VENTURA : Woodcarvers Show Off Work and Techniques

Susan Cooper of Ventura surveyed the hundreds of hand-carved dolphins, boots and intricate figurines laid out before her Sunday and was impressed.

“It’s incredible what they can do with the wood,” said the bookkeeper, who was visiting the Channel Islands Carvers exhibit at Sacred Heart Church in Ventura.

“The variations they get in the various pieces is amazing,” Cooper said.

More than 25 woodcarvers assembled Sunday at the church exhibit hall to show off their talent and share woodcarving tactics and style. Although a sign outside informed visitors that some of the artwork might be available for purchase, the show was primarily designed to display the artists’ work.

“It’s just being able to create something of your own that’s unique,” said Richard Cronin of Thousand Oaks, president of Channel Islands Carvers, a woodcarving club of about 75 members.

“This is part of the creativeness I have as a designer,” said Cronin, a retired aerospace engineer and designer.

Cronin uses straight chisels, gouges and simple pocketknives to create a variety of art forms. One of Cronin’s prize works is a four-foot-long wooden dragon crafted with 77 pieces of wood.

“I don’t sell any of mine,” he said. “I’m going to give them all to my kids as heirlooms.”

Doug Craig of Ventura teaches woodcarving to troubled young people as a way for them to express their individuality.

“It works as a form of therapy for many of my students,” said Craig, who also draws and sketches. “It’s a way for them to express themselves and they can escape in their own art forms.”

Retired contractor Elmo Shearer helped establish Channel Islands Carvers 19 years ago. Now he teaches woodcarving at the club’s meetings as a way to reduce stress and accomplish goals.

“It’s a good way to relax, and it doesn’t cost too much,” said Shearer, who fancies creating six-inch fishermen, small mice and Santa Claus sculptures. “You can use your pocketknife when you first start, then graduate to gouges.”

Shearer said he loses track of time when he works on woodcarvings at home.

“There’s just something about it that when you start, you can’t give it up,” he said. “I’m bored to death if I don’t have a knife in my hand.”