Fraktur Relief, 2nd Try at Image!

[Arthur C.]

Great mementos, Phil! That's a nice idea to commemorate events shared with you son...I'm sure they evoke fond memories for both of you.

[Arthur C.]

Very attractive!

[Arthur C.]

I got an order of butternut in last week...it's wormy, and I expected it to be from everything I've read.

I'm now starting my first butternut piece ever, and I must say I love the way it carves. I'll have to reserve judgment until I'm further along, but my first impression is that I prefer...

[Arthur C.]

Very nice, good clean carving. Well defined flowers.

[Arthur C.]

Gorgeous, Merle! Very graceful, and the finish is quite nice.

[Arthur C.]

Thanks for sharing this. You do beautiful work! I had a hard time hearing the commentary at times with the music, though.

[Arthur C.]

Impressive, Dave! What are the sizes?

[Arthur C.]

Should be a good one, Joe!

[Arthur C.]

Glenn, that's a beauty! Never heard of that wood before. Over here, arranging the grain like that is called bookmatching, if I remember correctly. If not, someone will be along shortly to kindly correct me.

[Arthur C.]

Merle, my paternal line emigrated from Germany to PA prior to the Revolution, so we have that in common!...

[Arthur C.]

Looking forward to seeing your reliefs, rraposo.

[Arthur C.]

Looking good, Merle! What's the advantage of using the glue and sawdust method rather than something like a commercial filler such as plastic wood? I've used both methods but I don't find anything that takes stain well.

[Arthur C.]

Bowinhand, those on buildings...would those, in design, be more in the style of what's commonly and mistakenly known as "hex" signs?...

[Arthur C.]

Bowinhand...do you mean a lot of fraktur paintings? Are they on documents, canvas, wood or what? Very interesting!...

[Arthur C.]

Actually, that's handy if you're whittling fruit flies. Sorry, I know that's not helpful.

[Arthur C.]

Brian, hard to believe, but frakturs were originally used to decorate manuscripts and documents, originally used in conjunction with the fraktur calligraphy. It's based on European folk art. If you're not familiar with the term Pennsylvania "Dutch", it's a misinterpretation of the word "Deutsch",...

[Arthur C.]

Here's my interpretation of an 18th century Pennsylvania Dutch fraktur painting, done in medium relief, with glass tile corners, and aged finish to mute the colors, which before ageing, are the same as on the original. The background is textured to create a fabric look. Fraktur painting was typically...

[Arthur C.]

Yeah, Tom, this was a bummer Christmas. Here's to a better year coming up! Nice bunch of Santas there...and Zoom is better than nothing, right?...

[Arthur C.]

Merle, that will be gorgeous! I tried walnut and my piece was like a rock...couldn't carve it with palm gouges...I'll be interested to learn how yours carves.

[Arthur C.]

Makin money, you say,
All 'cuz of Ray?
If he does it in wood,
Could he do it in clay?

Does he carve it up quick,
Perhaps from a stick?
Then make up a rhyme,
Without missing a lick?

If he tried it in clay,
Would it take him all day?...