Roger Borlaug with his Northwest Indian Eagle Mask.
Larry Matney
Roger Borlaug is one of many accomplished woodcarvers in the PebbleCreek Woodcarvers Club. In this picture he holds a reduced size Northwest Indian Eagle Mask he recently carved and painted. Full size masks are much larger and are normally worn as part of special ceremonies. The masks are brightly colored and made in many different styles. The down turned beak identifies this mask as an Eagle.
Roger has lived in PebbleCreek since 2010 and joined the club shortly after moving in. He had no carving experience before joining the club but quickly developed a love for carving. His favorite subjects are animals and Northwest Indian themed subjects. He developed a special love for the Northwest Indian subjects in classes taught by Robert Johnson for many years. Robert taught how to carve these items with adzes and knives using old growth cedar similar to that used by the Indian carvers. He also started each class session by educating the class on the history, use and beliefs around these subjects so the carvers could appreciate the tradition of these carvings.
Roger has been teaching carving classes for about two years. He has taught classes on carving a White-tailed Kite, a Western Tanager, a Hummingbird and a flower mount for the Hummingbird. Recently Roger started chip carving so that may develop into a future class.
Prospective members may sign up for the Beginner’s Class by October 1 or January 1 each year. The one-day class, which focuses on tool safety and how to carve a simple project, will be held around the middle of October or January respectively. The cost is $25. Class attendees will then have the option to join the club if there is continued interest. However, Club membership is open only to PebbleCreek residents. Please contact Tom Wick if interested in attending a Beginner’s Class. Tom can be reached at 262-408-7355 or via email at [email protected]. Regular carving classes are held from October through April. The carving room is available for club members daily throughout the year, except for Thursday mornings when another club uses the room.