out of the woodwork

Company Description

www.wizzardofwood.netJim Calder, Jr.'s family line is a heritage of artists including the world renowned sculptor and painter Alexander Calder. Mr. Calder was born in Maryland in 1948, and was a resident of Baltimore County and now resides in Chesapeake Va. He is a world recognized wood carver, sculptor, artist, painter, and visionary of comical as out of the woodworkll as, serious works ranging from "Roscoe" his hillbilly friend to the creation of the "Calder Doors" that were carved for a competition in Italy and were sold to a private collector in the United States. At the age of seven, he began his apprenticeship under the watchful eye and experience of Norbert Munson, master furniture and cabinet maker, for sixteen years. During that time, he developed his cabinet making talents and perfected his style of self taught hand carvings. He was recognized as a "Master" carver at the age of sixteen. Mr. Calder's multi-medium carving and sculpting skills have been perfected through years of crafting both here in the United States and in Europe. His carving tools consist of hand knives, gouges, chisels and chain saws. His works of art have been and can be created with the use of one or all of these tools. Although wood is his favorite medium, the use of marble, clay and found objects as unique as a tree root and rock also exhibits his creative and masterful skills. As a blue ribbon award winner of local, state, and world wide competitions you will find his accomplished works of art to be fish and wild fowl in the round wood carvings, wearable art sculpture and architecture pieces. He is also the recipient of the International Wood Carving Championship, held in Italy, for his carving of the "Calder Doors" in black walnut. Jim teaches wood carving at the Academy of Traditional Arts in Westminster, Maryland and also the Carroll County Farm Museum the Micheals crafts and Woodcrafters in Va, in addition to private lessons. He donates hours of instructional time to local camps and county fairs, for children of all ages to witness and learn the techniques of wood carving. Memberships The Chamber of Commerce of North CarolinaBaltimore County Maryland Historical SocietyNational Woodcarvers AssociationWoodcarvers Guild National artists DirThe Academy of Traditional ArtsMasters Carvers GuildChainsaw carvers Guild of AmericaStickmakers of America Tidewater Artists AllianceKnetic Artists of America