Wood Bear Carvings
Wood carvings are in increasingly popular niche in the art community and lovers of both art and wood carvings regularly flock to exhibits and conventions to see what kind of new, exciting creations have been made out of wood. Each year, at shows around the world, artists unveil their beautiful wood sculptures to rabid fans and members of the press. With wood art at one of the highest levels of recognition in recent years, it seems odd that much of the mainstream press has failed to notice or bring attention to the many amazing pieces of art to come from the wood community, such as the gorgeous wood bear carvings that have netted some of the highest honors in recent years.
Wood carving is certainly an art form, but it always seems that the sculptors who work with stone always seem to get more credit. This type of favoritism has plagued the sculpting industry for literally millennia. Why would, say a sculpture of Ursa Major, the Great Bear, be any more beautiful and awe-inspiring if it was made in stone rather than being one of the many beautiful wood bear carvings that are just as amazing? Is the problem that they are wood bear carvings and not stone? Or are the wood bear carvings somehow less beautiful than the stone ones, without having anything to do with the material? These are questions for the best art critics but seemingly nobody wants to answer them.
Obviously, there is one glaring difference between wood and stone carvings. Stone carvings have the potential to last far longer than wood carvings, lending to them a bit of immortality and a certain amount of respect. This seems suspect, though. An oil painting, while capable of lasting a long time, isn't considered beautiful because of its durability. It is the beauty in the craftsmanship. There are countless wood carvings that exude utter genius, yet there are few if any wood carvings that are indicative of the deep beauty of the art as a whole. Perhaps that is the problem. Those who work with stone have David and the Thinker. Those who work with oil have Mona Lisa and the Last Supper. Those who dabble in graffiti have West Philadelphia. Wood carvers must unite for a singular purpose: To garner respect from the mainstream press and to put their names and their art out there to be valued among the world just like all of the other respectable art forms.
