cucumbird suprise

We planted our garden late this year and have had hardly anything worth talking about garden wise because of it, until now.  So far our garden has produced just one cucumber, but what a cucumber it is. The whole time this cucumber was growing it looked like a balloon that needed more air. You know what I mean, one of those long balloons, like the one people make balloon animals out of. Well our cucumber while it was growing looked like that. The end of it was narrow and small like it needed more air. So yesterday we picked it thinking that if we left it out any longer the bugs would begin to dine on our only cucumber of the season, at least so far, hopefully. Maybe we could have left it out a day or so longer and the bugs may have stayed away out of fear, after I picked it I realized that the end of the cucumber resembled a bird. Look for yourself.

So what does this have to do with carving? Well nothing and everything, carving like many forms of art are a representation of life. Of course it is for every carver to decide the style carving that they want to do, mine is caricature carving, since this best matches my style of illustration. No matter what style you carve always remember that this is simply a representation of life, and if it conveys the message and the image that you were going for then it is a good carving. Make no mistake I am not saying to be critical of your work and to challenge yourself to hone your skills but don’t take it too seriously or you will suck the life out of what got you interested in carving in the first place, the simple pleasure of see a block of wood become something, maybe a bird. If a cucumber can do it pulls it off then there is hope for us yet, even me. I was given the phrase Carve diem, roughly translated "Carve the day". So of course in my monkish way it didn't read well to me so I have adopted the phrase, Carpe diem carving.

When you look up the definition from the famous phrase Carpe diem it is as follows, from the World English Dictionary. Carpe diem is defined as; Enjoy the pleasures of the moment, without concern for the future, literally: seize the day! This being the case, “Carpe diem carving” should or could be define as; enjoy the pleasures of the moment carving, without concern for the future.  Literally: seize the day, carving. This is a good reminder that it is the moment, the time we carve that brings pleasure, and the rest is an afterthought. Sure most carvers like to sell their work; it’s a way of getting feedback, and a good way to restock the war chest for future carvings. But how many would continue to carve even if they never sold a single one.

Carpe diem carving