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Looking for a little inspiration - 6/23/2013 8:04:25 PM   
lovethyself


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Status: offline 		I recently came into posession of some old church pews. The wood is really old, and so far has been wonderful to carve (most of it is soft wood, not sure what type, with the only hardwood some oak trim).

I want to do a series of carvings from this wood. I'm a scenic carpenter, so I'm always looking to improve my skill set, as well as build up my portfolio if I ever find myself looking for another job. I'm also somewhat artistic, so I want this to be more than just practice forms or generic patterns.

I was thinking of treating this as if I was doing an art show and tying the carvings together with a common theme. This is where you come in. The theme that I'm interested in following is protection. I'm looking for ideas of where to start looking for images or ideas. It could be a story about a particular saint that means something to you, or an old wives tale from previous eras. It could be defensive protection (like certain symbols or runes), or offensive (like vampire stakes).

I'm not asking you to do my work for me, but I would welcome any ideas that get me started in my search, whether they are serious or humorous. Since I work in tv, and these are going to be hand carved, ideas for medieval protective symbols would be really cool too. Not necessary, but the variety would be welcome.

Oh, I also have a number of old square nails salvaged from the pews, so any ideas of protective symbols/stories/ideas involving the fae would be a bonus. That whole cold steel/iron element (not sure what the nails are made of yet).

Thanks for your help!
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RE: Looking for a little inspiration - 6/23/2013 10:09:18 PM   
Duskypearls


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Status: offline 		Symbols of Protection:
The Significance of Animal-ornamented
Shields in Early Anglo-Saxon England

http://eprints.whiterose.ac.uk/1831/1/dickinsont2.pdf

I really love the one on page 118, on the top, right, in the box labeled C

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RE: Looking for a little inspiration - 6/23/2013 10:44:58 PM   
littlewonder


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Status: offline 		"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. when you walk through the fire you shall not be burned" Isaiah 43:2.

You could do a carving of a walk through a waterfall with God beside him/her. Then another as the person walks through the river while a streak of sun shines down upon the person and the river and the person walking through the fire unscathed.



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RE: Looking for a little inspiration - 6/23/2013 10:46:49 PM   
dcnovice


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Status: offline 		Since they're church pews, guardian angels might be a good way to explore the theme of protection.

Imagery ideas: http://www.google.com/search?q=guardian+angels&safe=off&hl=en&gbv=2&tbm=isch&ei=DN3HUfiFO_S64AP474CoBw&start=0&sa=N

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RE: Looking for a little inspiration - 6/23/2013 10:50:31 PM   
dcnovice


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Status: offline 		Thomas Cole's Voyage of Life series might also be inspiring.

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cole_Thomas_The_Voyage_of_Life_Childhood_1840.jpg

That's the first of four images. Scroll down for links to the others.

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RE: Looking for a little inspiration - 6/23/2013 10:51:32 PM   
jlf1961


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From: Somewhere Texas
Status: offline 		How many did you happen to acquire?

I would suggest looking into some of the carvings on old European church doors, or has been suggested, the guardian angels, you might also look to your local library to see if they have a book on religious symbols from all religions.

I have a friend who took some church pews and made a coffee table, he did some beautiful carvings and then put a piece of glass over them as the table top.

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RE: Looking for a little inspiration - 6/23/2013 10:54:06 PM   
dcnovice


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Status: offline 		Protection is also a theme in the Psalms: 16, 23, and 121, for instance.

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RE: Looking for a little inspiration - 6/23/2013 10:54:14 PM   
littlewonder


Posts: 15659
Status: offline 		what kind of church did you get these from? If it was from an orthodox church or a German or Slovakian or something like that it might be nice to take one of their stories and add some historical value to the pews.


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RE: Looking for a little inspiration - 6/23/2013 11:02:24 PM   
jlf1961


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quote:

ORIGINAL: littlewonder

what kind of church did you get these from? If it was from an orthodox church or a German or Slovakian or something like that it might be nice to take one of their stories and add some historical value to the pews.




I should have thought of that one, having lived in Germany as a kid.

But LW has a valid point, some of their stories would make for some great imagery.

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Boy, it sure would be nice if we had some grenades, don't you think?

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RE: Looking for a little inspiration - 6/23/2013 11:23:38 PM   
FrostedFlake


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Status: offline 		There is a pen drawing of an Owl on a post watching my front door from above the stairs. No one gets into my apartment without being looked over very carefully by my stern and serious guardian.

Consider an Owl as a subject, or topic, for a carving.

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RE: Looking for a little inspiration - 6/23/2013 11:29:54 PM   
hlen5


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Status: offline 		She is too obscure, but I think Boadeca (sp) would be great!! Demeter would be good, too. How about Esther?

Edited For Grammar.

< Message edited by hlen5 -- 6/23/2013 11:37:19 PM >

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RE: Looking for a little inspiration - 6/23/2013 11:32:20 PM   
jlf1961


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From: Somewhere Texas
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quote:

ORIGINAL: hlen5

She is too obscure, I think but Boadeca (sp) would be great!! Demeter would be good, too. How about Esther?



It is Boudica or Boadicea, Hlen, and she is a great choice. Any of the Ancient goddesses would be.

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Boy, it sure would be nice if we had some grenades, don't you think?

You cannot control who comes into your life, but you can control which airlock you throw them out of.

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RE: Looking for a little inspiration - 6/23/2013 11:35:51 PM   
hlen5


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Status: offline 		Thanks for the spelling assist!! :-) You know B. was an actual person, though. I think she lived ca. 900 ACE.

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RE: Looking for a little inspiration - 6/23/2013 11:40:31 PM   
jlf1961


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quote:

ORIGINAL: hlen5

Thanks for the spelling assist!! :-) You know B. was an actual person, though. I think she lived ca. 900 ACE.



Actually she lived after christ somewhere around 230 to 25O AD, during the roman occupation of Britain. She damn near ran them out of the country too, except she made the mistake of fighting the romans on their terms in the last battle.

The roman legions could be beaten, but not on open ground when they could form their battle formations.

I tried to tell her that, but you know strong willed women, she wouldnt listen.

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Boy, it sure would be nice if we had some grenades, don't you think?

You cannot control who comes into your life, but you can control which airlock you throw them out of.

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RE: Looking for a little inspiration - 6/24/2013 4:01:35 AM   
kiwisub12


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Status: offline 		Greenmen! love those men.

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RE: Looking for a little inspiration - 6/24/2013 4:03:46 AM   
DarkSteven


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Status: offline 		A three headed dog comes to mind.

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RE: Looking for a little inspiration - 6/24/2013 4:36:49 AM   
jlf1961


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quote:

ORIGINAL: DarkSteven

A three headed dog comes to mind.



Why would she want to do a carving of my first wife?

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Boy, it sure would be nice if we had some grenades, don't you think?

You cannot control who comes into your life, but you can control which airlock you throw them out of.

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RE: Looking for a little inspiration - 6/24/2013 6:03:27 AM   
lovethyself


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Status: offline 		FR

All of these are wonderful suggestions. The pews came from a united church (specifically Trinity St. Paul's). I don't actually attend service, so I'm not sure what stories are specific to that denomination. I got offered the pews because I knew the carpenter removing them (and cutting them down to the right size for the people that bought them). I've done many concert set-ups there over the years.

I only got most of 2 pews and some off cuts, so the projects will stay relatively small, or at least narrower than a door (I think the seats are around 14" wide, and slightly curved). But I love all of the ideas and images. The seats are a wonderful dark colour, with the natural wood underneath very light. A lot of contrast is possible.

Hlen, Boudecea isn't too obscure. I've read multiple series based on her, some more realistic than others. Didn't she have a raven as a symbol? I'll have to look that up.

LW and DC, Thanks for the scripture references. Having not read the bible (I'm spiritual, just not religous), i'd be lost looking for just the right imagery.

Jlf, I did try my local library, but the reference section is so badly organized I couldn't find where to start looking. You have to know what you're looking for before you can narrow down where it might be.

DS, cerberus would be interesting. A lot of detail though.

Thank you all!! I had been stalled for ideas, and I'm not sure why. I knew what I wanted to do, but for the life of me, I couldn't think of anything. I mean, of course, angels would be obvious, right? This was exactly what I needed to get my creative juices flowing.

< Message edited by lovethyself -- 6/24/2013 6:05:08 AM >

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RE: Looking for a little inspiration - 6/24/2013 11:27:50 AM   
tommonymous


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Status: offline 		It's maybe a bit obvious, but a field scene of a shepherd and flock would be appropriate for the theme, given the source of the materials.

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RE: Looking for a little inspiration - 6/24/2013 4:42:48 PM   
hlen5


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quote:

ORIGINAL: DarkSteven

A three headed dog comes to mind.


Cerberus, cool!!

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