Greenwood Spoon Carving Class

November 12, 10:00 - 4:00

Rec Center 3075 NW Circle A Dr, Portland, OR 97229

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Description

Rose will guide students through traditional greenwood carving using Red Alder, a plentiful local wood.  She will demonstrate splitting small logs with a froe and preparing the blank,  Students will have an opportunity to split but actual carving will be done using instructor-provided blanks band sawn to shape.  Carving will be done with provided Mora and hook knives, but students are welcome to bring their own.  She will discuss proper knife grips cuts and safety as well as design and decoration considerations,  Some carving experience will be helpful but not required.  The emphasis for this class is to experience the joys of working with greenwood with appropriate tools so students can make their own specialized spoons and utensils later.

Background

Rose grew up between a fir forest and an oak savanna in a house her parents built outside Corvallis. A Macalester College alumna with a background in educational nonprofits, she attended North House Folk School in Minnesota to study traditional northern crafts, including timber framing, chair making, greenwood carving, blacksmithing, basket weaving, fibers, and natural dyeing. In 2018, she returned to the land where she was raised to revive her Dad’s wood shop and continue to carve, weave, sew, dye, and build.

Requirements

Students must agree and abide by Covid safe practices, including wearing masks at all times (no exceptions except when eating or drinking), washing hands before and during the class and practicing safe distancing.  We are planning on 10' most of the time.  Hand sanitizer will be used when sharing the froe and related tools.  The class size is limited for safety.  If the mask and distancing rules are not followed the student will be asked to leave and forfeit payment.  If you can't live by these rules, please find another class.

Class Description

In a traditional greenwood carving style, students will sit in a circle of chairs carving in their laps, using minimal tools and without workbenches. Rose will bring her shaving horse and spoon mule along for students to try, but the focus of the class will be carving with the Sloyd and hook knives. Tarps will be provided to protect the carpet.

The Rec Center is in the class coordinator's neighborhood just north of Beaverton, is lightly used and has two patio doors for fresh air circulation and opening to a pool deck for work outside, weather permitting.  A Subway light lunch and standard beverages are included.  We hope to have a 10x10 canopy outside to use.

The fee includes materials.  Each student will receive wood for two blanks, some walnut oil to take home and a few supplies.  Tools will be provided by the instructor.  There is a good chance there will be a small green Bigleaf Maple log for each student to split at the class and take home for yet more work.

If you have any questions, contact the class coordinator, Larry Wade at lpwade@gmail.com or 503-312-7745 (text OK).

The class requires a minimum of four students and the Guild refund policy will have a 14 day cancellation window instead of seven days.

Due to the pandemic students must agree to the standard class policies plus sign a Covid liability waiver.

Agenda

10am Welcome, intros, overview
10:15am Why carve green? Harvesting, processing, and storing
Students help split a log into try sticks
10:45am Carving with the sloyd knife: essential grips to get started
11:30am Spoon Blank Demo
12pm Pick out blanks and begin to carve "plan view"
12:30-1pm Lunch
1pm  Carving the bowl of the spoon with a hook knife

1:30pm Shave Horse and Spoon Mule Demo and continue carving
2:30pm Break and carving stretches
2:45pm students carving, pull students aside to go over sharpening if they would like
3:45pm Discuss finishing techniques: decorative cuts, milk paint, oil finishes. Offer reflection time and group cleanup
4pm finish

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