Artspan Portal: Wood Arts

Introduction to Wood Arts

Wood is a medium of warmth and integrity. Historically, it has been used in building, decorating, and furnishing dwellings, as well as for sculptures, totems, and figurines. Almost all wood-using cultures have carved their wooden objects, making it seem a strangely universal human inclination. Wood artisans are generally called woodworkers. Within the realm of woodworking are many different techniques and skill sets, from using a lathe to carving. A wood art designer must know his or her materials well, taking into account the variables of wood type, wood characteristics, tools, and the possible shrinking and expanding of the medium itself. A wood's type will determine its qualities: color, texture, weight, and the direction its grains travel and in which it splits. Since wood comes with grains, knots, and unique characteristics, its appearance can play a large role in why it is chosen for a particular project. Woods characteristics range from birch's light-colored, fine-grained wood; to elm with its twisting grains; to walnut with its dark, tight-grained wood; to aromatic cedar; to soft, white fir; to the commercially popular pine; to the grandeur and grace of oak. The hardness of a wood will determine whether it is either appropriate or inappropriate for a certain piece of furniture, decoration, or sculpture. The artisan must also deftly understand their many tools and how, like different types of paint brushes, each will leave a different signature on the medium. A fascinating, living thing, seasoned wood changes its shape with temperature and humidity. A wood art designer must keep this in mind when planning out the dimensions of a piece of art.
 

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Eric Hall
Jack Lewis
 Bauer Joinery
Ali Stinespring
Michael McConnell
 Bad Fish Skateboards and Shawn Ardoin
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Resources: Wood Arts

Art Suppliers (see all)
In2Art.com
Printmaking Supplies: Wood Carving
Mister Art
The world's largest online discount art and craft supply store.
Scultpor.org
Exclusive dealer in museum-quality sculpture.
Associations (see all)
American Association of Woodturners
St Paul, MN
The AAW is an international, non-profit organization dedicated to the...
Burlington Guild of Sculptors & Wood Carvers
Burlington, Ontario
California Carvers Guild
Oceanside, CA
Books (see all)
Art of Chainsaw Carving: An Insider's Look at 18 Artists Working Against the Grain
With an overview of chainsaw carving, detailing its advent and growth in the United States, this...
Sculpture in Wood (Dover Books on Art Instruction, Anatomy)
Down-to-earth, practical book by noted sculptor covers everything you need to know — woods,...
The Fine Art of Wood: The Bohlen Collection
With more than 130 works created during the past decade, The Fine Art of Wood celebrates a...
 
Education (see all)
Ambrose Pollack
26550 Rancho San Carlos Road Carmel, CA 93923 831-625-6554
The Woodworker Academy
1731 Clement Avenue Alameda, CA 510-521-1623
White River Artisans School
Cotter, AK
2519 Denton Ferry Road Cotter, AK 72626 870-430-5437
Galleries (see all)
Biddingtons's Online Contemporary Sculpture Gallery
Features contemporary American sculptors as well as sculptors from the world at large. The...
Highlands Sculpture Gallery
Carmel, CA
National Wood Sculpture Art Gallery
Promotes the awareness of wood sculpting and provides a venue for artists to display their works.
 
Museums (see all)
Oakland Museum of California
Oakland, CA
Fuller Craft Museum
Brockton, MA
Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden
The Smithsonian's museum of international modern and contemporary art.
Publications (see all)
American Woodturner
American Woodturner is the journal of the AAW. It includes information, articles, and other...
American Woodworker
This is a how-to magazine edited for the woodworking enthusiast seeking to improve his or her...
Australian Wood Review
Australian Wood Review magazine is for woodworkers, timber craftsmen, professionals, and hobby...
Sculpture Gardens (see all)
Highlands Sculpture Gallery
Carmel, CA
Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden
The Smithsonian's museum of international modern and contemporary art.