Bjarne Kaer and his Santa Claus woodcarvings (photo by Cynthia Schwartz)
Cynthia Schwartz
Before moving to PebbleCreek, Bjarne Kaer had been “fiddling around with little woodcarving projects.” Every year since the 1990s, he carved a Santa Claus for his wife Pat.
This summer, Bjarne said, “I got a bee in my bonnet.” He joined the PebbleCreek Woodcarving Club and undertook a project to carve a special Santa Claus for many of his family members. Bjarne carved: Santa on a Bike for his mountain biker brother-in-law; Santa Artist for his sister who paints; Santa with a Boot for his wife who broke her leg this year and had to wear an orthopedic boot for several months; Santa Reading a Book with a Cup of Tea for his eldest granddaughter; Goonies Santa for his son-in-law; Gymnast Santa for his youngest granddaughter; and Volleyball Santa for his middle granddaughter.
In memory of his son, Bjarne is working on an Ocean Wave with a Surfer and will present the carving to his son’s family next year.
Bjarne commented about his experience in the PebbleCreek Woodcarving Club, “For a while, I was a lone carver at home. It’s really nice to have fellow carvers. Everyone has been so generous about sharing information and equipment.”
If you are interested in learning more about the PebbleCreek Woodcarving Club, stop in the Quail Room located in the Creative Arts Center. Most of the club members had never carved before walking in the room. The club offers free beginner’s classes in early 2023. There might be hidden talent just waiting to be discovered. The club also has advanced classes for experienced carvers like Bjarne! Come on in!