Bentley Wildlife Carvers - Events and Exhibitions
Carving Workshops
We demonstrate carving at Arundel Wetland Trust centre once a month and they suggested that they might like to organise some woodcarving workshops that they would run for us.. We thought that this would be a good opportunity to encourage woodcarving so took up the challenge.
The first bird we chose to carve was a “stick model” or “decoy” of an Oyster Catcher, i.e. a smooth-carved bird shape on one supporting stick “leg” painted in stylised plumage. We supplied the rough carved shapes, knives, sanding blocks and sticking plaster. The nine students were supported and instructed by four members of the club – Peter, Jess, Mike and Tim and they had six hours to produce finished recognisable Oyster Catchers. It was a very successful day and everyone went home happy with an Oyster Catcher and a sense of achievement. We have since had workshops carving Robins, Nuthatches, Kingfishers and Avocets. See photos in the Gallery taken at our latest workshop. For dates of future workshops see the About Us page.
Discover Birds weekend at Arundel Wetlands
We usually have some of our members at Arundel Wetlands Centre during the Discovering Birds weekends and sometimes see a real kingfisher sitting on a branch just outside the window. We have a display of birds that we have carved and demonstrate wood carving. We meet at Arundel Wetlands Centre, usually on the second Sunday of every month, so if you want to practice or learn woodcarving pop in to see us there or drop us a line on the "Contact Form". For details of the Discovering Birds weekend see www.wwt.org.uk/wetland-centres/arundel
We demonstrate carving at Arundel Wetland Trust centre once a month and they suggested that they might like to organise some woodcarving workshops that they would run for us.. We thought that this would be a good opportunity to encourage woodcarving so took up the challenge.
The first bird we chose to carve was a “stick model” or “decoy” of an Oyster Catcher, i.e. a smooth-carved bird shape on one supporting stick “leg” painted in stylised plumage. We supplied the rough carved shapes, knives, sanding blocks and sticking plaster. The nine students were supported and instructed by four members of the club – Peter, Jess, Mike and Tim and they had six hours to produce finished recognisable Oyster Catchers. It was a very successful day and everyone went home happy with an Oyster Catcher and a sense of achievement. We have since had workshops carving Robins, Nuthatches, Kingfishers and Avocets. See photos in the Gallery taken at our latest workshop. For dates of future workshops see the About Us page.
Discover Birds weekend at Arundel Wetlands
We usually have some of our members at Arundel Wetlands Centre during the Discovering Birds weekends and sometimes see a real kingfisher sitting on a branch just outside the window. We have a display of birds that we have carved and demonstrate wood carving. We meet at Arundel Wetlands Centre, usually on the second Sunday of every month, so if you want to practice or learn woodcarving pop in to see us there or drop us a line on the "Contact Form". For details of the Discovering Birds weekend see www.wwt.org.uk/wetland-centres/arundel
Exhibitions of our carvings
Our main exhibition each year used to be at the Bentley Woodfair, which is held at the Bentley Wildfowl & Motor Museum at Halland, East Sussex. Unfortunately, as we now do not have storage for our display equipment on site it is unlikely we will be able to put on a display in 2024. We always have a few things on display and for sale at our monthly meetings at Arundel WWT and have recently had displays at Alfriston and Berwick.
BDWCA Annual Woodcarving competition at Bakewell, Derbyshire
A number of our members are also members of the BDWCA, The British Decoy & Wildfowl Carving Association, and they travel to Bakewell in September to enter their work in the various competitions. In the past Bentley Wildlife Carvers have entered the Group competition where everyone carves the same bird and they are judged as a group. In previous years the themes have been Song Thrushes, Plovers and Wagtails and in 2016 we made a murmuration of starlings and we were presented with the Silver Award. We have recently carved Long-Tailed Tits and Kingfishers. To see pictures of the carvings entered for the Bakewell exhibition or for information about the BDWCA visit their website www.bdwca.org.uk
A number of our members are also members of the BDWCA, The British Decoy & Wildfowl Carving Association, and they travel to Bakewell in September to enter their work in the various competitions. In the past Bentley Wildlife Carvers have entered the Group competition where everyone carves the same bird and they are judged as a group. In previous years the themes have been Song Thrushes, Plovers and Wagtails and in 2016 we made a murmuration of starlings and we were presented with the Silver Award. We have recently carved Long-Tailed Tits and Kingfishers. To see pictures of the carvings entered for the Bakewell exhibition or for information about the BDWCA visit their website www.bdwca.org.uk
Village Fetes and Dog Shows
We sometimes have a display at local events such as Alfriston, Berwick and Framfield fetes, so look out for our gazebo there. Some of our carvings are also on show at the regular Saturday Lewes Craft Market in the Market Towers.
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We sometimes have a display at local events such as Alfriston, Berwick and Framfield fetes, so look out for our gazebo there. Some of our carvings are also on show at the regular Saturday Lewes Craft Market in the Market Towers.
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