[Ron Scupham]

I was over a friends place the other day (sculptor) and in the course of conversation there came the vexing question, "When does carving end and sculpture begin?". Is there a delineable point between the two or are they both the same?

Ron

[Janel]

That is quite a good question! It is one that I consider often. If my pieces were 4-10 feet tall and I swung a mallet to remove wood with a chisel and created a "sculpture" would that be art rather than a carving? That I use miniature tools to create small sculptures, does that make it carving or sculpture? Sometimes I imagine the sound of a mallet whacking a chisel just for fun.

Is that point of delineation somewhere similarly in a zone between the art and craft?

Janel

[Ed Twilbeck]

A good question. I feel that when you finish carving , it will be a sculpture. No matter the size, or material.

[Ron Scupham]

Ed Twilbeck, on Apr 16 2010, 04:15 AM, said:

A good question. I feel that when you finish carving , it will be a sculpture. No matter the size, or material.

Hey everybody click on the word (sculptor) in the post! You will see some of her work!

[Woodworm]

When you grind and rasp, sand and chisel, tweak and scrape and burn your eyeballs out in poor light for countless hours whilst shivering because you forgot to put another log into the old pot-bellied stove, on an object that comes out in the end flawless and perfect just to have some one offer you four dollars for it -- that's a carving.

When you drag a log into the shed, stand it up to dry and in so doing it falls over, scrapes against the bench on the way down, bounces off the vice and hits the axe which in turn flips and knocks a hunk out of it, and the next day a stranger stops in to ask for directions, see's it, and offers you $250,000 -- now that -- that -- is a sculpture.

--- ok then -- slowly wakeing up here.

Bill

[Naomi Oliver]

Woodworm, on Apr 16 2010, 03:04 PM, said:

When you grind and rasp, sand and chisel, tweak and scrape and burn your eyeballs out in poor light for countless hours whilst shivering because you forgot to put another log into the old pot-bellied stove, on an object that comes out in the end flawless and perfect just to have some one offer you four dollars for it -- that's a carving.

When you drag a log into the shed, stand it up to dry and in so doing it falls over, scrapes against the bench on the way down, bounces off the vice and hits the axe which in turn flips and knocks a hunk out of it, and the next day a stranger stops in to ask for directions, see's it, and offers you $250,000 -- now that -- that -- is a sculpture.

--- ok then -- slowly wakeing up here.

Bill

Hi folks , love the humour Wormwood.

I carve both small and medium size artworks , and they are always thought of as aculptures if exhibited in an art ( not craft ) venue.

In australia we do love big sculptors. I have been using a hammer, and chizel and chunky files on making one all week.
trust me it may sound romantic, but the aching bones and muscles are complaining. It sure is the act of carving away hunks of material.
when I do the smaller sculptures out of soapstone, or bone , differnent tools are used to carve it, and trust me the long hours are still ther but are just that its all miniture.

to me a sculptor is a magical being who can create a design from imagination, spend a hell of alot of man/woman power to produce from a rough hard natural un hewn product( posible ancient ) an amazingly wonderful artwork.
And then be paid accordingly for it.

So I recon the terms are interchangable , and can only be better defined by the artworks audience. One persons grappa wine , is another persons choice vintage wine to be kept and treasured, and appreciated in the future.

Naomi.

[yloh]

Just came up in my mind, sculpture is like a family, carving is just a member of the family. Sculpture could be made by casting, welding...., Carving is referring to an object is made by carving, which means material is taken away.
That is how I see it.
Yloh

[Janel]

Yloh, I like the way you think.

[pegasus]

why is it sculpture or why is it just carving?
check out all those Africa carved figures at the flea market.
so much ordinariness so much formula
but sometimes, there, a piece that transcends.
and a must have,
a special place on the mantel,etc
this is not just a product
it has some kind of life to it.
GOOD LUCK to all
for some it's a gift
for most of us it's often a struggle.

[Izzy]

I believe carving is a sub-set of sculpture. Sculpture includes both additive (ceramics) and subtractive (carving) processes. that is their relationship.

After saying that, I think a LOT of the carving done (especially where wood is concerned) has been more of a craft lately, and many supplies can be found at the local hobby lobby. Where as sculpture is now considered a different beast altogether. I think our perceptions of the words are the only thing that has really changed.

[RVM45]

Well if Craft is nothing but Good Workmanship.....

Not Necessarily Inspired, but always Painstaking, and never leaving things only Half--and Shoddily Done.....

And Presumably Craftsmanship is open to any Man Who Acquires the Right tools; Respects them; Learns to use them Properly and Practices Diligently.....

AND

At the Same time, we presume that Art is A product of Creativity; and Genius.....

And often is at least partly dependent on a Virtuosity with the Tools of Ones Art, that is beyond the reach of all but the Blessed and Great Ones.....

WELL

I judge no one--but I expect that if we were all-knowing; That we'd find so much Craft in The Best Artist's Art.....

And so much Art in the Better Crafsmen's Craft.....

That once again, we'd have taken a relatively Inspired and Clear Definition, and rendered it Arcane and Obscure once again.

O sure, a Furniture Maker might learn how to make a Couple Dozen Pieces of Shaker Furniture; and use the same tired design Again; and Again; and Again.

And although there was nothing really Wrong with the Man's Furniture.....

He put so little Care; and so little of Himself in each piece--That no one could Honestly say that they were anything but Competent Craft.

But Hey! There are Painters, and Sculptors; Story Tellers and Musicians too--Who go after their Art the way that you'd try to Beat a Big Snake in the Tall Grass to Death with a Big Stout Walking Stick.....

And with even less Delicacy and Care.

No there are Kill-Floor Butchers who Elevate their Craft to Art.....

And there are Artist who are labelled Artists only by Courtesy.

But Hey, if you Resolve to Make Your Life your Art--And live it with Creativity; and Originality; and Joy.....

Then Everything you do will be Art.

Just don't come walking out of the Restroom talking about your latest Masterpiece.....

People won't have the advantage of having meditated on the subject as we have.....

And they just might lock you up.....

I Hate it when that Happens.....

And I'm sorry about composing this in Crayon--But they won't let me have Sharp Instruments.....

Particularly after what happened the last Time.....

.....RVM45