Carving.

The 20th anniversary issue of the world's best how-to magazine for woodcarvers is packed with carving patterns, how-to tips, and step-by-step projects for all skill levels. We offer plenty of Christmas carving ideas for holiday gifts and decorations, from Larry Green’s delightful caricature tree ornaments to an exquisite relief-carved snowman from Lora S. Irish. Our jolly assortment of Santa projects includes Dylan Goodson’s realistic St. Nick, plus a new chance to carve our very first Santa from Woodcarving Illustrated issue #1. Carolea Hower creates smiling Santas from ordinary wooden spoons, and Randy True shows how to transform ordinary golf tees into tiny Santa ornaments! You’ll also find many great projects unrelated to Christmas that will make terrific gifts. “Game of Thrones” fans will enjoy Tamera Seevers’ dragon wand, Tom Dean shows you how to use power tools to carve heirloom-quality bracelets, and Karen Hundt-Brown uses a woodburner to turn gourds into functional lamps.

FEATURES Strategy with a Theme Jim Arnold's clever chess set designs Hobo Nickels By Bob Shamey Modern carvers recreate unique American folk art For more information on this unique art form visit www.hobonickels.org First Cuts Bruce Henn, Dennis Thornton, Harley Schmitgen, and Jack Price share their carving stories Carving on Turning Modern woodturning masters embellish their work with carving Woodland Treasures Jewelry By Kathleen Ryan The artistic carvings of Geoff King Awakening a Passion The work of professional Austrian carver Helli Mayr Electronic Saloon Clock By Jack A. Boggio Detailed caricature scene is brought to life with recorded voices and chiming gun shots PROJECTS Checkmate By Barry McKenzie Novel chip-carved chess set is sure to become a family heirloom Serpentine Walking Stick By David Stehly Staff and realistic snake are carved from a single piece of wood Rugged Bear Bench By Jeffrey Cooper Rustic carving highlights sturdy children's furniture Color Guard By Mary-Ann Jack-Bleach Suggest form and flow with a basic relief carving honoring the armed forces Goat of Many Colors By Larry Koosed Charming folk-art design is easy to carve Carving a Knotwork Brooch By Geoff King Basic techniques for carving wooden jewelry 5-Minute Wizard By Tom Hindes Beginner project is a quick and easy introduction to woodcarving TECHNIQUES Basic Relief Techniques By Chris Pye Learn the fundamentals of carving in low relief Paint Primer By Vicki Rhodes Essential knowledge for a professional finish DEPARTMENTS Editor’s Letter From Our Mailbag News & Notes Tips & Techniques Reader Gallery New Products Relief Column Calendar of Events Coming Features Advertising Directory & Classifieds Teacher’s Corner - Sharpening V-tools Woodchips - New Department

Golf. It's the ultimate head game. And when nothing but the best advice will do, along comes M. Scott Peck, M.D., the celebrated psychiatrist and author of the best-selling self-help book of all time, The Road Less Traveled. In Golf and the Spirit, M. Scott Peck writes a book for beginners and masters alike--and even for nongolfers. It goes beyond mechanics to explore the deeper issues, ways of successfully managing the emotional, psychological, and spiritual aspects of this most wonderful, maddening, deflating, and inspiring game. Playing side by side with M. Scott Peck on an imaginary course of his own design--complete with illustrations of each hole--you will come to see the profound truths in this seemingly simple game. Appreciate that life is not linear. Come to understand your own anger and how to heal that which gets in your way. Accept the gifts of humility. Appreciate kenosis, the process by which the self empties itself of self. Benefit from teachers. Know that in weakness often there is strength. Realize that to experience the blessings of golf and life fully, you must accept the divinity that underlies all things. Like the best-selling volumes of Harvey Penick and Michael Murphy, Golf and the Spirit makes a unique contribution to the literature of golf and life. It goes beyond the body to address the heart and soul of the game, creating a rare opportunity for transformation in the lives of its readers, both on and off the fairway. It seems to me the human condition is most basically that we are willful creatures living in a world that, much of the time, doesn't behave the way we want it to. We live in the tension between our will and reality. Sometimes with great effort and expertise, we can change reality or bend it to our will. At other times--also with great effort and expertise--it is we who must change by coming to accept the limitations of the world and of ourselves. How we do this--how we deal with the hazards of life--is quite akin to how we deal with the hazards of a golf course. Sooner or later golfers who stick with the game long enough will almost always come to see it as a metaphor for life. But the word metaphor fails to do justice to all that golf has to teach us. I would go even further and say that, in its own way, golf is life and, not only that, life condensed. If we choose to use it as such, I believe that golf, next to marriage and parenthood, can routinely be the greatest of life's learning opportunities.

Folk Art Fox Here’s a quick and easy project with lots of appeal. Ozark Grin Carving legend Harold Enlow shows you why the mouth, more than any part of the face, enhances the look of a figure. Carving a Realistic Dachshund Mastering these basic techniques will enable you to bring any breed of dog out of the wood. From the Mind of James The imaginative and award-winning works of James Fecteau will fuel your passion for carving. Paint a Scandinavian-Style Troll Master carver Harley Refsal shares his techniques for painting the character you carved from the last issue. Caribou Pattern by Gordon Stiller Introducing a new regular pattern column from Gordon Stiller’s pattern archive of about 2,500 land and sea animals. Extreme Pumpkin Carving This October, showcase your carving skills with something special for Halloween. Product Review Sealing and priming is faster and more effective and blending is purer with the new JansenArt Traditions high quality matte acrylic paint. Celebrating Small Victories Here’s a challenge—try carving in a 2" x 2" cube. You won’t believe these carvers’ work from the Dayton, Ohio, Artistry in Wood competitions. Sassafras Turtle Leo Datzman, a winner in the WCI-Woodcraft® Supply 2003 Wildlife Carving Contest, recalls what he did for his tortoise to finish first in the Amateur—Other Wildlife division. Swiss Woodcarvings Bulldog Bulletin Board Bow-wow wow! Kathy Wise shows how to relief carve this popular dog to watch over your messages and reminders. An Introduction to Carving Miniature—Netsuke Welcome to Susan Wraight’s small, small world of netsuke, part of Japanese traditional dress now highly sought after collector pieces worth $1,000s. Lost in Thought Santa—Pattern Profile Wood Review: Tulipwood Not easy to carve but its rich colors, fine texture and straight grain make it appealing. The Dream Weaver There’s much to learn from professional woodcarver Ian Norbury, whose carvings are in collections all over the world. Ultimate Power Sharpener Put to the test, this sharpening machine has a lot going for it, including easy handling of heavy-duty carving tools while running fast enough to make a sharp, polished cutting edge relatively quick. Regular Columns Publisher’s Letter From Our Mailbag News & Notes Tips & Techniques Relief Column from Lora S. Irish Reader’s Gallery Calendar of Events Advertising Directory Classifieds

This collection of short stories depicts the experiences and adventures of Mappy, a young rural boy growing up in Jamaica in the 1950s and 60s.

· A valuable guide to learning how to wood carving whimsical figures and objects in tree bark · Provides a complete step-by-step project for carving a magical tree house · Offers expert advice on bark carving basics, tools, techniques, finishing tips, and other fundamental topics · Includes an inspirational gallery of completed works, including wood spirits, animals, tree houses, and more · Written by award-winning carver Rick Jensen and carver/photographer Jack A. Williams