Wood Carving

Rene Deerheart creates hand-carved functional ware and sculptures made from Indigenous BC Woods. Maple, alder, red and yellow cedar, and various fruitwoods such as cherry, apple, and plum are available locally from the forests, mills, and gifts from friends. Carving these kinds of woods are done with conventional gouges, knives, or files and not-so-conventional tools, such as dental tools, toothbrushes, small crochet hooks, or salon boards.

Carving a bowl or platter involves more than simply taking a tool to a piece of wood. Like an architect, the design may be finely developed on paper first before transferring to the actual wood materials. A template or stencil is often cut from a Lexan sheet or yogurt container lid which is then used for transferring the design. Some carvings are developed more like process work, totally free to become whatever happens in the moment.

Highlights are created with inlaid abalone (paua) discs, copper nails, glass cabochons, and found objects.

The surfaces of all the carvings are carefully smoothed with sanding cloths, then finished with polymerized linseed oil and beeswax. The final application is done with a our own specially created emulsion of oil and melted beeswax (Deertrax Wax, which you can order from me.) Then all pieces are handbuffed with the toe of an old wool hiking sock. None of my oil/beeswax finishes contain dryers or distillates. They are food safe and non-toxic.

For trays, I use a router or a drill press with forestner bits to remove excess wood. That saves wear and tear on my wrist joints. Then I use gouges and knives to complete.

Click on the carving images below
for a larger view and details about the work.

Rene Deerheart creates hand-carved functional ware and sculptures made from Indigenous BC
Woods

Frog Dish	Large Rectangular Tray	Salad Bowls
Feast Platter	Salad Service Sets	Twisted Rim Bowl
Paddle	Medium Carved Tray	Halibut Dish

"Since opening our doors August of 1996, at the Wickaninnish Inn on Vancouver Island, we have maintained an excellent relationship with Artist Rene Deerheart. From the beginning we commissioned small hand-carved yellow cedar trays from her that we use in the Pointe Restaurant for check presenters. Since 2001, we have included various carved items from Rene in our special New Year's Eve packages, and we also sell her beautiful trays and salad sets in our gift gallery. Our customers appreciate receiving or purchasing these elegant hand-carved keepsakes of their west coast experience."

Charles McDiarmid, Managing Director
Wickinnish Inn / Pointe Restaurant / Ancient Cedars Spa

Trees that provide wood for carving:

I like Yellow Cedar because it is a dream to carve. Fine details are possible. It has a tight grain with an oily golden glow and a woodsy fragrance described as musky or woodsy.

I use Red Cedar for large feast platters because I can get wide, edge grain slabs for carving. The rich coppery-red colour of the wood shows off the blue-green abalone accents like jewels. Food looks so delicious when presented on one of these.

Maple is the choice for salad sets and spoons because it is a harder wood. I cut the basic form with a band saw then shape with a spoke shave, hook knife, and various gouges. I use a pneumatic drum sander to smooth curves.

Alder is great for bowls. It's plentiful on Vancouver Island. I clamp it to a work bench vise to rough out when it's green using a long handled adze, Swedish hook knife and a custom made hook knife. I slowly dry it so it won't check. It changes from golden to rich rust as it ages.

People have given me other woods to use, such as Catalpa, Yew, Cherry, Plum, and Apple, which have produced unique results.

Private Commissions:

Please contact me if you would like to commission me to custom-design and carve for you.

Commission:	Close Up:
Salmon Panel Red Cedar. about 22" x 40"
Engagement Bowl Alder Wood with inlaid abalone (paua) shell. about 14" x 10" x 4 3/4" high
Whale Chief Staff Yellow Cedar, leather, abalone (paua), copper, beads, rocks. about 5'6" high

"As a gift for my Mom's 60th birthday I commissioned Rene to carve a salad bowl to match the raven and eagle salad servers ( a previous gift to my Mom). Rene's creation truly exceeded my expectations, the bowl is sure to become a family heirloom. Rene is an amazingly gifted artist. Thanks Rene!!!"

Jason McWhinnie - Tofino, British Columbia

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