the featured carver at the third annual event. In addition to having many of her carvings on display and for sale, she will give chainsaw-carving demonstrations plus and be available to answer questions for the public.

It’s common for McNally and her husband, Joe, to work from sun up to sun down in the basement of their eastside home carving objects of all shapes and sizes.

“It’s nothing for us to start at 8 in the morning and still be here at 8 o’clock at night,’’ McNally said, as she shaped the knee of the bear with a power tool.

A fluorescent light shined overhead and a vacuum hummed nearby, sucking away the powder-like shavings falling from her work.

On average, her carvings take about 60 hours to create

“It’s not easy,’’ she said.

That’s why she likes experimenting and carving everything from wildlife to people in woods from basswood to tupelo.

“I no more get them carved and I sell them,’’ McNally said.

Her carvings are as small as 2 1/2 inches to as big as 4 feet.

“Sometimes the wood tells you what to do,’’ she said of the objects she carves.

McNally is founder and past president of the local woodcarvers club. Although her works have won a number of awards over the years, she no longer enters contests.

“I now carve for the enjoyment,’’ she said. “I do it for myself and for the shows. It’s a hobby and I like selling.”

IF YOU GO

Who: Rock River Valley Wood Carvers of Wisconsin.

What: Third Annual Show and Sale.

When: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 20.

Where: Craig Center, Rock County 4-H Fairgrounds, 1301 Craig Ave. Janesville.

Admission: Free.

WOODCARVERS MEETINGS

The Rock River Valley Woodcarvers of Wisconsin meet at 7 p.m. the first Thursday of each month at the Janesville Senior Center, 69 S. Water St., Janesville.

After a short business meeting and program, members are encouraged to work on projects and share completed carvings with the group.

For more information, visit www.rockrivervalleycarvers.com.