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 5:30pm 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 6:30pm 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. 

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

The Carving Special Interest Group is finalizing the timing of its demos for 2023.  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 19
Turning a Valentine Heart with Gary Morison
February 16
Turning 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
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
December 21?
Unfinished Objects Carving Session & Holiday Reception

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.