I recently completed a four day woodcarving course at the Cedar Lakes Conference Center in Ripley, WV taught by Bob Barris. I came back with all my fingers still intact, some knowledge of woodcarving, and the intention to keep working in this medium. The piece shown above on the left is my first student piece, a classic “Wood Spirit” with hair and beard; and the one on the right shows how I morphed it into my own design, a “Medieval Knight” with helmet, sword, shield, chain mail and a beard. Having ordered the tools I think I need to keep carving, I’m going to spend the next few weeks with a sketch pad and sorting through my wood pile.