Large church carvings

[Roger Strautman]

I work construction and the company I now work for had me carve a gift for a church we were adding onto. I welcomed this with open arms, carving on company time and doing what I love to do, this is unheard of!
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q96/Carverrog/Trenity%20English%20Lutheran%20Church/IMGP1148.jpg

Little did I know at the time that the church wanted this carving to be on a 40’L radius wall with 16’H to bottom of the first window. Ouch! I had to fill an area of approx. 8’H x 12’L to keep things in proportion. They also wanted me to use their three word mission statement, Welcome, Grow, and Believe. I chose to carve three wooden linens using their mission statement with symbols of those words. By doing this could spread the banners out to fill space and I could handle the pieces in my shop.
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q96/Carverrog/Trenity%20English%20Lutheran%20Church/IMGP1165.jpg
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q96/Carverrog/Trenity%20English%20Lutheran%20Church/IMGP1450.jpg
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q96/Carverrog/Trenity%20English%20Lutheran%20Church/IMGP1369.jpg
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q96/Carverrog/Trenity%20English%20Lutheran%20Church/IMGP1385.jpg

I made these linens out of 8/4 butternut which helped speed the carving up and saved my company money. I used a gel stain which helped me darken some areas for more contrast. For the finish I used a wipe on finish to help eliminate runs.

This entire project took me 13 weeks of 40hr. per work week.

[Dave McGeehan]

Terrific work, Roger. I bet the parishioners love it. How did you attach the horizontal gold rods at the tops? What material is it?

Again, inspiring work!

[Roger Strautman]

Terrific work, Roger. I bet the parishioners love it. How did you attach the horizontal gold rods at the tops? What material is it?

Again, inspiring work!

The rods are painted poplar and are glued into the linens. They are not used for the hanging. There is a cable mounted on the backs for hanging the pieces. The cords and tassels were bought. Thanks for the interest.

[doris fiebig]

beautiful work, roger. i like in particular the composition of the three linens. it goes so nicely together, the relief carvings, the chipcarved decorations, and the carved linen looks like true linen moving very slightly.

[Bruce Page]

Roger, beautiful carvings.

[Mike Henderson]

Very, very well done. Not only can you carve, but you have artistic talent. Congratulations.

Mike

[Philip Allin]

Roger, as I said in another post, I'm glad you entered these in the Woodcraft/Pfeil contest - they are truly outstanding!

[John Timberlake]

These are great. Very nice desighed that is well executed.

[James Stokes]

You really did a fantastic job on them. I wish my carving was even half as good.

[Steve Vaughan]

Those are wonderful pieces, the church will be proud to have that and you should be proud to have done them! As a pastor, and woodworker/carver, you have given me a bit of inspiration! Thanks for sharing this.

[alvin rush]

whoaa man that is beeeeeeeeeeauuutiful man love it You have a talent.:eek:;)