2011 NOAH'S ARKS

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2011-08

A Few Arks!

Here's a few of the Noah's Arks that I have done so far for this year. I also have six sets of animals nearly all done......

My First Noah's Ark Promotional (1990)

The ark....the result of Noah's great faith and his efforts to save creation. The ark....a toy that children could play with on Sundays while still remembering the sabbath; and keeping it holy. The ark....today toy arks are as much a part of Americana as the spinning wheel and coffee grinder, and are treasured pieces of true American folk art. Each of the arks is handmade from salvaged wood in keeping with the traditions of their original manufacture; each pair of animals is hand carved and painted. because each is handcrafted, every ark is unique. differences between arks include the types of wood used and the whims of the craftsman. Although the basic design of arks has remained the same over hundreds of years - a boat with a house on it - toy arks have reflected the geographical location and historical era of the builder. Thus some arks, which reflect the simple rustic mountain life might feature a cabin with animals familiar to the craftsman, pigs, goats, horses, cows, etc. Other arks, reflecting different circumstances, may feature structures more like a Victorian home with more sophistic animals; elephants, giraffes, zebra, etc.

Animals, Animals, Animals!

As one can see, I've not been forgetting about the Ark animals.This represents about 1/3 of the animals I'll need this year.

Returned From Vacation And Back to Fun Work

Returned from Florida and am getting back to the Ark making fun. While in Florida I carved about 80 animals. Don't know why I planned on doing more. I am cutting out blanks now to carve an addition bazzillion...... In the next few weeks I'll be putting the final touches on the first batch of Arks. I'll be numbering the Arks, for easy identification.

Animal Carving in Florida

One of the problems with power carving is the dust that is created. Some woods have very toxic dust that can cause breathing problems as well as allergic reactions, for some individuals. I am happy to say that I have solved that problem. First you find a beach in Florida with a beautiful beach house.

All beach houses have porches on all levels that face the water. In my case it's the Gulf. At some point in the day there will be a strong wind blowing. When this happens, you place yourself on the porch with the rotary tool and your wood. Position yourself so that when you power carve, the dust created will blow away from you (and others too). The only problem I have to overcome is the motivation to sit and carve several hundred animals..

They're Taking Over!

I don't only make Noah's Arks. I whittle other things, like Gnomes. But this is piracy!