BOMH Professional Development Grant Winner 2020 Report by Sherry Phillips

I feel honored and very appreciative to be the recipient of the 2020 Professional Development Grant.  I love creating artwork with wood, but have always used electric power tools such as the lathe, band saw, drill press, scroll saw, various power sanding machinery, and planers, etc.  The power tools are fast, noisy, messy, and not portable!  I have always been fascinated by woodcarving but never learned how to carve.  The grant money was used towards the purchase of quality wood carving chisels, mallets, and a year of on-line classes and support taught by the world-renowned woodcarver, Mary May.  In addition, I purchased a heavy-duty quick release front vise, bench dogs, and wood to build a versatile woodcarving bench.

My goal is to learn and become proficient in traditional European relief carving to demonstrate and promote BOMH in our booth at art shows.  I chose this form of art because it is a quiet, relaxing, and portable manner of woodworking.  I will tap into a more diverse and creative style of artwork than I have been trained to do in the past.

Jay, my talented husband, built a beautiful wood carving bench with three drawers and a chisel holder that sits conveniently on top of the bench.  We thankfully already have the necessary equipment to keep the tools sharp, so Jay taught me how to sharpen them without ruining the bevel!  I have been learning to carve slowly but surely and am still in the “pre-school” stage.  There is so much to learn about the grain, visualizing and understanding how to make a flat piece of wood have a three-dimensional appearance using layering and gouge marks to create character.  I am motivated to use my love of photography and carving to eventually use my own photographs to create a wood carved wall hanging.  I will print my photographs in black and white, transfer the image from paper to wood using lacquer thinner, then create a carving of that image.

I enjoy learning, creating, teaching, demonstrating and most of all, promoting and being a juried member of the BOMH.  I am excited to have this opportunity to grow creatively.  Thank you for awarding me the Professional Development Grant this year.

Sherry Phillips of J&S Turnings