Preparation for 'Featured Artist'

Every month one member becomes the 'featured artist' at the Blakberry Gift Shop, located inside the Port Moody Arts Centre.  Del will be featured for the month of June, 2014.

In preparation he is creating at least 10 new items.  These pieces are new to him, and so will be new to all who shop at the store.  Make sure you stop by to see them!

Here's a sneak preview

Eagle with a feather - and a painted beak

Lighthouse 

Sunflower in a pot

Comfort Birds - something new

After reading an article about Frank Foust's creation of Comfort Birds, I have started creating these wonderful little birds.

Comfort Birds are given as a token of support and an act of kindness.  When gently rubbed, the smooth birds bring comfort to those needing a tangible reminder that someone loves and cares for them.

Each bird is carved and sanded smooth from different species of wood.  These little tokens can be found at the Blackberry Gift Shop.

Top - Poplar - Oak - Plywood - Yellow Cedar - Aromatic Cedar

Bottom - Poplar - Spalted Birch - Walnut

Busy, busy, busy ......

New things are popping out of the workshop daily.  Since Christmas I have produced many Christmas Ornaments for next year's Blackberry Artists Christmas Marketplace, including the 12 days of Christmas series.  You'll have to wait to see these beauties.

Among the pieces I am working on or have finished is a trio of Penguins, a Bear in a tree, a Martini Glass, a Biker Teddy, Tulips in a Frame, Valentine Tokens and a Robin.  You can see these beautiful pieces on my website. 

Cribbage boards and critters are taking up the workbench right now, more when they are finished.

Santa's workshop!

Del has been a very busy 'elf' this season creating loads of toys for sale at the Delbrook Craft Fair and also the Blackberry Gift Shop in the Port Moody Arts Centre.

On the 'Meet your Maker' afternoon, December 2nd, we had a number of inquiries and one commission to make a Blue Heron, here it is in the preliminary stages.

The original Heron flew off  to Ontario about 6 years ago, then another went just last year.  This new one will be unique as it will have Denim Pine incorporated as the water.

The website has been updated to portray some of the Christmas Intarsia pieces which have been made over the past couple of years, and which still are very popular.

Don't forget to visit the Blackberry Gift Shop this Christmas season, along with Del's wonderful work, there are numerous lovely art pieces from our 25 members.  Buy locally created, unique gifts this season.

Inspiring Each Other

"Beyond Dreams" is my contribution to the exhibit at Port Moody Arts Centre, entitled "Inspiring Each Other".  This piece was inspired by the writing of Hailey Counsell from Port Moody Middle School.  Her words were "Don't be afraid to try, if you don't you will never find out what is coming next".

I used western red Cedar, mahogany, birch plywood, zircote, rosewood, denim pine, yellow cedar, pedauk, Spanish cedar, walnut, zebrawood, pine, alder and ebony to show that our dreams can become reality.  Drop by the Arts Centre to have a look at my piece as well as the rest of the exhibit.  
The exhibit is on until May 27.

Well, where have I been for so long!!

It's been a long time since I've created anything new!  That's only because my workshop was underwater .... In August we had a major flood at the house and it took 3 months to clean up and get back to normal.  I have just returned to the workshop to put things back together and sort out how much wood was left undamaged.

My first two intarsia items are small - just 9"x8" - hope you like them!
The first is a little kitten made of western red cedar, yellowheart and pine on a birch plywood background.  The kitten's eyes are made of ebony.
The second is a boy's best friend.  This little puppy is crafted from western red cedar, walnut, and yellow cedar on a birch plywood background.  Again, this little guy's eyes are ebony.

Heading Home

sailing home, a photo by cruisin couple on Flickr.

Heading Home is one of the pieces featured this month at the Blackberry Gift Shop.

I especially liked the way the water turned out.   I carved Denim Pine and Spalted Birch to make the water look like it is moving the sailboat along. The four colours of the sails are Spalted Alder, Poplar (white and green) and Yellow Cedar. You can almost feel the wind as it billows out the sails.

Come into the Gift Shop to see the other 12 pieces on my Featured Wall!

Rainy days don't bother me!

June and July have been really miserable here on the West Coast!  But, I don't mind, as that gives me loads of time in the workshop - can't do yardwork!!

Check out my website for a peek at my newest creations.  And, don't forget to drop in to the Blackberry Gift Shop in August as I will be the Featured Artist and many of my newest items will be on display for you to purchase and take home with you.

Here is one that won't be there, however, as it was a custom creation for a friend.  It is a natural edged piece of oak that is approximately 10" wide and 35" long.  All holes are drilled by hand and the pegs are (purchased) golf tees.  Felt bumpers are attached to the underside, so it won't mar your dining room table.



When I come across a piece of wood that is unique, has natural edges or special grains, I like to keep it aside to make cribbage boards from it.

Next time you're talking to me, ask about what special piece of wood I have stored away to make your unique cribbage board to give to someone special for Christmas or birthday.

Another bird flies out of the workshop!

The majestic white swan calmly glides across the blue waters of a smooth reed filled lake.  Summer's coming and the swans are heading north to their feeding grounds.  Catch this one quickly before it flies away!


The swan is carved from Pine with a Padauk and Walnut beak.  The water from Denim Pine, that's the Pine tree which was infested with the Pine Beetle.  If you look long and hard at the lumber store you may find some that has not been shipped to Asia.

A Great Blue Heron flies out of the workshop!

Look at this beautiful Great Blue Heron! I created one about 5 years ago and it dissappeared quite quickly. It flew off to Ontario.  Very few people got to see it up close, so I decided to make another one.  I used Western Red Cedar for most of the Heron, enhanced by Pine and Walnut.  The reeds in the pond are Poplar, which has a greenish hue.

WOW I can't believe what I'm finding in the workshop!

Lots of new items coming out of the workshop this week. This Tool Clock emerged from all the little pieces I found while cleaning up. It now reminds me when to take my lunch break!!

What's lurking in the woodpile?

It's been a busy time in the workshop this year.  I have  been sorting through the wood piles and these creations have found their way from the boards to the walls!  Don't forget to drop in to the website and check out all the details.

A few cedar fence pickets revealed a series of holly leaves, which I assembled into a wreath to surround an angel that leapt out of a pine board that was silently resting in a remote corner of the basement. 

A persian cat is slowly emerging from the depths of the curly grains of a piece of spalted birch burl.

Roses are blooming out of the small red scraps in the exotic wood pile.

This bear emerged from a piece of dark western red cedar that was hiding under the bench, and found himself in a forest of poplar trees.





Pond Friend

Pond Friend
Originally uploaded by cruisin couple

Everyone has been asking me to make a Dragonfly. So here is my rendition. The green coloured wood is Poplar and will darken with time. The wings are made of Figured Maple, so have beautiful markings. The Dragonfly's eyes are made of Ebony.
Hope you enjoy. 
It is approximately 8" wide by 22" high.  Other species of wood used are Redheart, Walnut and Cherry.

Visit my website to see more new items.

Summer Travels

I have finished three pieces for our 'Summer Travels' exhibit in the Port Moody Arts Centre's Plum Gallery.

"Summer Freedom" has over 70 pieces of Western Red Cedar, Walnut, Redheart, Pine, Yellowheart and Alder.  It can stand on a table or hang on a wall.

"Picnic Place" reminds us of those wonderful picnics by the lighthouse, it is made out of 50 pieces of Western Red Cedar, Yellow Cedar, Ziricote, REdheart, Alder, Spalted Birch and Baltic Birch.  It is 19.5" tall by 15.5" wide. 

carefree summer
Originally uploaded by cruisin couple

"Carefree Summer" is made out of 40 pieces of Western Red Cedar, Ziricote, Redhart, Denim Pine, Yellowheart, Alder, Walnut and Baltic Birch.  It is 19" tall by 13.5" wide.

These and many more of my pieces can be seen on my website at http://www.delswood.com/.

Summer Travels

The Blackberry Gift Shop will be extending their display into the Plum Gallery of the Port Moody Arts Centre in July. The theme is Summer Travels. All items are new to the shop. I am presently working on a new piece for that exhibit and sale. Will post pictures of it when I get it finished. There will also be more .... I am planning on 2 or 3 new pieces by July.

British Columbia Dogwood

dogwood 2
Originally uploaded by cruisin couple

Here's a picture of our beautiful wild BC Dogwood tree in our backyard. You can tell that Spring is here when the beatiful blossoms suddenly appear, I just wish they would linger longer!

Earth Day

Deer
Originally uploaded by cruisin couple

Celebrate Earth Day, go for a walk, enjoy your surroundings and pick up any litter you see on the way.

Wordless Wednesday: Psssssss...

Don't get in the way!! http://www.delswood.com

snake
Originally uploaded by cruisin couple

The Inspiration

king penguin
Originally uploaded by cruisin couple

We took an Antarctic cruise which was one of the most wonderful cruises we have taken. One of the stops was in the Falkland Islands where we saw thousands of King Penguins like this one. This inspired me to create an intarsia penguin and his chick.

The result

penguins
Originally uploaded by cruisin couple

When we returned, this penguin found its way out of the woodpile. Go to www.delswood.com to see which woods I used.