Some Show

This is some images from the first BTWC show a couple of months ago. More can be checked out on our flikr page shortly.

Bird by Alex

This fantastic wood-suit was made by Urara and the accompanying cat hat is made by Anna.

Different woods on display and Lyle´s head

Knives and an ulu in the center made by Mark from a cross-cut of a railway track, ebony, and copper pins.

Study for whittlings by Shelly

A close-up of whittling by Adam C

Beer-God by Brian

The BTWC zine, poster, and a copy of serpent-box used by religious snake handlers in USA. Serpents were made for the box as a part of our show program.

Jack held a talk on the mathematical basis of the patterns found in plywood.

Homer plaque by Jack

Freak in a cage by Jana

A small display about John Dillinger, the infamous criminal who managed to escape from prison using a secretly carved wooden gun.

Fish &c. -- the 8th meeting of the BTWC

Photocopy hand-out for the 8th meeting

Definition from etymonline.com:

scrimshaw

1864, back-formation from scrimshander ("Moby Dick," 1851), scrimshonting (1825), Amer.Eng. nautical word, of unknown origin. Scrimshaw is an Eng. surname, attested from 1154, from O.Fr. escremisseor "fencing-master."

Arrrrrrrrrhhhh. Skrimshanders avast. Whittling mediates all sorts of social and artistic functions; the word applies as much to an action performed on some material as it does to one performed on an abstract notion, such as TIME. During months at sea, sailors, and particularly whalers, passed time carving in the tooth and bone of their catches, creating an art form known as scrimshaw. In the 1980s, our voracious demand for soft ice cream made with delicious whale-blubber brought whales to the brink of extinction, so we now have to carve in wood.
Recommended Reading: Chapter 57 of Herman Melville's Moby - Dick, or, the Whale
Recommended Viewing: Bart the Fink esp. Captain Macallister's scene with Handsome Pete.

Whittlers assemble

Ben T started on his Montauk monster. A mysterious creature from the sea.

Sheeran made a bundle of rope

Ray with Ray-bans

Cut of the week: Jacob laughs hysterically, thinking he has cut off his fingertip. It turned out to be ok, but the blade went through the fingernail.

Spherical oyster-like object by Millie

Scrimshaw by Jack. Basically just pencil on cuttle-fish bone.

This comb by Ben T is yet to be finished

Cuttlefish figure by Jana

Think Jamie whittled this one.

This unfinished head was whittled by Jamie out of aromatic cedar.

The chills of death by Adam

Snake cult meeting

As a part of our show-program, we did a meeting on the theme of the serpent-handling sect of Appalachia, which Jack has written a post about previously. Jana built a traditional serpent box and the members did various species of snakes to go into the box to keep safe until our next faith-testing meeting.

Photocopy hand-out for the 7th meeting

Camden Lock-style snake by Ella

Friendly snake by Fraser

This snake was made by Mark. It has a metal rod body and whittled tail and head.

A finger by Fraser. Fraser´s finger.

Knife also by Fraser.

Ben T did a tattoo tool.

Gery and Mark whittling. Note: Gery is whittling away from herself.

Stretching and folding topological snake by Jack.

Can be worn like this.

Slithery snake by Jana

Snake by Amy called Dustin

Snake food

Little Jack is whittling a straight snake.

Coffee & Beer