The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-01-08

fashionable people who start n with forty
o. fifty tools. bat they don't know how 10
use them. They undertake % do . per-
fec.ly simple design. and they make use Of
every tool. A wood carver should KNOW
the value q the tools
II. is just Is possible 20 gain = thor
ossgh knowledge OF art. "a far as desssn
and historical ornament are concerned. IN
this way a. IN any other art such as
sculpture Painting IS different: that
brings in the colors. People studying wood
carving should notice the magnificent deco
ra,sons TO b. seen on The residences and
Office buildings in New York. There IS
characterization In good and pure style. ard
yet I have known students who have been
graduated from the art academy VINO
failed TO see and recognize the different
styles.
There was an interesting illustration Of
the way IN which people ignore the THINGS
about them until their attention is called
10 them. Ia something that happened 70 me
the other day. There Is a man N New
York for whose hall designed the wood
carving There is $40 worth OF that work
there. met him the other day and he
had much 10 say about picture frame a
friend OF his had carved. IL was a simple
little frame. but it had been carved by a
friend and ne noticed IL Then he noticed
some other things. that were carved and
had a great deaf 10 say about them.
:. Did you ever notice the carving in your
hair ] asked him. No. he said. he
didn't know as he ever had. When he went
home after that, he began TO notice the
work in his own house, and he has been
admirsng i; ever since.
What do women do in wood carving
They make things they cannot buy. Three
ladies / know have been making chests;
~ 1t
them TO order. Some make a regular BUSH
ness OF II. Then there are chairs with the
coat OF arms OF the family carved upon
them. Orders for these have been coming
IN at the rate Of three a week.
"A beautiful crulnb tray and the back OF
the brush can be carved In mahogany, and
women make serving trays in fiat Gothic
designs and low footstoois in the Renais-
sance and Byzantine styles. Within the
last ten years people have been taking up
wood carving IN New York. and they are
becoming more and more interested in it
1t is clean and attractive work, il makes
no dust. and can be done in the HOUSE.
Here is large screen with cherubs' heads
that was done by woman and girl Of
Is. who has jus. begun. and has taken a
small design and enlarged II for a picture
frame. The lighter work does not require
more strength than painting. For woman
ana develops the shoulders marvelousy
The shoulders should be thrown back, and
the worker should bend from the hips in
working The heavy work requires the use
OF mallet but that is light and easy to
manage.
Women have been doing wood carving
In Sweden for hundreds of years. There
they have the long winters, and it is dusk
at 3 o'clock in the afternoon. The carving
t.. ,ji,>ffy
den. The Crown Princess Victoria is very
clever ar it, The small carved things that
American travellers bring home are made
by the women. There is a great market
for those things there. About the same
things are made there that are made here.
The carving Is 10 be found in the homes,
and In the woodwork of the house some
times but not so often as here. Tor there
is not as much money as in America. 1t
Is found, too. in the palaces and the pub
lie buildings.
The women receive orders from the
stores and sometimes from the manufac-
turers. I know OF women here, for thaf
matter who have received orders for wood
carving from factories. One woman In
particular is now carving big table In
Colonial style. That is all done at home
/ am very much opposed TO women going
into factories 10 work. The work can be
done at home. ard there would be COM
petition with the workmen in factories.
1T IS surprising how well people VIII do
in this work without preparation. For GER
tain things there mus. be preparation. For
instance. a woman wishes TO do figure
work DO you understand anatomy? /
ask There Is as much need of under
standing anatomy to carve a figure in wood
a. in stone. When there is no knowledge
o. anatomy then the wood carver can do
something grotesque in figures that is at
tracive.
1T Is possible to begin large piece OF
work after four or five lessons There is
a tete-a-tete seat. That is a hieregyphic
design which is interesting and effective
and yet is simple. All the lines are simple
and there is very little modelling. Work
ing three or four hours day. that could
b. finished in a week or ten days.
There is difference in people In their
methods of study Some wish to take three
lessons a week but 1t Is better 10 take enc
lesson. and then take the work home.
There Il no one to depend on, and the
worker mus; think out her work and she
gains confidence and originality. which Is
the great thing in all kinds Of work.
Mr.. Won Rydingsvard has been carving
wood since he was a boy. lie studied IL
az n profession IN the school OF technology
In Stockholm. where he was graduated