Wood Carving Classes
Wood Carving Classes
Each year, AWC hosts a variety of wood carving classes taught by some of the foremost carvers in the world. Classes range from one-day to five-days; topics include wood carving, clay sculpting, painting, pyrography, and many more. There are often classes offered for the non-carving participant.
Anyone who is a member of AWC Ltd. can take a seminar. Membership is $25.00 per year (USA), $30.00 (Foreign) and runs the calendar year from January to December. You may join or renew your membership using the Seminar Registration Form below or the stand-alone membership form HERE
Impromptu gatherings of carvers during the evening hours offer many opportunities to socialize, pick up different carving techniques and perhaps a trade secret or two.
Information and Forms
2025 Class Descriptions and Registration Form. TBD
2025 Shirt and Patch Order Form
5 Day Classes: Monday, June 10 - Friday, June 14
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In 2024, Elaine and Fred offered something new: We have been creating and teaching low relief wood carvings with wood burned background and painted details for over 40 years. Our designs have evolved over the years with more refined details that tell a story. Last year, we provided new more detailed designs that could be carved or worked up as a flat woodburning. These carved or flat pieces are painted and finished the same way.
Recently, we have been using knotty or very unusual wood grained boards to create truly one-of-a-kind designs. The knots become part of the landscape (rocks, cliffs or gnarly tree trunks). The wood grain around the knots adds to the unique finished design.
We will have some of these unusual knotty boards. We will also have some end cut (beaver tail) boards with bark on three sides. You can choose a board with a design already on it, or we can help you design your own scene.
In this class you can start with low relief elements to be carved or choose to create a wood burned piece using our style of wood burning and painting with no carving. Because we paint on raw wood (no sealing), strong wood burned lines are needed to contain the transparent washes of acrylic paint we use. All our shading is done with paint, not our wood burner.
Paints and brushes are provided by instructors. A wood burner is needed. Contact us for information on the burning tips and gouges that we use.
If you have a special design in mind, please contact us via email at: fhstenman@gmail.com before May 2025 with details. Be sure to include your contact information.
Elaine and FRED Stenman (5-day):
low relief and woodBURNING
Elaine and Fred will be teaching a low relief wood carving with wood
burned background and finished with painted details. Students will be able to choose from this one time only unusual wood grained boards with a design or you can choose to create a wood burn piece with their stylized wood burning. You can check out Elaine & Fred's website to see all the amazing creations. Material cost is not included in the class fee.
Please visit Stenman studio website. https://www.stenmanstudios.com/
Ryan Olsen - Caricature Carving Classes
2 Day Class: Monday, June 9, - Tuesday, June 10.
3 Day Class: Wednesday, June 11, - Friday, June 13.
1 Day Class: Saturday, June 14.
Ryan returns after a very successful year at Congress last year. He has studied with many great caricature carvers, including Marv Kaisersatt, Dave Dunham, Cleve Taylor, and Chris Hammack. Ryan’s woodcarvings have won many awards around the country. He is known for his funny portrayal of opera singers. He is currently a high school choir and orchestra director in Idaho. His extensive teaching experience helps him to explain clearly and concisely. Ryan is a member of the Caricature Carvers of America. Projects will be chosen from a number of available roughouts. Individual instruction will be tailored to specific student need while group instruction will include design elements, anatomy, expression, style, tool uses, etc
Bruce Shostak: Problem Solving Carving 2025. - 1 Day Classes Monday-Friday :
So, you say you are having some problems carving?
Do you have a problem with a carving? Or do you just want to have some fun. Well, here you go!
This class is structured for beginner and intermediate carvers who need help solving problems in carving. Participants must be over 18 years old and have a protective carving glove and thumb guard. I will consider younger students if supervised by an adult. Bring any tools you may have but you will have use of the instructors tools to try to discover your preferences. Also bring something to take notes, extra lighting, power strip, and extension cord since lighting may be poor in our carving area.
In this class you could be introduced to a wide variety of tools and types of woods. Lecture and practice will start off the class to gain knowledge and get a “feel” for different tools, cutting grain, and woods. For those who wish I will have projects with a simple finish for you to try. Or we can complete something from your imagination from scrap wood I will bring.
Cutouts to cost $5, reliefs $2, and scraps are free.
It is my ultimate goal to provide a menagerie of different projects for students. Currently in my menagerie I have ducks, birds, frogs, swans, faces, owls, and reliefs for some of them. It would be helpful if you studied pictures of your preference to gain knowledge of their anatomy.
I can talk a lot about different tools, how to use and sharpen them. I will bring some finished carvings of each as “go bye’s”. It took me 5 hours to carve and finish any of them but I suspect you will take much longer. If you have any questions, contact me on my cell 712-541-8468.
I have been woodcarving since the 6th grade in 1965. Starting at a time when there were few books, no teachers, and poor tools. Starting with ducks and birds I progressed into relief, faces, golf balls, and have tried a wide variety of different types of carvings. I have won several Best of Group awards at the Congress and I am still striving for that Best of Show! Educated as a Civil Engineer I have a strong background in visualizing and completing projects.
Be prepared to receive a wealth of information on many subjects in woodcarving. Hopefully you will gain enough knowledge and enthusiasm to jump start your career as the next Congress blue ribbon winners!
Jan Jenson - 3 Day Class Old World Chip Carving
Learn old world chip carving and do a practice piece or review techniques learned before.
Beginners will choose coaster sets, cell phone holders or napkin holders while returning students may choose to do larger projects, like a “Going in Circles” plate, a dahlia or a star plate. There will be many patterns to choose from.
You may do any project that Jan has available for purchase. You will need a good chip carving knife. Jan will have some for sale plus her two books. Other supplies will be provided.
Jan first started seriously carving in 2002 when introduced to it at an RV park in Texas. She quickly became intrigued with Old World chip carving and began creating patterns for it. She has written 2 books with a third “book” on a thumb drive. Teaching is something she truly enjoys. Eau Claire is her home, but she and her husband winter in Pharr, Texas.
5 Day Classes: Monday, June 09, - Tuesday, June 10
Jeff Phares REALISTIC HUMAN BUSTor MASK Carving 5-day class. Monday - Friday.
REALISTIC HUMAN BUST/MASK( if you so choose).
With an emphasis on realism, expression and incorporating some exaggeration of certain aspects of your piece.
It is open to all carvers, and designed for beginners to accomplished students.
We will be working from 8x8x16 inch blocks of butternut for the bust. 5x12x16 for the mask. Blank cost will be approximately $90-125$. Just a note, this is not, a portrait class.
Students will need to bring their ideas, reference photos of subject matter, I will provide individual instruction along with group demonstrations, to help you create a wonderful piece of work that will incorporate the students' own ideas and creativity.
Focus will be on design, anatomy, tool technique and execution, and contrasting textures.
Photos of your subject will need to be sent to Jeff via email or regular mail, no later than March 1st, as I will be generally blocking out your piece prior to class.
Plenty of material will be left to allow the students to modify, adapt, and incorporate their own unique ideas.
You will need a good variety of tools, mallet, and preferably a heavy-duty holding device, ex: jawhorse, sturdy table, or a device that you prefer, and/or something to fasten a carving arm on to accommodate some heavy mallet work.
So, bring your tools sharp. I will provide carving arms, carving screws, and a sharpening machine for class use. Some instruction on sharpening will be covered.
Below is Jeff's contact information, please send pictures of your subject, if you have any questions at all, please feel free to contact anytime. He will be glad to try and answer them.
Email: jeffphares.1963@gmail.com
Phone: 805-980-5318
Material cost is not included in the class fee.
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Jeff Phares began carving as a hobby in 1984. He showed such a natural talent in this area that he began carving full time by 1991, and quickly became known throughout he wood carving community as one of the Nation's best in his field.
Jeff has reflected his skill to such a level that he now works in many different mediums, and has developed the techniques in his art that are unique and unprecedented in his finished work. Jeff is currently promoting his work in bronze, however wood carving is still his major passion.
Jeff teaches classes and gives seminars in numerous locations across the Country during each year. It is apparent that Jeff wishes to suggest in his finished work the demeanor of the subject, and his intention to use the grain and natural irregularities for effect. Jeff motivates his students to learn this technique, and search deep for their own creativity, as he does with all his projects.
Randy Hansen (4-day): Randy will be teaching a full size winter on a snowy ground class. From how to carve the cardinal to painting. He will walk you through the steps on how to carve a cardinal and make it come alive with his airbrushing technique.
The cardinal will be a smooth carving (very little woodburning) painted with acrylics with some airbrushing.
Students will need rotary tools, and airbrush if they have them. There will be a materials cost of $20. Randy will have the cutout blocks, glass eyes, paint and bases.
Materials to make the "snow" base and a turned wood base will be available also.
class limit to 6 students.
whimsical Cottonwood Bark houseS
by
April BIRD
Our very one board member will be teaching a 3-day whimsical bark house out of cottonwood.
She will show you how to create your own unique home and learn the tips and tricks of carving in Cottonwood Bark.
Material cost is not included in the class fee.
Carving beautiful spoons
Karen Henderson (3-day & 2-day):
Karen is a new comer to Congress and will be bringing a new style with her with her treenware. Students will carve a useable eating/serving spoon from various hardwoods. Wood is carved green (wet) so basic hand tools can be used. No special tools needed. Buckthorn, apple, lilac and other woods available at $5-10 each
Cost includes 1 butter spreader blank.
Karen has been carving for over 20 years and teaching carving nearly that long. She enjoys a variety of types of carving such as caricatures, bark, walking sticks and spoons. Karen has always enjoyed working with wood and refinishing furniture. Carving the spoons is a fun way to bring out the beauty in each piece of wood.
Roger Nadrchal (3-day): Red Fox
Roger will be teaching the carving techniques to carve a red fox that is about 6” tall. This will be carved with hand tools from a basswood roughout. Roger will teach the carving techniques, fur texture and a painting demonstration. Please bring your own reference pictures. If time allows to paint, the paints will be provided, please bring our own brushes.
Material cost is not included in the class fee.
Bases will be available as well for purchase, however, must pre-ordered:
Roger Nadrchal: 402-750-5591, wood_chips@yahoo.com
Caricature expressions
Dave Stetson (3-day)
Dave will be teaching a caricature heads and expressions, to help bring your carvings to life and give them their own personality. Roughouts will range from male to female.
Material cost is not included in the class fee.
Supplies to Bring:
* Desk Lamp
* Chip Carving Knife
* Sharpening Supplies
* Carving Glove
* Thumb Guard
* Pencil
* T-square
* Ruler
* New Soft Toothbrush
* White Hy-Polymer Eraser
chip carved keepsake box
Charlene Lynum (2-day)
Charlene will teach students how to chip carve an award-winning traditional chip carved keepsake box that she has been known for in competition.
Who doesn’t like a box that is attractive and unique? The box for this class can be described as both, attractive and unique. It has a decorative pattern that enhances the box and compliments the black walnut trim, making it an eye-catching addition to your house. It would also make a great present for a birthday, wedding or any other special event.
The project will be a basswood box that is trimmed with black walnut. The top is 4.5 inches square, and the sides are 2.75 tall.
This project is intended for the advanced beginner/intermediate chip carver. The design on the box contains mostly 3 sided chips of varying sizes along with curves to help enhance the total project and compliment the black walnut trim. The top and sides of the box will be carved.
During the class we will go over carving safety, pattern application, 3-sided chips, curved chips, the order in which chips should be carved, carving larger chips, what cut needs to be made first to avoid chipping out and how to fix chip outs. We will also discuss how to finish the box.
Charlene Lynum started chip carving around 1985. She enjoys how a simple object can be chip carved and transformed into something that is beautiful and elegant. She believes that chip carving is more than a craft, it is an art. Charlene has published a book through Fox Chapel Publishing titled “Chip Carving Starter Guide”. She is a regular contributor to Woodcarving Illustrated. In 2022 she became a Gold Medalist in woodworking at the Vesterheim Museum in Decorah Iowa.
Tool sharpening.
by Dick Belcher
Evening class.
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Dick will be completing a tool sharpening demonstration/class.
This will be a 2-hour class on Monday night.