“EVERYTHING BUT THE BIRD”     Ernie Muehlmatt  & Floyd Scholz    June 1^st -6^th   $675

     Join Ernie Muehlmatt & Floyd Scholz in a new concept of team- teaching.  Ernie & Floyd are both known for each using their own approach in executing a carving from start to finish.  At the same time you will be gleaning new techniques from two master carvers & learning to apply them to several different topics.  The class will start out with bandsaw basics in which you will be taught how to draw a pattern, how to lay that pattern out on a piece of wood & then how to cut that blank out.  Ernie & Floyd will each share their own approaches to design, composition, & color harmony.  Carving, burning, stoning, & painting will be covered as they teach you all different forms of habitat & how to do them.  Habitat will include rocks, branches, leaves, flowers, berries, moss, dirt & much much more.  Tupelo will be used by Ernie & a maple burl, etc will be used by Floyd.  You can actually design a base or composition & do everything for it but the bird & learn how to cut out the bird so you are on your way to a wonderfully designed & executed piece of art that you will feel proud of.  It will be more than a bird on a branch.  Your piece will tell a story.  That will be your goal this week with Ernie & Floyd.  What a great class this will be if you are a fan of Ernie and/or Floyd.  Lots of fun & lots of learning will be had by all!  www.muehlmatt.com  www.vermontraptoracademy.com 

 

TECHNIQUES IN COMPOSITION, DESIGN, FEATHERING, & PAINT  “SCULPT TO PAINT”   Keith Mueller   June 9^th-14^th    $625 & Materials Fee

    Just as in any artistic “quest”, the bird carver/sculptor must “compose” their thoughts & skills into a methodical approach with

their carving techniques to achieve a successful outcome.  An artist can only be successful with their composition if every component of the design was completed correctly to facilitate each successful component.  This can begin with the overall design of the species to the most important: surface preparation of the woods finish.  The study of a feathers structure & surface composition is often overlooked & reproduced with “generalized” techniques.  Accurate feather reproduction is an essential component for each individual species & for the overall sculptures design.  To create a “faithful” & natural portrayal of the bird species with paint can be a frustrating task.  Besides our skills with the application of the paint, the paint selection itself can be confusing.  Each feather group or individual feather that is technically created can & will impact the overall look of the sculpture, & often a “well carved” feather can be lost during the painting process. 

    In this class, I will work with you individually & collectively to help you build your skills in all the components of bird composition.  Starting with a clay composition, I will show you how to “build a bird” in clay using my special method of “wood components” & forming a pleasing anatomical composition.  You can continue with designing a complete composition, or select any or all of the other lessons.  Next, we will focus on the important step of wood preparation & surface finish to facilitate carved feather reproduction.  “Your painting will only be as good as the surface under it!”  Theory & close-up examination of the feathers structure & “species specific” surface composition will be discussed.  Accurate feather reproduction will be demonstrated using correct techniques such as stoning, burning, smooth, or combinations.  Many carvers freeze at the thought of painting their sculpture.  To some, the issue of paint & painting is a monumental task & one that is often performed with less than enthusiastic application.  We will discuss fully the many types of paint & their application in your art with hands-on procedures. 

    You can select any or all of the segments of this class.  We will utilize tupelo “study boards” for all feather techniques in carving or painting.  You are encouraged to bring with you to class any bird that you are working on as your subject bird for these techniques.  All painting techniques will be shown using acrylics &/or oils including brush painting & airbrushing; your preference.  I will also show you my favorite painting techniques using Absolute Matte acrylics & Old Holland oil paints.  Please let me know the species of bird that you will bring to class to work on so I can prepare in advance.  Owls, Woodcocks, woodpeckers, & waterfowl are wonderful species to learn techniques from & ones that I suggest (but not limit to) for this class.

    The “composition in clay” section of this class can be an entire class for those of you who are sculptors, bronze artists, or just love to work with clay.  It is a fabulous exercise & asset for anyone interested in improving their art or looking to work out their design prior to putting it in wood or bronze.  It is designed to make you think “artistically” rather than structurally.  It will help you become artistically aware of shapes & color & how to compose your next design utilizing “visual dynamics”. The species that I have selected have exciting & interesting anatomical & environmental features that will ignite creativity in your designing of the composition & for those of you who wish to continue into my second seminar & execute the piece in wood include the life sized Woodcock, Acorn &/or Yellow-shafted Flicker, Bufflehead, Ruddy Duck, Green-winged Teal, Wood Duck, a 2/3 size Barn Owl & the Costa Rican Black & White Owl.  All wooden components, armature wire, soft clay, & reference material will be available here for you once we know your species chosen.  

 

TRADITIONAL “CLASSIC” HUNTING DECOY PAIR or “PHOTOGRAPHERS DECOYS”    Keith Mueller   June 16^th-21^st    $625 & $50-$100 Blank Fee

    Carve & paint a traditional style hunting decoy pair or an Owl, Woodcock, or Woodpecker “photographers decoy”.  Experience the timeless paint methods faithfully represented of the decoy masters such as Shang Wheeler, Elmer Crowell, & Gus Wilson; methods which Keith employs to this day, in his traditional hunting decoys as well as his contemporary competition grade & his “photographers decoys” which will include more carving & painting.  These “photographers decoys” are what Keith carves & uses (such as Toucans, Macaws, Parrots, Owls, etc.) when in the tropical rain & cloud forests of Costa Rica to “lure” these species of exotic birds into camera range. 

    From the list included, you will carve & paint the species of your choice using the corresponding painting techniques & methods.  Using the simplistic & traditional “plumage pattern” style of paint design, Keith will guide you through the theory & painting process utilizing two methods: traditional paint replication in oil paint, or “simulated- in use wear” using acrylic based paints or (Ronan) Japan oil paint.  Paint methods in oils such as “head-scratching, combing, blending, shuttle-blending, stippling”, & others will be utilized.  If you choose the “simulated-in use wear ” style decoy in acrylic or Japan oil paint, similar painting methods will be used, including simple, yet effective techniques to add age & “character” to the decoy.  The duck decoys will be carved & constructed as actual “shootin’ stool” hunting decoys which will be hollowed, keeled, floated, & balanced ready to add to your own hunting rig., not just working “tools” but also projecting “floating art & sculpture”.  If you are carrying over from my previous “techniques” workshop, you can select either style of decoy(s); the “traditional pair” of duck decoys, woodcock, or woodpecker pair using simplified & functional methods, or a single bird which can include a more decorative approach.  The Owl, Woodpecker, & Woodcock “photographers decoys” will be a single bird with more advanced carving & painting techniques.  If you wish to make your Owl, Woodpecker, or Woodcock a “classic” decoy with traditional techniques, a pair can be completed.  All paint & aging supplies (if selected) will be furnished for you to use or you can bring your own paints if you wish.  The decoy species will include: the Wood Duck, Green-winged Teal, Ruddy Duck, Bufflehead, Acorn Woodpecker, Yellow-shafted Flicker (woodpecker pair with the same species or one of each species), Woodcock, & 2/3 size Barn Owl & the Costa Rican Black & White Owl.    

***If you choose to take both Mueller seminars, you will also get a $50 discount =$1200.

 

CARVING & PAINTING A RAINBOW TROUT   Jeff Compton  August 10^th-15^th   $625

    Fish carving is coming back to the Krausman’s with 2007 World Fish Carving Championships’ Best in World Decorative Miniatures Champion Jeff Compton.  Please join Jeff in carving & painting a 13” closed-mouth rainbow trout out of jelutong with tupelo fins.  You will have the choice of carving a male or female & we will cover all color variations.  You will focus on learning the process for carving & painting the fins separately & making seamless insertions.  Jeff will demonstrate several different methods of woodburning, pressed in scales & making the tools used for this.  In this class you will not be using glass eyes.  Instead you will be carving & painting the eyes directly into the fish.  This trout will be carved, textured, & made ready to paint in the first three days.  The next two days will be spent painting the fish using a combination of hand painting & air brushing techniques.  There will be a mixture of acrylics, oil paint sticks, & Wildlife Color airbrush paints used in applying techniques that can be used on any fish.  The studio is airbrush ready.  If you have a silent compressor & would rather use it, bring it along also. There will be airbrushes available to use & try if you do not own one.  The airbrush paint will be supplied.  The final day will be used to wrap up the painting & then focus on working on putting the piece together.  Jeff has put together an instructional pamphlet on making some of the habitat & creating a composition which will be done before hand & then finished up in class with Jeff’s guidance.  Castings made by Jeff will be available for you to purchase here for technical purposes or to paint.  This gives you the option of painting the casting at class & then finishing your piece at home.  Jeff is also the author of a series of seven beginner pattern & instructional fish carving books marketed through Sugar Pine. 

 

PEREGRINE FALCON    Gary Eigenberger   August 18th-23^rd    $625

    Please join the 2006 Ward World Miniatures Champion & the 2007 Ward World Masters Miniatures 1^st & 2^nd   Best of Show Champion in doing a miniature Peregrine Falcon.  When I think of Gary Eigenberger, I think of his birds of prey but specifically his life size Harpy Eagle that was the featured piece at the Easton Waterfowl Festival in 2006. What a truly magnificent undertaking!  The Peregrine Falcon miniature will be a 6” bird with an animated posture.  The feet will be carved into the base with brass talons inserted into the feet.  This piece will be different as Gary will teach you how to carve the bird & habitat all in one piece with feet & attitude.  It will have a spread tail so you will carve part of it into the base & the other part will be carved on both sides.  Glass eyes will be used along with tupelo blanks.  Combination stoning & burning will be used to suggest little groups of feathers   There are different kinds of feather patterns in this bird which will be dealt with in both the texturing & painting.  Hard edge feathers like flight feathers will be done with a pen while the belly & sides of the face will be done with stoning.  Topics stressed will include feather layout, texturing, & woodburning.  In painting the bird, Gary will focus on preparing the surface for painting, mixing colors, oil painting which will include wet on wet & wet on dry blending techniques, & soft translucent painting techniques. Gary will be using acrylic washes as well as oils in painting this bird.  He will use acrylics on the head & specifically the bill & then come back with some oil for detail.  So you can be an oil or acrylic painter to take this class.  To get feather patterns & their richness, translucency or softness, Gary complements actual textures from his burning tools with the illusion of highlights & shadows with oil pigments. He shows you how to play warm & cool colors against each other to suggest feathers under feathers & to mass in a color & create details from negative space.  Gary is the well deserved recipient of many awards in every category at the Ward World Championships.  To view Gary’s art & specifically his Harpy Eagle, go to www.garyeigenberger.com

 

CARVING, DETAILING, & PAINTING A HOODED MERGANSER SMOOTHIE/GUNNING DECOY   Pat Godin   August 28^th – Sept 3^rd   $775 & $50 Blank Fee

    The subject for this seminar with Pat Godin is the interesting & dynamic species, the Hooded Merganser Drake.  During the carving of this smoothie decoy the character & anatomy of this bird will be examined extensively.  There will be emphasis on feather sculpting & an appropriate level of detail incorporated into the surface.  In addition the students will carve a highly detailed bill including the teeth on the upper mandible.  Pat will discuss & demonstrate the handling of white & black areas with the application of acrylic paints.  Methods of creating definition as well as depth with these colors will be shown.  Students will also learn the logical sequence of steps to develop hand brushed vermiculation.  Several blending techniques include stipple blending, wet on wet blending & airbrushing will be learned at this session.  Pat will use slides as well as demonstrations in a comprehensive fashion to aid him in teaching his innovative techniques.  Each student will receive an image CD showing in detail the entire project of the seminar.  www.godinart.com

 

BLUEJAY IN CLAY- ANATOMY,DESIGN, & PAINTING  Larry Barth   Sept 8^th-13^th    $625 

   

     If you are interested in taking your carving skills to the next level consider this class with twelve time Ward World champion Larry Barth.  Larry has put together a course that will concentrate on the areas where he feels most carvers can make the greatest difference and improvement in their work—design, anatomy, and painting. This class will provide the instruction that will enable each student to sculpt a blue jay in polymer clay in whatever pose the student desires. The clay models will be fired and then painted with acrylics.    

      If you have ever thought that making a clay model sounded like a good idea but weren’t sure how to go about it, then take this class.  Larry has always been a strong believer in the benefits of working in clay. He says “Working in clay is a vital part of the task.  Whereas wood is a subtractive process only, in clay you can both add and subtract with relative ease. There is a creative freedom in clay that you don’t have in wood. In clay it is easy to see whether turning the head a little more or lifting the tail a little higher constitutes an improvement or not. Unlike wood, changes are fast and easy.  It is in clay, rather than wood, that I make what I feel are the most important decisions.” 

       If you have ever wished that you had a better understanding of avian anatomy then take this class.  Larry will show you the techniques involved in making a clay model but more importantly, Larry will cover every aspect of anatomy that affects the outward appearance of the bird. Each area of the bird will be covered through lecture, discussion and demonstration giving the student the knowledge and confidence to make his or her own decisions in determining pose and designing a carving that is truly unique. Throughout the class Larry will stress and discuss how strong anatomy and strong design go hand in hand.

       Painting will be done with Liquitex Acrylics which Larry finds work best for his techniques. He will cover gessoing the bird, wet blending, underpainting, wet-on-dry blending, painting in washes, “crosshatching” techniques, and ways to fix mistakes. You will learn his approach to color matching, formulation, and the use of complementary colors to keep the paint looking clean, bright, and fresh instead of muddy.     

 

“LIFESIZE MALE AMERICAN KESTREL w/PREY”   Floyd Scholz   Sept. 15^th-24^th      $1000

    Students of all skill levels are invited to join Floyd Scholz here in carving for a full 10 days a life size male American Kestrel w/prey.  Floyd hopes to both stimulate & challenge you as he strives to promote & foster a better understanding & appreciation for the fine art of bird carving through comprehensive in-depth technical instruction on all aspects of bird carving, painting, design, composition, & color harmony.  His attention to detail will be promoted in his intensive study of the bird through research & reference material.  In the carving aspect, he will focus on developing the feather patterns, feather groups, rough shaping, burning, stoning, & fine carving techniques.  You will learn his style for the layout of the eyes & bill.  Painting with acrylics, the student will receive instruction on every aspect of the art form.  Full painting techniques will include both airbrush & brush, preparing birds for painting, color theory & use of washes.  You will make a base with prey for habitat.  You need to bring a 6”-8” walnut base & branch or we can have one here for you at your expense.  www.vermontraptoracademy.com

 

FOR THE SPOUSES;   The quilting projects for 2008 will include a choice of two McKenna Ryan paperpieced wallhangings of either a Chickadee or the Canada Goose.   Quilting fee will include instruction, kit, breakfast, & lunch for $150.