Carving Some Relief – Sylda Nichols
Carlan and John Engler during class
This month I have a special treat for all of you. Paul LeDuc took pictures at the John Engler class at Carlan’s Studio. There were 12 of us in attendance: Jim and Carol Beck, June Schindler, Carlan Honaker, Paul LeDuc, Tom & Sylda Nichols, Gary Tomson, Harold Gentry, Darrell Kellerman, George Hurlburt and Bob Metzer. It was a great class.
Don't these guys look like they're slaving away? Darrel, Gary and George.
John is a talented, gracious, fun instructor!! John told us it usually takes him about 3 days to finish one of the relief picture carvings he gave us to choose from. I think most of us would have finished the carvings in one more day. We hope we can find a date for John to return for a couple days to help us paint our carvings.
Personally I had never relief carved with any teacher besides Wanda Potter and John”s way was entirely different than Wanda’s. It was very interesting to learn. I can’t explain the differences, but if you relief care at all you should take John’s class and learn to leap right in and “move that wood”.
June looks like she is hard at it, but don't let her kid you- she told her share of funnies.
Carol hard at work. Bob, Carol and Carlan worked on the "other side" of the room. John called them "the elite group"
Bob, Carol and Carlon worked on the “other side” of the room. Not to take anything away from them, but I think it was more of a “Hmmmmmmm” to the rest of us than a compliment to them, since he usually laughed when he said it. It was different to see to have Carlan in a class instead of teaching it.
How industrious can you get? It was different to have Carlan in a class instead of teaching it.
Jim Beck Pondering - Did I do it right? Questions were encouraged and well explained.
Demo time: John demoed each step of the way - rocks, lap boards, logs etc. Anything the picture required.
One of the many choices we were given to complete
Another demo: This one on hair.
Another question. John always had the answers
John paints with watercolors. As you can see from the work on his website – he does vivid colors. Learning his way of painting will be most interesting.
The 12 of us were all John wanted to take on at a time. We had a great time, learned a lot, are ready to go again and are anxious to paint. John told us if we have pictures we want to carve he would draw them on boards for us. We can then carve on our own or he’ll teach it in a class. We have already scheduled John for another class next year. Better get your name in before it is too late!!
We enjoyed the Engler class so much we are really looking forward to the next seminar at Carlan’s.
