Description
Jack-o-Lantern or Gourd Carving
The leaves are falling, the faint chimney smoke in the air, and that old spooky feeling creeps up in you again… It’s time to put up your Halloween décor! Well, what better way to set the Halloween mood than your very own handcrafted jack-o-lantern?
Join woodcarver Karl Schwartz for this fun evening of pumpkin or gourd carving and wine sipping. Karl usually carves and teaches about wooden masks, so he will help you bring to life your jack o lantern. You will have free rein to come up with your own facial features to create a silly or a haunting face to light up your front porch. Karl will also give tips on how to treat your jack-o-lantern to last longer without corrosion.
Students Bring: Pumpkin or Gourd, Knives (optional), Spoon (optional). Karl recommends – but does not require – you make a sketch or bring a photo to inspire your carving. Be sure to pick something that can be carved in just a few hours. Students can also bring a dremel tool, if they have one.
TACS will provide one bottle of wine for the group to share and some snacks. Students may also bring their own beverages, but must exercise moderation and follow the school’s student agreement form, which includes appropriate conduct.
Though Karl Schwartz is the son of a carpenter, he made his living as a computer engineer in Florida. He had been around woodworking most of his life but it was not until his sister moved to Washington state that his interest in wood carving sparked. The masks of the Pacific Northwest and Inuit provided the incentive. Karl found the masks’ ability to invoke the spirit of animals, land, sea, and air creatures to be enlightening. For the last 20 years, Karl has been carving animal figures and developing his woodworking craft. A lifelong learner, he continues to pursue education and guidance from other great woodworkers. Karl hopes to pass this love of woodworking on to others as well as some of the tricks and skills he has learned along the way.
