Woodcarving techniques

Tom Tomberlin's woodcarving class has been described as a sociable—an informal gathering where the students learn the art of carving while enjoying each other's company, and a generally lively conversation. Tom has been fascinated with carving since he was a young boy, and in the last 30 years has focused on the "carving in the round" technique. "Carving in the round" visualizes a 3-D form in the block of wood and then carves away everything except that form.

Using mostly basswood, but occasionally butternut, the students work from a pre-shaped form provided by Tomberlin for the class participants. Carving of angels, old-world Santa figures, spirit faces, animals, and other forms are taught to the students as the classes progress. First-time students are provided with a starter kit which includes a carving knife, gouge, glove and thumb protector, as well as the basic wood form with which to begin working. The class is open to everyone, beginner to advanced.

Critique Day

The last Monday of every month is a special time for CAS members and art students to attend the critique class held in the CAS studio. This class provides constructive instruction on work at any stage of completion, from initial sketch to finished work. It allows the artist to gather input from fellow artists on the various aspects of the work with comments focusing on overall design theme, values, color handling, and interpretation of the subject matter.