Welcome to my shop! That's right.......my shop is my tool shed. In a small corner in my already small shed, is where all the magic begins. Because I have a full time day job, my work usually begins at about 6:00 pm each day and I'll typically carve or paint until about midnight. It is a little tricky because I do have other commitments that occupy my time. So finding time to create my artwork can be difficult.

Carving and creating in the cool of the night is actually quite relaxing. Most of my ideas and designs are spontaneous and are inspired while I am working.  This allows me to create as I go keeping everything I create unique.

I use mainly Beef bone as they are easier to access and they make beautiful pieces. However I do use Elk bone and antler, Abalone Paua Shells, MOP shells, exotic woods, and petrified / mineralized Woolly Mammoth Bones.

Before the fun even begins, I put myself through an arduous process of cleaning and preparing the bones. I get most of my bones from a local butcher selecting only the shin and femur bone as they provide the most volume and density. Most of my other exotic materials and woods are acquired from trade shows or from collectors. 

All carvers have different techniques and processes that suit them best when cleaning the bones. Others prefer to use the already cleaned and bleached bones from pet smart. This is a good idea if you are just learning and can save you tons of work!

If you're cleaning the bones yourself, you want to boil the bones for an hour or so to get the residual meat off of the bones. Once boiled, you can remove the dirty water and reboil with cleaning ammonia and clean water. This will help clean and kill bacteria on the bone. Don't use bleach as this can make the bones brittle. Once cleaned, you'll have to discipline yourself to cleaning the bone thoroughly so that all the oils and marrow are completely scraped away. This will not be fun so be prepared! This process alone will keep you from wanting to carve. Once the bones are cleaned, they must air dry for two weeks if you want good results.

And now you're ready to carve!

You can use the bone as your canvas much like painting or drawing on a piece of paper. You will have to adjust to the awkward shape of the bone however as this can be a bit disorienting at first. Use the flattest part of the bone to get the best results. I always cut my bones in half preserving the flattest parts for sketching.

I use tools that most people already have in their shop or garage. I rough out my pieces using a coping saw or a fret saw and shape them using and assortment of hand tools like hand gravers or a dremel tool. A dremel tool can be very handy when shaping and manipulating the pieces but be careful as they are very fast and powerful. They can easily cause injury if not used with caution. Shaping can be quickly achieved by using a grinding wheel.

ALWAYS USE SAFETY GOGGLES AND A GOOD RESPIRATOR WHEN CARVING!!! Compromising your health is never a good price to pay for a well carved piece.