You may already know Craig Vandall Stevens from his various books, including The Fine Art of Marquetry; Creating Images in Wood Using Sawn Veneers , his most recent and fifth book
with Schiffer Publishing. On their own, these books make him a go-to-pro for how-to-do-it-yourself and why, a woodworker's philosophy. But, Craig is also an award winning woodworker who is a sought after instructor at various woodworking schools in the U.S. and Japan.
And, because Craig, with all these credentials and constraints on his time agreed to consult with Ron on the design of
HOCK TOOLS' Carving Knives, Ron owes Craig a large debt of gratitude.
Hock Tools' Carving Knives, with Handles & without Handles
Ron found a powerful intellect behind Craig's advice and it is not surprising that he feels indebted to Craig for his insight and generosity. These knives are increasingly popular, which says a lot about Craig's expertise on what works best for carvers.
Gifted with what is called a beautiful line, Craig Vandall Stevens is an adroit and accomplished draftsman. He possesses a keen-eye; observing a lot in a short amount of time and as a carver is able to transfer poignant information with only a few strokes.
Wisteria & Reed Screen & Detail of Same
As an artisan in wood, Craig's feeling for nature and his intimacy of expression is akin to those same qualities found in Henry David Thoreau's writing. Although Craig distills nature into simple gesture, he is like Thoreau in that he maximizes the natural world of a limited geography: a single patch of ground offers him more to see and describe than most of us would find there.
Alder Cabinet and Detail of Same
Most often as viewers, what we see captured are Craig Vandall Stevens' observational powers through eloquently drawn carvings, such as we see in his Wisteria & Reed Screen and Alder Cabinet.
In Wisteria & Reed, Craig's choices for the details he carves emphasize the most signature and iconic reference to wisteria, even if the emphasis is only a whisper. Our viewer's eyes wholly accept the reference, taking the hint to run with it to the point of envisioning an even fuller picture. A carver's shorthand for wisteria becomes a flowering branch in a garden setting.
Craig's style is a study in the concept of less is more. If you look closely at any given piece of Craig Vandall Stevens', you will see an extraordinarily considered treatment of detail carved with a brave and sure hand. Nothing is missed with this spare portrayal and elegance of line; richness of detail is alive and well, especially as we engage depth of cut and grain of wood.
Brevity is indeed Craig's organizing principle for the architecture of his work. His furniture, including the images he carves or inlays, promotes an economy of positive and negative space built from nature's beautiful woods, then sent home to live a domestic life among humans. Of course what lies behind many of these elegant planes and shapes is often highly crafted
Demonstration Carving & Detail of Blossom Pear Screen
cabinetry: hidden drawers and hinges, and complex technique and design. An elegant embellishment such as a beautiful carving on an exterior surface can become an invitation to the stuff of deep involvement.
And then there is Craig's marquetry; after all, his new book is all about marquetry!
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Cover, Fine Art of Marquetry, Schiffer Publishing, 2011
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Craig creates dazzling, almost teasingly trompe l'oeil images that he selects from nature. The execution of these choices looks effortless to us, and is part of what distinguishes Craig Vandall Stevens as one of today's finest woodworkers.
Flamingo Box
Plus, he is an awfully nice guy, which is to say Craig Vandall Stevens is accessible and among us, willing to share and discuss. We feel honored that Craig chooses to use HOCK TOOLS' Carving Knives in creating his furniture and other fine woodwork and know these knives would not be what they are without him.
So... with all this being said I invite you to read my interview of Craig Vandall Stevens on The Sharpening Blog, just click here to read on.
AND PLEASE, please go to cvstevens.com.
I know you will linger there for the extra excitement and if you are anything like I am, it will provide inspiration and make you very happy indeed.
--Linda Rosengarten, Hock Tools
