Creative Woodworks & crafts 2000-08, страница 40

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When I think of a cane, I usually think of the bent stick that Grandpa used to help liirn get around. Ilershal Borders, however, takes the concept to a whole new level. He creates elaborately carved canes that arc showpieces rather than walking sticks.

Hershal Borders, of VTiddlclown, Ohio is a wood sculptor noted for Ms remarkable cane carvings, who also has a love lor all phases of carving. A carver since 1955, Hershal has studied under many nationally and internationally known artists.

Committed to his philosophies of "What so ever you do, do it heartily as unto the Lord'' (Col. 3:23) and "Compete as a learning process," Ilcrshal's work has included teaching, speaking, doing demonstrations, and competition. Hershal has won blue ribbons in international competitions, Bests of

Woodcarvers Association of Middletown, Ohio.

Hershal generally plans one cane per year, keeping participation in the International Wood Carver's Congress as his motivation and his deadline, l-irst, lie decides on a theme for his new cane and then begins research. For Hershal, learning about history and the human interest stories behind his subjects is part of the pleasure of his work. He has created a Noah's Ark Cane, a Civil War Cane, a Bible Cane, and a Holiday Cane. He puts a great deal of planning into the composition and the theme of cach project. The Civil War Cane, for example, took about 400 hours of carving time, along with countless hours of Civil War research. It contains portraits of Abraham Lincoln, Jefferson Davis, Generals Robert E. Lee and Ulysses S. Grant, soldiers of various types from both sides, and symbols of various battles.

His clever Noah's Ark Cane is based upon passages from Genesis which he illustrates in wood. A rainbow serves as its handle, and the arc itself holds eight people. The canc also features pairs of doves, elephants, lions, grizzly bears, rhinos, polar bears, bison, zebras, tigers and giraffes, each carefully carved and painted.

Hershal's craft has taken him to workshops, wood carving expeditions, craft shows, and museums around the United States. So even though he doesn't use his canes to walk with, they sure do help him get around! |-j

Noah's Ark Cane. Hershal spent 400 hours carving this project. The rainbow and ark make up the handle, while pairs of doves, elephants, lions, grizzly bears, rhinos, polar bears, bison, zebras, tigers and giraffes make up the body.

40 . Creative Woodworks & Crafts