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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.Featured Members
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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
Education (see all)
- Anderson Ranch Arts Center
- Snowmass, CO
- Appalachian Center For Crafts - Tennessee Technological University
- Smithville, TN
- Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts
- Gatlinburg, TN
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.