The Cleveland Carving Club is celebrating its fifth anniversary by hoping to carve out a more prominent role in the community.
The Cleveland Carving Club is marking its birthday by inviting people in the Tees Valley to come along and join them.
Member Andy King says the wood carving club offers not only a great hobby but something that is unusual and therapeutic.
Andy said: “We are looking to be more proactive within the club and the community, recognising how therapeutic carving can be.“The main reason to get involved in carving is to enjoy challenging yourselves to create something wonderful out of a block of wood and to have fun.
“A quote by Aristide Malloi a 19-century French sculpture sums carving up nicely. He said “Carving is a source of great joy to the artist. To attack the raw material and gradually to extract a shape out of it that follows one’s own desire or the inspiration of the material itself: this
gives great joy and satisfaction”.“Come and join us and try out this wonderful hobby.”
The club meets every Thursday at St Cuthberts Church Hall in Billingham from 1 pm till 4 pm and Andy is reaching out to new members.
Andy added: “We have 15 to 20 members and meet every Thursday at St Cuthbert’s church hall at 1 pm till 4 pm and all new members are very welcome.“Any new member doesn’t require any experience as help and guidance is given.
“Also, your first piece of wood and the first four weeks are free until you are happy that this hobby is for you.
“Members enjoy a cuppa and biscuits halfway through the session and enjoy a good friendly chat.”
The club was set up in September 2014, when members of the Darlington the group decided to move over to Billingham and the club is affiliated to the British Woodcarvers Association. The club demonstrates the skills of carving and their works at various events and this year and will attend Stockton Eid Festival 16 June, Tees Barrage Open Day 7 Aug, Stokesley Show 21 September and Harrogate
Woodworking Show in November at Harrogate Showground. The member’s work has been shown at local exhibitions and published in
some national magazines.
For more information contact Ian Bruce(Leader) on 07754607917 or Andy on 07981376519 email address cleveland@britishwoodcarversassociation.co.uk
