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Reproduced with kind permission from David Western's Portland Lovespoon Blog
One of the best things about lovespoons is the amount of detail which can be carved into any given spoon. There really is no limit to the symbols, decorations and intimate detailing which can go on! Sadly, this abundance of riches seems to be seldom exploited in the commercial lovespoon world and many clients are under the impression they must choose a ready-made spoon or mash-up a design from a range of 'available symbols'. That may be the case when the spoons are being mass produced using pre-programmed patterns, but for someone like me (or the other wonderful hand-carvers who produce one-of-a-kind lovespoons) the sky is the limit when it comes to inventive design.
For me, probably the most exciting part of a lovespoon commission is figuring out the design. It can certainly also be the most frustrating and always has the potential to go horribly wrong...but when things go well and the client is delighted with the results, the carving part seems to always be that much more enjoyable. Sometimes, my clients really like to get involved and they come to me with loads of ideas and great excitement. THAT'S when things are really fun. We can work through their ideas and visions for the design and chip away until we've got one that really 'speaks to them'.
Sometimes, my clients will give me some basic background information to lay the design's foundation and then well step back and leave it to me to build the rest. These commissions are a double edged sword in that they leave me loads of leeway for 'artistic freedom' but they put a heavier load on me 'getting it right' for the client. Occasionally, my vision and the client's don't align and then modifications need to be made OR even the odd trip right back to the drawing board! The most important thing is that I wind up with a design the client is happy with. After all, the spoon IS for them!
It's a tricky job and frequently those designs which are just supposed to pop out of my head decide to stay firmly lodged in the 'little grey cells' until I can pry them loose. Designing is definitely not the easiest thing I've ever had to do and like anything else worth doing; it takes effort and much practice. Even though I think I design pretty good lovespoons, I love to admire some of the work by some of my fellow lovespoon carvers and am always willing to learn from them and to expand my 'vocabulary' when ever possible. It keeps the work fresh, vibrant and exciting!
It also enables me to say that commissioning a real handmade lovespoon, whether from me or some of the other fine hand-crafters out there, is an opportunity to own a unique work of art which honestly and accurately captures the essence of your life stories in a personal and intimate way which is impossible to find in any other gift. It's all in the details!!
Bernard Knight, author of historical fiction, mysteries and much more over a more than 30 year writing career has consented to give us another interview and we want YOUR questions for him!
Read our first interview with him here and let us know what you,AmeriCymru members, think we should ask Bernard Knight, what you think people want to ask Bernard Knight, we'll pick the best ones and we'll pose those questions from you!
A link was shared for St David's day stuff on etsy.com , the crafter's maket site - gorgeous sock monkey in red and green and some very cool daffodil earrings!
Love the sock monkey!
Reprinted with permission from David Western's blog , all material 2012, David Western --
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This week I have donated a spoon to one of my favourite North American Welsh societies.
Although I rarely donate spoons anymore due to a couple of bad experiences, I always really enjoy creating a spoon for the West Coast Eisteddfod and like to be as helpful as I can to those members of the Welsh community in North America who are trying to boost the Welsh presence on the continent! Since we are usually the wallflower cousin in the corner who everyone ignores while they party with our more flamboyant Irish and Scottish brethren, it is a treat to see an organization like the Chicago Tafia come along and wave the flag for 'Cool Cymru'!
This Sunday Feb. 26, the Tafia will be hosting a big knees up at the Red Lion in Chicago and will be hosting a raffle and silent auction to raise money for further Tafia activities. I hope that they draw lots of Welsh from the Chicago region to support them, but I also urge any Welsh readers of this blog to visit the Tafia website and email in a bid for this lovely Celtic style lovespoon! You can find them at: chicagotafia.com
Drop David Parry a line and tell him you'd love to scoop this spoon out from under their noses and here's your bid!!
You may be the lucky winner of an elegant lovespoon and David will get financial support in his efforts to promote Welsh culture in the Windy City! Its win/win!!
The spoon itself is a double-sided Celtic knot with a nice asymmetric (is that how you spell it... it is now) bowl. It's cut from a lovely piece of birch and is polished with an oil finish, followed by two coats of beeswax. As with all quality lovespoons, a lot of time, patience, care and effort has gone into carving it and the winning bidder will be rewarded with a lovespoon that will bring a lifetime of pleasure!
Check out The Chicago Tafia today and bid on this spoon!!! chicagotafia.com
We were stunned this afternoon to receive an email from John Evans, the Secretary of the Welsh Society of Portland, informing us that Tom Owen, WSOP President, had passed away, a victim of smoke inhalation from a house fire, in his bed in the early morning hours of Thursday, 16 February.
Tom was a wonderful, friendly, cheerful and happy man who liked Penderyn and beer, loved Wales, was very proud of his Welsh heritage and had dedicated himself to the Welsh Society and to making people in Portland more aware of their Welsh heritage and what it meant. Tom had many friends and people who loved him and he will be sorely missed.
Tom Owen at the WSOP Christmas brunch, 2009
Tom Owen with Diana Dream at the 2010 North American Festival of Wales, Portland OR
Not only did the Welsh men's team give Scotland a 6 Nations whomping on Sunday, Welsh women's team captain Rachel Taylor lead the Welsh Women's team to a victory over Scotland, giving Wales two 6 Nations victories this last Sunday:
http://www.rbs6nations.com/en/women/20278.php
Wales Women have been a team since 1987 and hosted the first ever Women's Rugby World Cup at Cardiff Arms Park in 1991 and won the 2009 triple crown in the Women's 6 Nations. The Womens 6 Nations began in 1996.
You can see squad profiles of the Wales women's team and find out more about the team here:
http://www.wru.co.uk/eng/matchcentre/squads_wales_women.php
The next 6 Nations match for Wales Women will be Wales/Italy, Saturday 10 March at Millenium Stadium, Cardiff and then Sunday, 18 March v France at Pandy Park, Cross Keys:
http://www.rbs6nations.com/en/women/172.php
Complete A Short Survey - Win A Free Place At Cardiff University's 2012 Welsh Summer Course
By gaabi, 2012-02-06
The New York Times reports that Matthew Rhys will make his New York stage debut asJimmy Porter in John Osbornes"Look Back in Anger." For those of us lucky enough to be in a position to go see it, Roundabout Theatre company is putting previews of the show on at the Laura Pels Theater,111 W. 46th St., NYC, for a Feb. 2 opening.
Information: +1-212-719-1300; http://www.roundabouttheatre.org .
Rhys said that he's always wanted to play this role and that seeing Richard Burton in the film version was "instrumental" in his becoming an actor. myroundaboutblog.com
You can also read an interview with him on this show and his career on broadway.com
