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How to Carve an Ainu Bear
Masa is an experienced Japanese carver and woodworker who taught workshops for us before the pandemic.
This class will primarily be a demonstration since carving a complete bear is a big project. It takes Masa about five hours to carve one of this miniatures. He will show methods for layout, rough out, and the stages of carving. Participants will have a chance to carve on some of the pieces in process. The second method in the photos above carves the head first with an extension block in the back to avoid getting cut. After the head is done, the handle extension is removed and the back end of the bear is carved.
Masa learned the art and craft of bear carving while working in Sapporo workshop as a teenager and has carved hundreds. His most notable one is pictured above, a large-scale bear still on exhibition at the World Forestry Center.
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The class coordinator is Tom Rich, tom@tomrich.me, 503-941-6570.