Woodcarvers Retreat
in New England



The 2011 Retreat Program.

This year we again have 9 classes scheduled and we have reserved the same URI facilities as in past years for Friday night through Monday afternoon 7, 8,9,and 10 October 2011.

Our Objectives to provide the opportunity for wood carvers to improve their skills, meet other carvers from the New England Region as well as nation and internationally know carvers all at a location where room and board can be provided at affordable rates, total cost including instruction, room and board of $215.

The Retreat is being held at the Environmental Education Center of the Alton B. Jones Annex at the University of Rhode Island, conveniently located a few miles off I-95 at exit 5 in RI. The Retreat will run from Friday night at 5:30pm through Monday at 4:00pm; on Columbus Day weekend (early October). The fact that you will witness first hand the "changing of the colors" in the New England woodlands is an added bonus. We are continuing to evolve and grow with all volunteer instructors and organizational staff.


Where You Will Stay

The Environmental Education Center, 401 Victory Highway West Greenwich, Rhode Island 02817, is situated on 2,300 acres of pristine forests. There is a 75-acre lake, extensive hiking trails and a number of streams and ponds. There is also a historical farm and a replica Native American shelter and living area. For a map and directions click here. The Dinning Room and Classrooms are located in the main lodge pictured below.

In addition to the classrooms, there are numerous picnic tables outside which can be used for carving weather permitting. Numerous walking trails exist through the woods.

The cabins while rustic, are new with nice showers and comfortable twin size bunk beds. Although bunk beds are standard in the cabins, only the lower bunks will be used unless someone volunteers to use an upper bunk. Each cabin has 10 bunk beds, no individual rooms exist. There will be separate cabins for men and women.

A dinning hall is open 24 hours a day with soda, coffee, tea, milk, fruit, and cookies continuously available at no additional charge. Meals are very good, food plentiful. We will accommodate Vegetarian meal requests.

We anticipate using just the lower bunks again this year. Some cabins can become quite loud at night (for those that don't snore) so bring ear plugs. Bring your own sheets, pillow, blankets/sleeping bag, soap, towel, shower shoes, Band-Aids and flashlight.

If you happen to live close enough to "commute" or would prefer staying in a motel off campus (closest is at least 5 miles) you may do so and pay less -check the registration for actual costs.

If you have a self contained motor home(RV)and will sleep in that you may pay less -check the registration for actual costs. We have room for a limited number of RVs so email/call Ray Johnson to determine availability.

What We Offer

Instructors in 2011 and Specific classes/activities offered on Saturday and Sunday are:

  • 1) Angela Schofield - (NEWC, Leominster, Ma)- Pyrography on Italian White Poplar Sat students will do a Barn. Angie will lead students in this wood burning project. Students will do one project Saturday and choose another project Sunday . Students will need to bring a woodburner and tips; small-med ball, med shader, rounded skew or what you have. Kit cost $20.

  • 2) Mike Bloomquest - (Rome,NY) Woodspirits in cottonwood bark. Mike will instruct biginners-intermediate carvers and will help students with different facial expressions. sharp knife and A couple of gouges required . Blank cost depending on piece of cotton wood selected $15-$30. See more of Mike's carvings here.

  • 3) Jack Miller - (Hanover, PA) -Carving a 1/3 scale Decorative Mallard Decoy (hen or drake). Tools required are a knife, wood burner, dremal with assorted bits, sand paper, paints, brushes and hair dryer. Max 12 students. Jack has won 13 ribbons at the Ward Worlds compitition. Blank cost $20. Class will start Friday evening

  • 4) Tony Erickson- (Seneca, SC) Cotton wood Bark Houses- Using Cottonwood bark, no pattern , shape of bark determines house style. Tools needed are a knife, assorted gouges, superglue, and Titebond II wood glue Deft or Krylon semi gloss sealer. This is a three day class. Max 12 students, $20-$40 depending on piece selected.
    Tony hails from Seneca, SC. He attended The Boston School of Architecture, NYI Institute of Photography and later, Foundation College for Graphic Arts in San Diego, CA. Tony instructs at various carving roundups across the USA and contributes articles to various carving magazines with the latest in issue 33 of "Carving Magazine". Tony, along with his wife Lucille and Jim O'Dea, host the Florida Woodcarvers Roundup in central Florida. See more of Tony's carvings here.

  • 5) Wayne Smith - ( Newtown, CT) "Carve a Walking Fox from Basswood. Knife and various carving chisels and gouges will be required. Bring a woodburner if you have one. This will be a 3 day class. Blank cost $22.

  • 6) Carl Borst- (Schenectady, NY) Carve a 26" Bellamy Eagle from basswood body and pine head. Tools required knife and various carving chisels and gouges. Blank Cosst $35.
    Since 1993, Carl has been featured in numerous articles in "Chip Chats", his patterns have been on the back cover three times and most recently, his "Carousel Raccoon" was on the front cover in the 2007 May - June issue. Carl has been teaching at the NorthEast Woodcarvers Roundup(PA) every year since it started. He has been judging various wood carving events around the Northeast and teaching "one on one classes" in his studio and group classes at various clubs. Although he accepts most any kind of commission, he has specialized in the human form both in caricature and realistic focusing on the human head. The humor spills over into his classes so be prepared to laugh if you sign up for one of his classes.

  • 7) Bob Landry ( MA) Carve a realistic 16 inch Brown Trout from Basswood. Tools needed knife ans assorted hand chisels and gouges This is a three day class. Blank cost $30.

  • 8) Group Project-Ray Johnson- Finish Golden Retreiver project . (3 Day group project) we will need to finish last years project which will require some final detail work in prep for painting or staining. In addition we will be starting an additional subject various small animals Those attending this workshop will be partially substized by URI and will only pay $75 for the weekend vice $215. ). This carving will be donated to the URI EEC which operates the facilities we will be staying in and will be displayed at the facility.

  • 9) Jim O'Dea will teach a beginners class on Saturday and Sunday from 8:00 AM -4:00PM. These will each be a one day class open to any one considering woodcarving as a hobby and wants to come for one day and not stay overnight. For those who want to commute from home, the Class cost $25 includes luch, one ornament blank - other blanks available at cost. Those wanting to stay the weekend- no additional cost above the normal $215. This class is about the "Fundamentals of Woodcarving" for those considering woodcarving as a hobby. Learn to safely use the tools, how to have control of the tools for both robust wood removal and sensitivity of control, how to sharpen the tools, what to look for in woodcarving tools and wood, the types of wood best suited to woodcarving and why and how the wood grain impacts your carving. Actually try carving different wood samples to understand there "qualities". Student can pick from various small project such as a whale, old shoe, dog, and various Christmas ornaments. Students desiring to come back for a second day and continuing to work on there project may do so. Contact Jim at 941-697-2002 or jeodea@aol.com for questions. See some of Jim's carvings here.
    • Contact Jim at 941-697-2002 for info on class or jeodea@aol.com.

    If you complete your class in two days, you may attend a different demonstration/carve along on Monday: Sign-up sheets will be posted for these classes at the retreat.

    Monday all day -Angela will carve a Shelf Mouse
    Monday all day- Jack Miller will do a shelf sitter face $3.
    Monday all day- Mike Bloomquest Carving a Native american Flute- Class starts Sunday evening. Kits $35.
    Monday all day- Carl Borst will teach students to carve human facial expressions
    Monday all day- Jim O'Dea-carve an Eagle cane head, basswood or Butternut blank, prefitted for 7/8" shaft dowel-$5.

    The Weekend Schedule

    Check in will start at 5:30 p.m. of Columbus Day weekend. We will have a self-serve evening meal available starting at 5:30 P.M. Friday night. It will be kept warm for those arriving later to help themselves whenever they get there. At 7 P.M. we will introduce the RETREAT organizers and instructors, and ask everyone to introduce himself or herself, make announcement and go over the schedule.

    If anyone would like to give an informal talk about any carving related subject, your club activities, or whatever, let us know at check in and we will set it up.

    We will have a table set up for show and tell, please bring a carving along to display and tell us about. It helps inspire others and is a good way to meet other carvers and socialize.

    On Saturday and Sunday nights, several of the attendees will have volunteered to instruct informal classes. We will not know until we arrive on Friday night all the informal evening classes that will be offered, but in past years Ed Ertel and Edsel Johnson taught caricature classes, Carl Borst did a cigar, Ed Cattey taught a knife making workshop, Joe Johnson cane carving, Elmer Jumper and John Ziegler both did Santa ornaments, Harold Griffin did a Eagle Head Bolo and Peter Benson gave sharpening lessons. The only cost for these evening classes will be the purchase of a blank from the instructor. There is no telling what may come up this year, but something always does. If you would like your evening class advertised, send info to Jim O'Dea jeodea@aol.com or just bring your project and enough blanks for the # students you want to the Retreat and we will advertise it there.

    Should you have further questions please feel free e-mail Jim O'Dea (jeodea@aol.com) or Ray Johnson at 860- 848-8194 (wcvray@hotmail.com) or write to Ray's attentions: Mystic Carvers Club, PO Box 71, Mystic, CT 06355.


    Organizers of the Retreat

    The Mystic Carvers Club of Mystic, Connecticut, USA is the sponsor of the Retreat.
    Jim O'Dea e-mail me and Ray Johnson are the Co- Chairman of the event.


    How to Register

    If you are interested in attending register as soon as possible, typically by the end of June we are 70% full.

    Cost is $215 for the 3 days which includes room, board and instruction but not the class blank fee which you will pay directly to the instructor. Local people not wanting to sleep over at URI or those desiring to get local motel accommodations, or stay in there RV may pay less - see the registration form for actual discounts.

    Refund Policy: Full refund if we are notified by 26 September. After that date a refund should not be expected, but some portion may be able to be refunded depending on our finding someone to take your place.

    A registration form can be printed off from here. if you can NOT open the file, email me and I will email you a copy in MicroSoft Word format- Jim O'Dea jeodea @ AOL . COM