Dating
as far back as 2000 BCE, the tradition of wood carving has continued throughout
centuries and across borders and oceans. In Canada, wood carving remains
one of the more popular artistic expressions. It is almost the definition
of traditional Québec sculpture. While carving technique has altered
as a result of increased technology (i.e. mechanical saws and lathes),
many artists choose to produce carvings via more traditional methods,
using simple hand-held tools. To begin, the artist must select and prepare
the pieces of wood that are to be carved. This process includes a thorough
drying of the wood. Eleanor Milne keeps chunks and pieces of wood about
her studio so that she can handle, see and think about them until her
conception of a sculpture ripens. Sculpture may be carved from soft woods
like pine and cedar or harder woods like boxwood, mahogany and maple
Once the wood (and the artist) are prepared, the artist then chooses the appropriate tools. The chisel, a hand-held tool with a beveled metal blade, remains one of the more popular instruments for carving wood. The artist may also choose to use a riffle or a rasp. These are both specialized files used to shape and round forms and to smooth surfaces before sanding. The rasp is used on flat convex surfaces, while the riffle is used for hard-to-reach areas. Some of Milne's favourite tools have been passed on to her from older carvers. This seems to be a tradition among sculptors.
With regard to design, some wood carvers like to work from intuition, using a natural approach, while others work from mathematical plans. When the sculpture is finished, the carver sands the wood, raising the grain. Then the wood is sanded a second time with something lighter, like sandpaper. Once the sculpture is completed, it is finished with oil to protect the wood from weathering. Eleanor Milne's wood carvings range from relief panels to free-standing pieces of all sizes.
Reference:
Lindquist, Mark. Sculpting Wood: Contemporary Tools and Technique.
Worcester, Mass.: Davis Publications Inc., 1986.
MB
In the fall of 1998 team members made these videos of Milne carving a bird in serpentine. She explained that the stone from Eastern Québec is used for stoves and is very close in nature to asbestos.
LINK TO RELATED CANADA'S DIGITAL
COLLECTIONS SITE:
Canadian
Sculpture: Coming of Age. Use the database to search for Milne & carving.
Back to Sculpture Album page.