I’ve been away from posting for quite awhile as I built my shop and studio. I’ve done some posts at times directly to Facebook or Instagram, but not so much to my blog site. So…, I’ll try to get back at it. I am currently working on a series of eagle carving’s just because I have never carved an eagle before.
I haven’t posted in quite a while due to a fairly big life change. My wife and I decided that we would end our lifelong California residency and move to the Northwest. I packed up my workshop into a pod in the Spring, we sold the house, and left California at the end of July.
We are in our new home in Oregon now, but I won’t have a shop built and ready for use until likely next Summer. We lived in our motorhome with the three dogs for our first two months in Oregon while we house hunted. While in that situation, I felt the need to handle wood in some form, and lacking my carving tools, resorted to using my pocket knife on a piece of water polished wood found on the riverbank where we were staying. I didn’t develop this piece beyond what you see because the wood was just so darn hard!
I hope to find time to work on some small pieces while remodeling the house and building the shop, so see you soon ( hopefully)!
$400. Just put the final touches on this chest. It’s another sea chest loosely inspired by a Continental Navy original. All handmade and carved from 1” thick spruce. Free delivery in Southern California, freight rates will apply elsewhere.
Please “Like” and “Share” if what you see pleases you.
Horses are a recurring favorite subject for me in carving, sketching, photography, etc. I’m not sure what the inspiration for this piece was other than the fact that I had a round circle of pine to start with. To begin, I thought about a subject (maybe a horse) relief-carved into the center of the piece with some type of border. What would the border look like? Horses? No, that would be too busy and clash with the central figure. Eventually, after obsessing on the border for a while, the only solution seemed to be simple. Carve the border, and forget about the central theme. Bingo.
Woodcarving in pine, stained. Approximately 24″ in diameter and 1.25″ thick.
Available for $189.00 plus shipping (free delivery in So. Calif)
This project was inspired by something I saw on a trip to Boston a few years ago to visit my daughter at grad school. My wife and I toured Old Ironsides, The USS Constitution at the Charlestown Navy Yard. A beautiful, rugged old sea chest sitting on the gun deck caught my woodworker’s eye. I knew right away I wanted to do my own take on it.
This chest would involve some woodworking skills that would challenge my abilities and stretch the envelope of my skill set (one of the main reasons I select any project). Of course, I knew carving would be a featured focus of this work, and only a nautical subject would do.
I took some design liberties with my version while trying to stay true to the spirit of the original. The Old Ironsides chest sat on a warship, but I decided a whaling theme would work (specifically, a sperm whale). This chest is not an exact copy, but rather an homage.
Please peruse the following images and leave a comment if you like.
Media; Wood (knotty spruce), approximately 24″x48″x20″
$675.00 plus shipping. Free delivery to most of So. California. Contact me for charges to ship elsewhere in the United States.
Matt.potter.carves@gmail.com
I’m calling it. This piece is finished. After going in a couple of different directions, I finally settled on a monotone look for the carved area. I then used rusty hardware to hang it from an “aged” walnut beam I made for it.
“Bison” is for sale, $499.00.
Media; Maple slab, carved and painted in artist’s oils. Approximately 72 inches wide, 30 inches tall.
A simple study of a rodeo bull in motion.
Approx 12″ x 14″, carved basswood w/ clear finish.
$150.00, free delivery in So. Calif. Contact me for purchase and shipping cost anywhere else.
Matt.Potter.Carves@gmail.com
A front door should make a statement and I don’t care what kind of statement as long as it isn’t boring. For me, at my house, I wanted to showcase my love of carving animals. I have always enjoyed carving horses, and since I am from “Horse Town USA” (also known as Norco, California), this Clydesdale was the perfect choice for our front door. I designed, built, and carved this one-of-a-kind American cherry door. I can create a special door for you as well.
Price will be quoted based on scope of project, complexity of design, type of material, and expected level of carving difficulty. I can work with you on a door design using your inspiration, or mine.
matt.potter.carves@gmail.com
This piece is from about five years ago. After seeing some of these awesome beasts in a wildlife documentary, I was intrigued by of all things, their wrinkles. I wondered how to translate them into a relief carving. So I tried and this is the result.
Medium; Carved wood (repurposed wood, possibly ash). Approx. 20″ long, 8″ high, and 1″ thick.
$225.00.
Contact me to purchase and for shipping quotes to outside of So. Calif. (Free delivery in So. Calif.).
Matt.Potter.Carves@gmail.com
This piece is from several years ago that was inspired by a cougar siting I had in the hills near my home. The siting was only one cat, but sometimes I tend to exaggerate a little.
Medium: Wood carving in solid pine, then covered in artist’s oils. Approx. 20″ inches X 10″ X 8″ thick.
$375 plus shipping.
Contact me to purchase and for shipping quotes to outside of So. Calif. (Free delivery in So. Calif.).
Matt.Potter.Carves@gmail.com
MattPotterCarves 