Creative Woodworks & crafts 1998-07, страница 17

Impeccable craftsmanship is a hallmark of Bob's work as exemplified by the "Rhino" (May 1998) and "Hippo" (June 1998).

photo of the finished project with cach of our patterns. They provide the customer with a helpful visual aid. As the projects got larger, we broke them down into units to make them easier to work with. As each section of the project is made, it's set aside. When all of the units are completed, Ihey arc fitted together. The pieces are then contoured and, finally, the units are glued together and the projcct is finished.

We've been adding new projects to our catalog every year and now offer over 60 patterns that range from the simple to more time-consuming, multi-level projects. We don't rate the projects by difficulty because once you've learned the techniques, they're really all pretty much the same. It's like building a house—the more bricks in it, the longer it takes to complete, but every brick is laid in the same way.

To date, I've made over 1,100 intarsia projects, most of them being sold through the Brookfield Zoo gift shop in Illinois.

What is success?

Making a living while having fun is great. Being able to spend a lot of time with your family every day is even better. Doing both is success in my book.

When 1 was nearing forty, I kept a promise I had made to myself years earlier—if no one had given me a title by then, I'd give one to myself. That's how our title "■Chairman of the Board" came about. We've used it as our catch phrase ever since. It's a great conversation starter with customers at shows, and it also serves as a great reminder every day that I'm my own boss—and at my dream job to boot!

To see Bob Hlavacek's latest catalog filled with award-winning intarsia patterns, contact Wildlife Intarsia Designs at: P.O. Box 1246, North Riverside, IL 60546-0646, (708) 788-6455. If you call and don't get an answer, try again. Boh is probably off cuttingr, sanding., or taking out the garbage, and doesn't hear the phone. But he's around and will enjoy talking intarsia with you and answering your questions!

How do you bag an intarsia moose? With an Intarsia rifle, of course! Bob is now busy working on a series of patterns for antique firearms, the first of which is this 1873 Cal. 45-70 Carbine.

July, 1998 17 I

The " Intarsia Antelope" graced the pages of Scroll World in 1997.

"The Midnight Snacker," featured in the June 1997 issue, was Bob's first contribution to Creative Woodworks & Crafts.