30th Annual Woodcarving Show and Sale
May 2 & 3, 2009

The North Arkansas Woodcarvers' 30th Annual Show and Sale was held May 2 and 3, 2009 at the Baxter County Fairgrounds in Mountain Home, Arkansas hosting 53 carvers and vendors that came to the Ozarks to exhibit, compete, demonstrate and sell their carvings/wood turnings/carving supplies. More than 146 ribbons, plaques and awards were presented including 54 cash prize awards throughout the weekend. The competition's judge Randy Landen carefully scrutinized the 187 carvings entered for judging from the 49 categories. Randy was assisted by NAWC club members Roberta Dulaney, recorder; Debra Bergum, photographer; Jay Nottingham, announcer; Dick Dulaney, carving entry table; Norm Rutledge, carving entry handler; Bonnie Davis and Sandy Smith, show coordinators.

Kathi Clark arranged for doughnuts on Saturday morning and fresh brewed coffee to begin each day of the show. Ray and Jean Kropke worked the entrance table making sure that everyone visiting the show was warmly greeted and received a door prize ticket as well as a People's Choice Ballot. Admission for both days was free, but donations are always greatly appreciated and "encouraged" by Ray. Jody Nottingham assisted by Barb Edelbrock, Marge Clements and Karen Rutledge did a wonderful job selling tickets at the raffle table. Barb & Sidney Edelbrock, Norm Rutledge, Curt & Deen Shirkey, Dave McConkey, Claude & Carol Roper, David Orin, and Terry& Judy Balcolm handled the club and door prize tables selling T-shirts, mugs, hats, NAWC patches, memberships, etc., and coordinating the drawings for the hourly door prizes.

This year the NAWC club membership created a beautiful "Quilt" and a "Twelve Days of Christmas" wreath to use as their 2009 raffle projects. The drawing for each of these works of art will be in November. The "Quilt" consists of fifteen 4" square relief carvings of anything "nature" and the "Wreath" has 4" squares depicting all twelve days of Christmas. Sid Edelbrock did a beautiful job engineering, assembling and finishing the frames of both carvings and carving/painting the red ribbon for the wreath. Carvers for the "wreath" squares were: Naomi Inglett, Sandy Smith, Dick Dulaney, Sid Edelbrock, Dave McConkey, Kathi Clark, John Gregory, Norm Rutledge, Cheryl Hafer, Skip Janecek, Arlene Lesiak, Richard Arndt and Jim Clements. Carvers for the "quilt"squares were: Skip Janecek, Sandy Smith, John Gregory, Naomi Inglett, Cheryl Hafer, Arlene Lesiak, Kathi Clark, Dick Dulaney, Claude Roper, Steve Wagner, Sid Edelbrock, Lynda Heydt, Norm Rutledge, and Curt Shirkey.

Much interest was generated for all of our Raffle items, shown by the number of tickets sold for each carving. Many thanks to the kind and talented carvers that donated their time and carvings skills to create these raffle prizes.

Three carvers/wood turners volunteered their time, shared their knowledge and demonstrated their skills in showing all that were interested how to change a piece of wood into an artful masterpiece. Demonstrators were: Randy Landen - Caricatures; Carol Wherry - Gouge Chip Carving; and Frank Nixon - wood turning on a lathe.

Saturday evening's banquet dinner/auction was held at the Elks Club with approximately 81 people in attendance. Everyone received a "gift bag" stuffed with trinkets by club members and a ticket for the Chinese auction raffle that was held after the meal. The banquet gift bags were designed and assembled by Deen Shirkey, JoAnne Moore, Karen Ellis, Karen Rutledge, Barb Edelbrock and Judy Balcolm. A Chinese auction offering gift certificates for tools and restaurants, carvings, books, and many "interesting" items was set up and the participation was wonderful. Plaques were presented to competition winners in attendance. Dick Todd cut and finished the wonderful walnut bases for the plaques. The engraving on the plaques was provided by The Locker Room, a Mountain Home sporting goods shop. An auction, led by Ray Kropke and assisted by Bonnie Davis, Dick Dulaney, Cindy Stephens and Sandy Smith, was conducted to generate funds for next year's show. There were many wonderful items auctioned as well as many very happy winning bidders with their prizes. Sincere gratitude goes to all club members and non-members that collected/carved auction items and door prizes; to John Uelmen for donating a box full of his carvings to help our cause; to Kathi Clark for requisitioning donations of local businesses; and to Dalene Berke for the stack of local restaurant gift certificates for the banquet's door prizes.

First place Best Of Show honors went to Neil Nulton of Wichita, KS; second place Best Of Show, Sandy Smith of Lakeview, AR; third place Best Of Show, George Marcek of Lakeview, AR. Best Table Display went to Ron Ufkes and People's Choice honors went to Sandy Smith. Caricature Carvers of America Member Randy Landen awarded the CCA Award to Curt Shirkey of Mountain Home, AR.

Winners of the Novice / Open Division competition, listed as category then place won - first, second, third and honorable mention were:
NOVICE CLASS
Novice - Instructor Assisted: Al Felz, Steve Higgins, Curt Shirkey, Mary Waldeck
Novice - "In the Round": Steve Higgins, Curt Shirkey, "Big Jim" Spizewski
Novice - Relief: Mary Waldeck, Allene McGlynn, "Big Jim" Spizewski
Novice - Pyrography: Deen Shirkey, Barb Edelbrock, "Big Jim" Spizewski
Novice - Caricature: Mary Waldeck, Curt Shirkey
Novice - Miscellaneous: Steve Higgins, "Big Jim" Spizewski, Curt Shirkey
OPEN CLASS
Realistic Human Figure: Dick Dulaney, Tom McGlynn, Bruce Futterer
Realistic Human Bust: Bruce Futterer
Realistic Animal (single): Sandy Smith, John Connelly, Tom McGlynn
Realistic Animal Bust: John Connelly
Realistic Group: Tom McGlynn, John Connelly, Bruce Futterer, Dick Dulaney
Realistic Fish / Marine / Aquatic Life (single): Bob Hays, Roland Ellis
Realistic Fish / Marine / Aquatic Life (group): Roland Ellis
Song Bird (single): Neil Nulton, Ron Schessl, Tom McGlynn, Bill Kuhn
Song Bird (group): Neil Nulton, Roland Ellis
Bird of Prey: Neil Nulton, Ron Schessl, Tom McGlynn, Bob Hays
Shorebird: Neil Nulton, Ron Schessl, Roland Ellis
Game Bird: Neil Nulton, Ron Schessl, Tom McGlynn
Ducks / Waterfowl (single): Ron Schessl, Neil Nulton, Bill Kuhn
Ducks / Waterfowl (group): Bill Kuhn, Tom McGlynn, Bob Hays
Caricature Human (single): Bruce Futterer, Wm. Earl Gray, Chuck Bailey
Caricature Human or Animal in a Scene: John "Doc" Connelly
Caricature Animal, Bird or Fish (single): Kathi Clark, Wm. Earl Gray, Bruce Futterer
Caricature Group: Sandy Smith, Bruce Futterer, John "Doc" Connelly, Denny Villwok
Pyrography: Alice Driskill, Sharon Albert, Jerome Hill
Driftwood or Bark Carving: Bruce Futterer, Vernon Driskill, Jerry Anglen, Paul Baumann III
Relief - Buildings / Structures: Jerome Hill, Vernon Driskill, Sid Edelbrock
Relief - Humans: Bruce Futterer, Deb Bergum, Kathi Clark
Relief - Animal(s), Bird(s), Insect(s), Fish, etc: John "Doc" Connelly, Bruce Blihovde, Roland Ellis
Relief - Caricature: Bruce Futterer
Relief - Miscellaneous: Russ Biros, Bruce Futterer, Roland Ellis
Chip Carving / Positive Image/Gouge: Warren Rauscher, Carol Wherry, Bruce Futterer
Chip Carving / Negative Image: Warren Rauscher, Carol Wherry, Ellen Murphy
Jewelry: Carol Wherry, Roy Murphy, Ron Schessl
Novelties / Bottle Stoppers: Carol Wherry, Bruce Futterer, Ron Ufkes, Kathi Clark
Spoons: Bruce Futterer, Bruce Blihovde, Fred Albert
Canes / Staffs: Kathi Clark, Ellen Murphy, Ken Doran
Santa Claus: Sandy Smith, Bruce Futterer, Sid Edelbrock
Holiday Items: Sandy Smith, Carol Wherry, George Marcek
Mythical & Carousel Figures: Bruce Futterer, Ellen Murphy, Paul Baumann
Wood Turning - Bowls / Goblets / Vases: George Marcek, Frank Nixon, Rod Engle
Wood Turning - Pens: Frank Nixon, Rod Engle
All Other Turnings: George Marcek, Ron Ufkes, Denny Villwok
Stylized: Neil Nulton, Tom Mayfield, Bruce Futterer, Debra Bergum
Miniature: Russ Biros, Wm. Earl Gray, Ron Schessl, Ellen Murphy
Rough-outs: Bruce Futterer, Chuck Bailey, Bruce Blihovde
Instructor Assisted: Deb Bergum, Bruce Futterer, Sharon Albert
Miscellaneous: Neil Nulton, Sid Edelbrock, Dick Dulaney, Stew Blain

On Sunday, carvers got a chance to mingle and catch up with acquaintances until the afternoon. Fidel Tiscareno and Rodney Hutchinson entertained the crowd with live music from their band called "Pure and Simple". The "Unlimited Hand Tools" Whittling Contest was again a popular event. There were seven carvers entered in the afternoon's "Whittling Contest". Carvers were given a time limit of 1 hour plus a 10-minute break after the first 30 minutes. Dick Dulaney graciously agreed to be the contest's announcer and did a spectacular job. Contestants included (alphabetically) Fred Albert, Chuck Bailey, Bruce Futterer, Wm. Earl Gray, Curt Shirkey, Sandy Smith, and "Big Jim" Spizewski. The carvers were allowed unlimited hand tools and were given a 2"x2"x6" chunk of basswood (donated by Dale/Marge Heinecke) to carve a "masterpiece". Randy Landen, Larry Yudis and Dale Heinecke judged the results. First, second and third place winners received a plaque from NAWC, plus a Woodcraft Shop gift certificate. Bruce Futterer placed first; Sandy Smith - second and Wm. Earl Gray - third. Special thanks go to Larry and Carol Yudis for their generous gift certificate donation and to Dale Heinecke for the "whittling" wood.

Sincere thanks go to all participants and to the club members and their spouses who graciously volunteered their time to make it all happen. Heartfelt appreciation go to the vendors, businesses, club members, visiting carvers and friends who donated money, merchandise and their time to help make the show a success. Special thanks go to the "sign committee" who trekked through high grasses to set up and break down the club's wooden signs making sure that the public knew when and where the show was to be held. The "sign committee" members were Norm Rutledge, Jim Clements, Curt Shirkey, Kathi & Jerry Clark, Dick Dulaney, Bonnie Davis, and Sandy Smith. Eight additional tables were lent to us by the Lakeview Community Club with permission from Tom Runowski, the club's president, and were picked up / returned by Bonnie Davis, and Gary & Sandy Smith. Our appreciation also goes to the members and their spouses who worked behind the scenes on the Friday before the show and then on Sunday after closing to assist vendors and carvers in the unloading and reloading of their products and carvings. And a deep debt of gratitude for those members who took time out to help set up tables and chairs and generally assist us in getting everything aligned just right. Without everyone's generous help and support the show could not have been possible. The Show Committee is already discussing plans for our 31st Annual Show to be held May 1 & 2, 2010. See you there!

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Photos by Deb Bergum