PebbleCreek Woodcarvers Club completes Northwest Ceremonial Bowl class

The class with their carvings. Some carvings are still in progress and will be completed over the next few weeks. Class members were (standing, left to right): Mark Marks, Kim Bowie, Elaine Rajeski, Cynthia Schwartz, Dale Sevig, Kathy Stouffer, Jeannette McElroy; (kneeling): Marianne Moir, David Linth (Instructor) and Larry Matney. Also in the class but missing from the picture were Jane Peacock, Don Smith and Johnnie Freerks.

PebbleCreek Woodcarvers Club members completed a Northwest Ceremonial Bowl woodcarving class on November 30, 2018.

Each class member decided on a bowl design based on their research and what appealed to them. They carved their bowls using knives, chisels, gouges and rotary tools. Most of the bowls are Western Red Cedar. David’s bowl is Alaskan Yellow Cedar and Larry’s is Cherry.

Northwest Indian Tribes carve ceremonial bowls as animal effigies. The bowls are usually stylized animals that the Indians saw in their daily life or from their spiritual beliefs. Some bowls are brightly painted and others have a simple finish applied.

The Woodcarvers Club meets in the Quail Room in the Creative Arts building on the Tuscany side of PebbleCreek. The club has general meetings on the second Tuesday of each month at 9:00 a.m. from October to April. Formal classes started in October. Many classes are full, but if you have an interest in learning to carve, stop by the Quail Room and there will usually be someone there to get you started.