Carvers

The Carving Special Interest Group (legally a Committee) of the Woodworkers of Central New York, Inc. (formerly the Onondaga Woodcarvers) generally meets on the Third (3rd) Thursday of the month. Members gather starting at 5pm for Open Carving time, a casual Show & Tell, and fellowship. During this time, attendees are encouraged to ask questions from others or just exchange ideas. The monthly Carve-A-Long starts at 6:00pm and ends at 8pm. Everyone goes home with either a finished project or the start of a project.
The meetings are held in the Community Room at the Beaver Lake Nature Center, 8477 East Mud Lake Rd, Baldwinsville, NY. Parking is free for the carvers. Directions here.

Monthly Carve-A-Long

The monthly Carve-A-Long is intended to be an easy one night project. The format allows new people to join in any month, have a successful experience carving, and leave with something they've created to take with them. Experienced members are there to help or have an easy carving to give as a gift. This format allows for some socializing and does not tie people down to another U.F.O. (Un-Finished Object).

For most Carve-A-Long projects, materials are prepared and provided by the instructor and can be done with a detail knife. When the nature of the project require attendees to bring special tools or when there is an additional charge the instructor will advise everyone ahead of time through this website. All instructors are encouraged to create a handout that goes along with monthly project. The handout could be a template/pattern, step-by-step instruction, sketches/photos, or sources of information that will be helpful for someone to remember what they need to do to make a similar carving.

When coming to participate in the monthly Carve-A-Long, bring a detail knife and any other carving tools you may own. If carving is new to you, do not worry as you can borrow from the club tool collection. Also, we have mentors to make sure you succeed. No registration is required. Members of the club pay nothing to participate (unless there is a charge for everyone). Non-members pay $5 to participate. Guests are always welcome.

2025 Meetings, Carve-A-Longs, & Special Events

The Carving Special Interest Group is finalizing the topics and timing of its demos for 2025. They have a great collection of topics for workshops identified. Stop back in the next month to see when each topic is scheduled.
All demonstrations listed below may change due to unforeseen circumstances.

Date	Carve-A-Long Topic
January 16	Carving an Angel with Arlene Schlueter
February 20	Open Carving & Help with Projects
February 20-22	Members Demonstrate at the NYS Farm Show in the Agricultural Museum at the NYS Fairgrounds
March 20	Beginner Spoon Carving with Gary Morison
April 17	Automated Carving Project* with Mike Bloomquist Or 3D Star with Dave Weir [*Preregister & Pay]
May 15	Automated Carving Project* with Mike Bloomquist Or 3D Star with Dave Weir [*Preregister & Pay]
June 19	Automated Carving Project* with Mike Bloomquist Or 3D Star with Dave Weir [*Preregister & Pay]
July 17	Topic TBD with ?
August 15	Topic TBD with Harold Kaltenbach
Aug 20-Sept 1	Members Demonstrate at the NYS Fair in the Agricultural Museum
Sept 6-7	*Members Demonstrate During the Golden Harvest Festival at Beaver Lake Nature Center*
September 18	Small Ornament with Dave Weir
October 16	Topic TBD with ?
Saturday, October 25	*Woodworkers Challenge for All Members*
November 20	Topic TBD with ?
Sunday, December 7	Members Attend Club-Wide Holiday Party @ BCSFD Station 1

2024 Meetings, Carve-A-Longs, & Special Events

The Carving Special Interest Group is finalizing the topics and timing of its demos for 2024. They have a great collection of topics for workshops identified. Stop back in the next month to see when each topic is scheduled.
All demonstrations listed below may change due to unforeseen circumstances.

Date	Carve-A-Long Topic
January 18	Carving a Rose with Gary Morison
February 15	Carving a Rose, part 2 with Gary Morison
February 22-24	Members Demonstrate at the NYS Farm Show in the Agricultural Museum at the NYS Fairgrounds
March 21	Carving a Rose, part 3with Gary Morison
April 18	Carving the Rosebud with Gary Morison
May 16	Blooming Tulips with Ed Zielinski
June 20	Comfort Birds with Frank Huckabone
July 18	Open Carving Due to Tornado Near Mike's Home
August 15	Xmas Ornament with Mike Bloomquist
Aug 21-Sept 2	Members Demonstrate at the NYS Fair in the Agricultural Museum
Sept 7-8	*Members Demonstrate During the Golden Harvest Festival at Beaver Lake Nature Center*
September 19	Little People with Dave Weir
Saturday, October 12	**In-Person Only - Woodworkers Challenge for All Members**
October 17	Shelf Sitting Wood Spirit Gnome Home with Harold Kaltenbach
November 21	Open Carving Due to Arlene's Illness
Sunday, December 8	Members Attend Club-Wide Holiday Party @ BCSFD Station 1

2023 Meetings, Carve-A-Longs, & Special Events

Date	Carve-A-Long Topic
January 19	Carving a Valentine Heart with Gary Morison
February 16	Carving a Valentine Heart, part 2 with Gary Morison
February 23-25	Members Demonstrate at the NYS Farm Show in the Agricultural Museum at the NYS Fairgrounds
March 16	Sharpening Basics with Dave Weir
April 20	Shroomspirit with Mike Bloomquist
May 18	Shroomspirit, part 2 with Mike Bloomquist
June 10-11	Carving Faces Workshop with Jim O'Dea (extra fee)
June 15	Making a Carving Knife with Gary Morison
July 27	Mushroom Gnome Home with Harold Kaltenbach
August 17	Mushroom Gnome Home, part 2 with Harold Kaltenbach
Aug 23-Sept 4	Members Demonstrate at the NYS Fair in the Agricultural Museum
Sept 9-10	Cancelled Due to Weather Issues Members Demonstrate During the Golden Harvest Festival at Beaver Lake Nature Center
September 21	Turtle with Frank Huckabone
October 26	Skull & Candle with Mike Bloomquist
Sat, November 11	**In-Person Only - Woodworkers Challenge for All Members**
November 16	Santa Face with Dave Weir
Sunday, December 3	Members Attend Club-Wide Holiday Party @ BCSFD Station 1

2022 Meetings, Carve-A-Longs, & Special Events

All demonstrations listed below may change due to unforeseen circumstances.

Date	Carve-A-Long Topic
January 20	Unfinished Objects Carving Session
February 17	Improving Knife Skills by Carving a Snowman with Gary Morison
February 24-26	Members Demonstrate at the NYS Farm Show in the Agricultural Museum at the NYS Fairgrounds
March 17	Improving Knife Skills by Carving a Snowman - Part 2
April 21	Carving a Knotty Toothpick Holder
May 19	Beaver Lake Nature Center Projects - Knotty Toothpick Holder, Table Blocks, & Walking Stick Blocks
June 16	Beaver Lake Nature Center Projects - Knotty Toothpick Holder, Table Blocks, & Walking Stick Blocks
July 28	Carving a Mouse with Frank Huckabone
August 18	Carving a Butterfly with Sam Lupo - part 1
Aug 24 - Sept 5	Members Demonstrate at the NYS Fair in the Agricultural Museum
Sept 10-11	Members Demonstrate During the Golden Harvest Festival at Beaver Lake Nature Center
September 15	Carving a Butterfly with Sam Lupo - part 2
October 20?	Carving Gourds with Arlene Schlueter
November 17	Power Carving with Ed Siegel
December 4	Members Attend Club-Wide Holiday Party @ BCSFD Station 1
December 15	Unfinished Objects Carving Session

2021 Meetings, Carve-A-Longs, & Special Events

The Carvers SIG returned to in-person meetings on June 18th. The dates of future meetings/Carve-a-Longs are listed below.

Date	Carve-A-Long Topic
June 18	Carve-In - Review of Projects Status, etc.
July 15	Open Carving Session
August 19	Wood Spirits on Bark with Mike Bloomquist
September 11 & 12	Demonstrate at Beaver Lake Nature Center during Harvest Festival
September 16	Wood Spirits on Bark with Mike Bloomquist
October 14	Gnome Home with Harold Kaltenbach
November 18	Gnome Home with Harold Kaltenbach
Sunday, December 5, 1-4pm	Club-Wide Holiday Event at a Place TBD

The Carvers began a multi-month project in January 2020 to learn and utilize the High Relief Carving technique to create a carved project. A separate page with photos of their projects can be found here.

2020 Meetings, Carve-A-Longs, & Special Events

Date	Carve-A-Long Topic
January 16	High Relief Carving - Session 1
February 20	High Relief Carving - Session 2
February 27-29	Members demo during the Farm Show in the Witter Agricultural Museum, NYS Fairgrounds
March 19	CANCELLED - High Relief Carving - Session 3
March 20-22	CANCELLED - Members demo at the Woodworking Show in Horticulture Building, NYS Fairgrounds
April 4	CANCELLED - Workshop with Arland Zeiler
April 16	CANCELLED due to Covid-19 Virus
May 21	CANCELLED due to Covid-19 Virus
June 18	*CANCELLED* - Ribbiting Frog with Frank Huckabone
July 16	CANCELLED - Cedar & Juniper Spirit Sticks for Closet Air Freshening with Jim Yonkers
August 20	CANCELLED due to Covid-19 Virus
August 21 - September 7	CANCELLED - Members demo during the NYS Fair in the Witter Agricultural Museum, NYS Fairgrounds
September 17	CANCELLED due to Covid-19 Virus
October 12	CANCELLED due to Covid-19 Virus
November 19	CANCELLED due to Covid-19 Virus
Saturday, December 12	Holiday Zoom Event with Holiday Contest Results, etc.

2019 Meetings, Carve-A-Longs, & Special Events

Date	Topic
January 17	Carving a Walking Stick with Lou Gonzalez
February 2	Relief Carving Workshop with Arland Zeittler - $15 fee - Class Filled
February 21	Unfinished Object Workshop with Arlie, Gary, Heather, Jackie, & Lou
February 21-23	Demonstrate during the 2019 New York Farm Show In the Daniel Parrish Witter Agricultural Museum at the NYS Fairgrounds
March 21	Song Bird Carving with Cathy Kuepper
April 18	Making Your Own Carving Knife
May 16	Layout Night for Faux Chip Carved Cane with Fay Kimball
May 23	Faux Chip Carved Cane with Fay Kimball
May 18 & 19	Introduction to Face Carving for the Beginner with Jim O'Dea - $40 fee - Class Filled
June 15 & 16	Introduction to Face Carving for the Beginner with Jim O'Dea - $40 fee - Class Filled
June 20	Trick Bear with Frank Huckabone
July 18	Holly Leaf with Bob Smith
August 3	Annual Family Picnic for All Members
August 15	Relief Carved Birds with Arlene Schlueter
August 21-September 2	Demonstrate During the New York State Fair In the Daniel Parrish Witter Agricultural Museum
September 19	Corny Faces with Mike Piro
October 24	Flying Angel with Ed Zielinski
November 21	Unfinished Object Workshop - Bring Your UFOs - Get Help as Needed!
December 19	Holiday Gathering

Open Carve Gatherings

Members who can, have the opportunity to gather for an open carve session on a weekly basis. Open carve gatherings are held Thursday mornings in the Lyncourt area of Syracuse. Directions to this session are available on request at the monthly meeting. There is no fee for members, however, non-members must pay $5 to participate.

Special Training

Occasionally, members of the Wood Carving Committee hold training sessions outside the normal meetings or gatherings. As they occur, they are announced on the home page.