It's almost time for the 2014 Virginia Wine and Garlic Festival at Rebec Vineyards in Amherst. We'll be there, and here are some pictures from last year. The rain never did completely go away but the popular event still had a great crowd. We made new friends and got to see some of our clients and friends from the previous year. Mark carved  about two dozen pumpkins in various shapes and sizes. They were rustic in style and burnt with a torch to give it the dark accents and shading. They look great...

We had always heard about the antique and home and garden decor store at Rockfish Gap. We boosted our exposure last fall by renting space in the store. They had a beautiful, large wood table in the loft space, and we filled it with Mark's wood sculptures. The table displayed bears, eagles, owls, hawks, roosters, a pair of cattle horns, a shark, and a pair of ammonite shells. Mark also set a big black bear out in front of the store. That big fellow draw a lot of attention!  

Mark just carved this 3'2" brown bear cutie. It reminds me of a Teddy Bear and the name Poppyseed popped in my head.

Mark's latest sculpture is a 5-1/2' black bear waving at his onlookers.

A client in Forest, Virginia commissioned a pair of large Brown Bears for their farm. Trees had fallen on their property and here are videos on their transformation into a 6 foot and a 6 foot 7 inch pair of bears. The client wanted to keep the natural grain of the wood so Mark used the torch to burn in the face and coat details and finished them with clear polyurethane. Part 1: Part 2: Part 3:

This 6' tall black bear has quite the stance and presence. He was started last summer and left to dry until early winter so that any potential cracks could be addressed as the wood dried.

This guy, affectionately named Henry, lives with his adopted parents in a lovely condo with a gorgeous view at Wintergreen Resort. I love his kind expression, and he's the perfect height for a fireplace hearth.

This fella, started last summer and finished in the fall, stands at 5'6". This big bear was a commissioned carving who now stands guard at the bottom of a private residential driveway in Nelson County. The bear's muzzle was burned to bring out his features and  the wood's natural and soft coloring. He's painted black and sealed with a clear polyurethane and is ready to withstand the elements as he greets the homeowners, friends and family.

Come again some other day.    

In early summer, Mark received a commission from a woman for a golfing black bear as a surprise Father's Day present for her husband. Such a wonderful gift idea! The father/husband was so excited, and they come out to meet Mark close to Father's Day to reveal the surprise. Seeing the reactions of all our new Sleepy Hollow sculpture owners is always one of the best parts of what we do. So, this golfing bear for Father's Day begs the question, "What would make the perfect Mother's Day gift?" Hmmmm......