Mary May - Traditional Woodcarver

Mary May's January Newsletter - Happy New Year!! - http://eepurl.com/ihS54T

Mary May's January Newsletter - Happy New Year!! - https://mailchi.mp/marymaycarving/59jnnuvyg2-8849220

Mary May's December Newsletter - https://mailchi.mp/marymaycarving/59jnnuvyg2-8686080

Mary May's November Newsletter - https://mailchi.mp/marymaycarving/59jnnuvyg2-8681888

More photos of creating 3 different styles of new capitals for an historic home on East Battery for @morrisconstruction_chs . My husband and I are looking happy but exhausted 😁. The video shows the de-molding process - it took 3 strapping young men 💪 to remove each mold safely. Quite an adventure, but we are finished!! I'll share more of the before and after photos soon.

More photos of creating 3 different styles of new capitals for an historic home on East Battery for @morrisconstruction_chs . My husband and I are looking happy but exhausted 😁. The video shows the de-molding process - it took 3 strapping young men 💪 to remove each mold safely. Quite an adventure, but we are finished!! I'll share more of the before and after photos soon.

Mary May's October Newsletter plus Grinling Gibbons Tour Update! - http://eepurl.com/hKpIan

Mary May's October Newsletter plus Grinling Gibbons Tour Update! - https://mailchi.mp/marymaycarving/59jnnuvyg2-7257721

Our amazing final day of the grand Grinling Gibbons tour at Hampton Court. . I couldn't have asked for a better group of travelers. With all the uncertainty of international traveling in the age of COVID, some things closed, the rearranging of schedules, and the multiple COVID tests required to come into the country and leave, all was a tremendous success. Each evening I closed my eyes with images of deeply carved flowers, magnificent leaves and animals appearing to be lifted into the air. Some of the mystery of "how did he do it" has been answered, but the magnificence of his achievements still seems supernatural. A trip that will be remembered forever. Thanks everyone for sharing these memories and making it the most amazing tour ever!

At the Charleston airport ready to head over to the UK for the grand Grinling Gibbons tour! My husband and I are leaving a week early and are going to enjoy Edinburgh, Scotland first. Then we'll head back to London and meet 12 other adventurous woodcarvers for 8 days to tour all things Grinling Gibbons! Lots of jumping through hoops to get to this point, and 2 delays over the past 2 years but finally!!!

Carving another sign for in mahogany. Next and put their magic into the mix! Have a great weekend everyone!

Mary May's September Newsletter, Plus First Episode on Carving a Very Unique Lions Paw Foot - https://mailchi.mp/marymaycarving/59jnnuvyg2-7250245

After watching the news tonight I got so depressed that I decided to head back out to the workshop and do something that makes sense to me and makes me happy - carve. I finished my latest project. It makes me happy 😁.

Another few hours of playing with a new design. Sharpening up the edges of the leaves, refining the fingers, and carving the details in the backs of the leaves. This is to help get me into the "Grinling Gibbons" mode for the tour I will be hosting in 2 weeks. 19 people will be traveling over to the UK to explore many of the places where the amazing 17th century Grinling Gibbons has his carvings. Watch out England! A bunch of America carving fanatics will be studying up close and discovering all of his secrets!!

I always hesitate to share incomplete carvings, but here's something I've been playing with today. I feel the need to spend a few days just playing. Playing with free-flowing motion. Playing with design. Playing with maxing out movement and twists in a lump of wood. Playing with depth. Playing with bringing life into my carving. I have a ways to go, but can you see in the last photo the thumb and index finger? I want to show a hand gently holding the stems. The hand might still be there when I'm finished carving, or it may mysteriously disappear 😁. When I take the time to play I feel free. It reassures me and this is why I love this art.

Today's Livestream I will be talking all about woodcarving gouges! It's my excuse to show off my favorite toys. 😁 1:00pm EST www.twitch.tv/marymaywoocarver

I just finished teaching an amazing week-long intro to carving class at . I always feel a sadness (the lull after the storm) after teaching an intense, in-depth class because all my new-found friends go their separate ways. Maybe we will cross paths again. Maybe not. It was truly an honor to share the last week with you all!

Late flight into Indianapolis ready to begin teaching a week long carving class at . Looking forward to it!!

Mary May's August Newsletter, Plus First Episode on Carving a Romanesque Half Capital - https://mailchi.mp/marymaycarving/59jnnuvyg2-7245753

I am honored to have taken an amazing journey with , and in a collaborative effort of designing and creating this memorial for the historic Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in downtown Charleston, South Carolina. So looking forward to working more with these amazing artists! What next??? 👏👏😁😁

First basic acanthus leaf successfully completed! Everyone is doing an amazing job at the Maine Coast Workshops Acanthus Leaf Intensive. Thanks for inviting me to teach! Focusing on drawing each leaf and the "formula" of acanthus leaves before carving really helps in the carving process. Each leaf we work on progressively gets more and more challenging. Stay tuned for more!

Mary May's July Newsletter, Plus First Episode on Carving a Queen Anne Serpentine Fan - http://eepurl.com/hCNqCj

I'm very excited to be sharing the process of carving details for Newport Furniture at the Whitehorse House Museum in Newport, RI on July 10, from 2:00 to 4:00. This will actually be in person!! I'll be demonstrating how to carve the various block and shell patterns often seen on American Period Furniture originally carved by the Goddard and Townsend furniture makers from the 18th century. www.newportrestoration.org

Mary May's July Newsletter, Plus First Episode on Carving a Queen Anne Serpentine Fan - https://mailchi.mp/marymaycarving/59jnnuvyg2-7239425

It's giveaway time! Thank you for your support! Sign up for a chance to win one of 2 Full-Year Priemium Memberships to my Online Carving School (www.marymaycarving.com) worth $159.99 each! Link in profile or go to http://eepurl.com/dtweOL

Please join a zoom meeting where I will be sharing the story of my woodcarving journey, July 14, 7:00pm EST. Just login with the Zoom ID. I will be teaching a class on Carving the Acanthus Leaf in Camden, Maine at Maine Coast Workshops with and you can also join the zoom demo in-person if you are in the area.There are still a few spaces available for the class.

Final day of teaching a beginning carving class at . Thanks for taking such good care of me this week! It's been a lot of fun and great job everyone 😁

I love sharing student's progress! These are some more successes from day 4 of a beginning carving class at . Today was a 1-day crash course of carving an acanthus leaf. Not for the faint hearted!! Tomorrow everyone will work in their own designs and bring all they learned together!

Working on day 2 of a beginning carving class at . Everyone is doing a great job! Human router time 😁. Lowering the background by hand...

Finishing up a hand-carved greenman for the Church of the Incarnation in Highland, NC. Thanks for the opportunity to create !

Olympic peninsula Washington. Acanthus-like leaves, Ruby Beach, and tree hugging 😍. Doesn't get much better...

Just finished an amazing week-long beginning carving class at . After 4 days of guided lessons, the last day everyone chose their own carving project that stretched them to a new level. So proud of all they accomplished!

A beginning carving class at in lovely Port Townsend, WA is going great! Everyone is doing an amazing job. It's so fun to be back on the cool and breezy west coast and see the deer walking through the town 😁

With only a day to spare, finished the leaf molding in white oak for a Gothic memorial for the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in downtown Charleston, SC. Now into carving some small capitals. Now it's back to you and

Very proud of accomplishments! He's going places!! Congrats to all of the graduating class of 2021 of . Thanks to the incredible teaching talents of Sam Sprouse, and along with all the guest teachers that contributed throughout the year! Sam, you have created such an amazing learning environment for all! Your devotion to your craft shines in every student's success.

Mary May's June Newsletter, Plus Final Episode on Carving a Grapevine Swag - https://mailchi.mp/marymaycarving/59jnnuvyg2-7231865

Final livestream for this project today at 1:00pm EST on www.twitch.tv/marymaywoocarver. I finally glued on the second layer and 1 coat of shellac. Today I'll be putting a glaze in it.

1:00pm EST livestream! Finishing up... www.twitch.tv/marymaywoodcarver

Working more on the rose today on my weekly livestream at 1:00pm EST. www.twitch.tv/marymaywoocarver. Nearly finished with this layered carving 2 inches thick in basswood. This is week #16, so 16 hours in!

Such an awesome class last week at .valley on carving the Greenman. It's so great to be back to in-person teaching and visit with old friends (ok, and your not THAT old)!! There are still spaces left for a week-long beginner class there in October - "The Joy of Woodcarving". Sign up on .valley website.Have a great week everyone!