The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-09-29

early in the eighteenth century, but al
ways found sanctuary i'll Sweden and
Norway, where the women were proud of
the household articles carved by them.
Its renaissance throughout Europe began
about half century ago, and naturally
Sw edish teachers We're in demand. The
movement reached the United States in
the form OF sloyd, for school children. 1t
gradually attracted the. attention of older
people and finally became popularized
through the efforts of q young Swedish
baron who came to this country and did
SINE wonderful carving that brought him
into notice and resulted in his forming
classes in the art of woodcarving He
lectured also on the various schools of
woodcarving, their epochs and Develop
ment. The Scandinavian, Byzantine Ro-
raanesque, Renaissance and modern were
all illustrated in his work, and the prin-
cipes that render every school particular
ly adapted to special purposes We're ex-
plain
! There are practical grounds, aside
from the artistic, for the large and in
creasing popularity of the art" said a
teacher yesterday. NO other form of
art lends itself SO readily to speedy re-
suits. The average student has had no
previous training in design or drawing
yet acquires both almost unconsciously as
he works, while his first effort, If made
under the guidance of a skillful teacher
VIII be an ornamental bit of utility. The
hrst half, perhaps, is carved from a trac-
ed design; the second he copies; after a
while he essays an original design under
criticism by his teacher. In all these pro-
gressive steps there is no loss of time or
effort, for the judioious teacher has taken
care that nothing has been attempted be-
yond the students power to execute, and
every piece of wood carved is meant to
serve q purpose,
The mechanical equipment for the be-
girher is not expensive. A dozen TOOLS
varying in price from 30 to So cents, are
enough. Even fewer will do, if the pupil
BE- content with low relief work at first
An important point Is the sharpening
of the tools. They are blunt when bought
and should be sharpened only by carver,
as the ordinary cutler would grind them
in the fashion of carpenters tools which
would render them almost useless for
gooo work in carving. The student soon
learns to grind his own tools and will
ADD the necessary implements
Stock varies in price according to fine
ness. Inch quartered oak is from to 0
cents the square foot, wnitewood from 4
to Z, mahogany from is to %. Whitewood
may be stained in walnut cherry or ma
hogany colors with excellent effect
THE cabinetmaker's charge for putting
together large pieces, such as chairs,
chests and tables, is at the rate of So a
day, but many small pieces can be wholly
n ade by the worker herself.
while woodcarving by a trained artist
may become positively sculpturai in beau
~ and dignity, yet even without much
training person of artistic taste may
produce excellent results by observing
fine work closely A kitchen table has
been the carver's bench for more than
one ambitious girl who started in with
: nothing but a few tools, block of wood
an0 a design two from one of the art
magazines that make woodcarving fea-
ture'f