Monte Curtis is one of many accomplished woodcarvers in the PebbleCreek Woodcarvers Club.
Monte and his wife, Marjorie, moved to PebbleCreek in October 1995. Marjorie wanted them to join the hiking club and a woodcarving group that was just forming. The woodcarving group was led by Mel Donaho and it was not an official club at that time. The group shared a room in the Eagle’s Nest Activity Center with the model railroad folks and consisted of six to eight individuals that were just learning to carve. They each pitched in $50 to get some tools and painting supplies. This led to the Woodcarving Club being formed in early 1996. Monte is the last active carver of that initial group of carvers. Monte has been club president twice and taught many carving classes over the years.
Monte’s first carving was a Chickadee, then a Loon and that was followed by a Green Winged Teal. After some time he decided he was tired of carving and wood burning feather detail on birds so he started carving cowboys and Indians. Since then he has done whimsical houses from cottonwood bark, golfers, nativity sets, fish, figurines, faces, a mouse orchestra, working locks and many other subjects. Monte is a prolific carver and his home is decorated with many wood carvings, as is his second home in Minnesota and the homes of their four sons. Monte has also given many carvings to friends.
Monte likes to carve with knives and he also uses rotary tools. You may not see Monte in the carving room often, but that is because he has his equipment setup in a garage at home. Monte is one of many carvers in the club that came in with no carving experience but a desire to learn. He was taught how to carve wood by more experienced club members; then he became a teacher to new carvers.
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.
Monte with several examples of his woodcarvings (approximately from left to right): a fisherman, a pawn for a chess set, two working wooden locks, three Indian busts, two hand carvings and Monte is holding a cowboy.