April 2013 - Prairie Canada Carvers Association

Prairie Canada News
April 2013
27th Carving Competition Outstanding
The prairie weather was cranky April 6 & 7 but the mood inside the 27th annual Prairie Canada Carving championship was jubilant.
The success of this remarkable competition is attributed to the involvement of carvers (competitors and non-competitors), carving
clubs, a bevy of supporters , an admiring public and of course a devoted board of directors. Association directors once again pulled
together in grand fashion to host an exemplary carving show– kudos to Lynda Baxter, Doug Danell, John Frye, Paul Giasson, Helen
Hafke, Jean Mousseau, Bill and Sandy Nitzsche, Tom Park, Bonnie Trodden and Don Young. It goes without saying that we are
always on the lookout for members with new ideas and approaches to keeping the show relevant and attractive.
The 2013 show attracted 274 wood, bone, stone and antler carvings from 96 carvers (20 of
whom were new to the show) along with a collection of 50 cocktail carvings acquired by
one collector from previous shows. Not counting the feature collection the number of carvings was down by eight. The caliber however was spectacular and the inclusion of more high
quality turned wood and decorative fish was rewarding. Judges as usual had their work cut
out– thanks goes out to Ron Davidson, Ray England, Ken deSmet, Ron Jackson, Sylvain
Marin, Randy Mooi, Shawn Nicol, Brian Parker, Peter Sawatzky, Jill Town and Larry Vanderhyde. We are also appreciative of show retailers Canadian Woodworker, Copperfield
Books, Jennifer LaBella and Robert Taylor for their support. Members of Les Gens de Bois
Woodcarving Club, Adanac Carvers Association, the Oak Hammock Marsh Carvers Guild
and Wildlife Haven complete with a live barred owl and kestrel added to the ambiance of
the show. Once again volunteer students from College Pierre-Elliott-Trudeau helped keep
the show running smoothly.
The 2013 workshop slate consisted of a one day workshop on clay sculpture and design by
Peter Sawatzky and a three day miniature American white pelican carving workshop by
Intarsia by Perry Kon
Tom Park. Thanks to Artists Emporium and Lee Valley Tools for hosting these events. The
2nd Best of Show Novice
60 minute carving seminars offered Sunday morning were very popular, covering the essentials of stains and natural finishes by Don Young and Bill Nitzsche, fish carving essentials with Carl Robblee and Jean Mousseau and bark carving with Robert LeClair. Professional bronze sculptor Peter Sawatzky
capped the award’s banquet with an excellent illustrated presentation on the making and installation of life-sized bronze pack of
wolves on Chief Peguis Trail in Winnipeg.
As many of you know we may have run the course with the selling of raffle tickets as a fund-raiser and will step up our efforts in
offering a greater selection of evening and Sunday carving workshops. Our endeavours in this area are paying off– see the article in
the body of newsletter. Thanks to everyone who sold/purchased 2013 raffle tickets. Harry Williams won the Razertip sponsored
northern oriole carved by Tom Park, Jack Yellowlees won the pair of stylized otters by Bill Nitzsche and Pat Pennycook claimed the
rainbow trout completed by Jean Mousseau. All winners are residents of Winnipeg.
Keep your edges sharp and have a great summer. The 2014 competition will be back at Canad Inns Polo Park April 5 & 6.
Ted Muir, President PCCA
Prairie Canada Carvers’ Association Inc: www.prairiecanadacarvers.com
Workshops Key to Association’s Success
Once again the Association hosted a number of introductory carving workshops at Elmwood/East Kildonan Active Living Centre in Winnipeg throughout the winter months . Workshops encompassed the carving of rusty nail
shorebirds with Ted Muir, the carving of a miniature rusty nail snowy egrets
with Ted Muir (two offerings), the carving of rusty nail fridge magnets with
Ted Muir, the carving of a miniature orca with Tom Park and the carving of
butternut hooded mergansers with Ted Muir. Two fish carving workshops
(crappie delight) had to be postponed as Jean Mousseau underwent heart surgery after the competition– he is in full recovery. Two traditional carving
workshops offered by Murray Watson had to be cancelled due to low interest
(hummingbird in a picture frame and moody Manitoba bison head).
We will continue to offer new and exciting carving workshops at a reasonable
cost. Ideas in the works include– feet making, flower carving, painting, airRobert LeClair leads a bark carving session at the show
brushing, fish carving, natural finish great gray owl, antique hooded merganser decoy, and rusty nail shorebirds in the looking position. If you have any
ideas for workshops contact John Frye at jfrye@cc.umanitoba.ca. We are also always looking for feature show instructors. If you
have any ideas share them with Bonnie Trodden at trodden@shaw.ca.
Upcoming Events to Check Out
Here in the mid-west we are lucky to have a strong carving community. In Manitoba alone we can lay claim to having three vibrant
long-standing carving competitions and 24 active carving clubs. One of the ways we collectively stay strong is to support one another by taking in a carving competition (as a competitor or non-competitor) or by enrolling in a carving course. An incredible
amount of volunteer time goes into these events and the surest way to keep them alive is to be supportive.
May 4 & 5– The Oak Hammock Marsh Decoy Competition; Ross Gage at 204-895-4723 or rossgage@mts.net.
May 4 & 5: Sherwood Park, Edmonton; Wildlife Carving Competition – Bob Steele at 780-464-4622
May 10-12 and June 7 & 8: Calgary; Carving and painting a pine grosbeak with Bob Lavender; Contact Barb Janman at 403286-6366 or bjanman@shaw.ca
May 16-21: Weldheim: Saskatchewan River Valley Art School;
srvas@saskwildlifeart.com or 306-945-4929
June 28-30: North Dakota; Wahpeton Carving Weekend, Gary Paulsen
701- 232-2196
August 3 & 4 Minnesota: International Woodcarving and Arts Festival
Lake Bronson State Park, Tammy.blawat@borderstatebank.com
September 22 to-28 Sorrento, BC. Shuswap School of Carving & Arts,
www.bccarvingschool.com or Kathy at 250-573-2227
October 25-27: Saskatoon: Reflections of Nature Wildlife Art Competition, info@saskwildlifeart.com
Future PCCA Competition Dates
2014 April 5 & 6; 2015 March 28 & 29
Common Goldeneye by Ray Minaudier
Morgan Whiteway Purchase Award Winner
2013 Winners Circle– Best of Show & Purchase Awards
Full show results are attached to this email as a PDF
Bird Carvers– Best of Show
Open 1st - Lana Cowell, Saskatoon -female yellow-rumped warbler
2nd-Bill Palmer, Winnipeg– redhead hen
3rd –Harvey Welch, Saskatoon– American robin
Intermediate 1st –Cheryl Laschuk, Seddons Corner, MB - barn owl
2nd –Cliff Zarecki, Lac du Bonnet, MB– green-winged teal hen
3rd –John Frye, Winnipeg– tundra swan
Novice- 1st Cynthia Roth, Bottineau, ND- wood duck drake
2nd– Cynthia Roth, Bottineau, ND-black-capped chickadee
3rd- Russ Mann, Edmonton, AB– merlin
Traditional Carvers- Best of Show
Open 1st - Bill Nitzsche ,Winnipeg- bald eagle
2nd– Jean Mousseau, Winnipeg –smallmouth bass
3rd– Rick Brereton, La du Bonnet, MB – maori koruru head
Intermediate 1st– Helmut Kuklik, St. Laurent, MB– Pyrography –backwoods treasure
2nd– Iris Bidinosti, Lac du bonnet– bark carving-forest dwellers
3rd– Syl Didur, Winnipeg– moose antler- moon light encounter with wolves
Maori koruru head by Rick Brereton
3rd Best of Show Open
Novice 1st- Perry Kon, Pinawa, MB-– Intarsia– American elk
2nd–Perry Kon, Pinawa, MB– Intarsia -great blue heron
3d-Deb Spear, Thunder Bay, ON– soapstone snail
Cocktail Best of Show- Carl Robblee, Swan River, MB– grayling
1st waterfowl– Tom Park, Winnipeg– northern pintail drake
1st upland game-Lee Garbel, Williston, ND– ring–necked pheasant
Purchase Awards
Razertip Industries– Harvey Welch, Saskatoon– white-throated sparrow
Morgan Whiteway BOSS– Ray Minaudier. St. Claude, MB– common goldeneye
Richard Whittom Duck Head– Rusty Rutherford, Portage la Prairie, MB– red-breasted
merganser
Jim Richardson Antique Decoy– Doug Carson, Neepawa, MB– canvasback
Ted Muir Shorebird– Doug Carson, Neepawa, MB– dunlin
Cash Award
Al Whitfield Junior Working Shorebird– Rachelle Mattson, Winnipeg, MB– ruddy turnstone
People’s Choice Award-sponsored by Les Gens de Bois Woodcarving Carving Club–
Bill Nitzsche, Winnipeg– bald eagle
Yellow-rumped warbler by Lana
Cowell-1st Best of Show Open
Carver’s Choice Award– sponsored by Adanac Carvers Association- Cheryl Laschuk, Seddons Corner, MB– barn owl
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April 2013
Lynda Baxter
Doug Danell
John Frye
Paul Giasson
Helen Hafke
Jean Mousseau
Ted Muir
Bill and Sandy Nitzsche
Tom Park
Bonnie Trodden
Don Young
Collector’s Pattern Book as Relevant as Ever
As part of its 25th anniversary
celebrations Prairie Canada produced a commemorative carving
pattern book featuring the work of
notable show participants. The 11
by 17 inch coil bound book features
34 traditional and bird carving patterns and instructions.
The collectors pattern book is in its
second printing and sells for $25
through Tom Park at tpark@mts.net or Artists Emporium, Canadian Woodworker (all
stores ) Fort Whyte Alive, Oak Hammock Marsh Interpretive Centre, Razertip Industries, Windsor Plywood (all Wpg stores) and Island Woodcraft Supplies in Comox.
The book features the work of Doug Carson, Byron Crabb, Bob Lavender, David
Koss, Ted Muir, Shawn Nicol, Larry Vanderhyde, Ron Davidson, Harvey Welch, Bill
Palmer, Jean Mousseau, Lee Garbel, Don Young, Jean Minaudier, Dr. Frank Baldwin, Tunney Hovorka, Al Whitfield and Tom Park.
Auction Contributions Raise Much Needed Funds
The auctioning of carvings (cocktail and full-size) and one decoy book on the Sunday afternoon raised
$2,030 for the competition. A heartfelt thanks goes out to contributors Lee Garbel, Ray Minaudier, Ted
Muir, Danny Myhal, Bill Nitzsche, Tom Park, Carl Robblee, Einar Vigfusson, Randy Warren, and Jack
Yellowlees. The cocktail competition tops up Association coffers and we encourage carvers to enter a
piece in the future.
All of the cocktail and life-sized carving donations to the auction are greatly appreciated. But we would be
remiss in not singling out Jack Yellowlees of Winnipeg for his remarkable contribution to the cocktail
competition. Over the past 20 years Jack has entered 57 cocktail carvings, garnering $3,972 for the Association. And that is not including the dozens of full-sized decoys he has donated to organizations like Ducks
Unlimited Canada and Fort Whyte Alive. Well done Jack.
Northern pintail by Tom Park– 1st Place Cocktail Duck
Grayling by Carl Robblee– Best of Show Cocktail
2013 PCCA Sponsors and Partners
A special note of gratitude is extended to our show sponsors and partners. We couldn't have a show without your generous contributions and support.
Gold ( $1000 plus)
Manitoba Arts Council
Silver ($500 to $999)
Morgan Whiteway BOSS Purchase Award
Jim Richardson Purchase Antique Duck Decoy Award
Razertip Industries Purchase Award
Bronze ($200 to $499)
Adanac Carvers Association Carver’s Choice Award
Al Whitfield Junior Carver Shorebird Cash Award
Artists Emporium
Cabela’s
Canad Inns Polo Park
Canadian Woodworker
Dremel Tools
Ducks Unlimited Canada
Lee Valley Tools:
Les Gens de Bois Woodcarving Club People’s Choice Award
Manitoba Wildlife Federation
Manitoba Tourism Secretariat
Preferred Perch
Professional Grinding
Richard Whittom Duck Head Purchase Award
Ted Muir Shorebird Purchase Award
Truserv
Wildfowl Carving Magazine
Windsor Plywood
Moose Antler by Syl Didur– 3rd Best of Show Intermediate
Supporters
Chipping Away
Copperfield Books
Foredom Tools
Manitoba Pork
Manitoba Wildlife Haven
Oak Hammock Marsh Carving Guild
Robert Taylor and Jennifer Labella
Red-breasted Merganser by Rusty Rutherford
Richard Whittom Purchase Award
Soapstone Snail by Deb Spear
3rd Best of Show Novice
Ruddy Turnstone by Rachelle Mattson
Al Whitfield Junior Cash Award