A Bird In The Hand

Written on March 1, 2010 at 9:20 pm, by Jim Heavey

The Woodworking Shows traveled to the Detroit area this weekend just a short drive from Detroit Metro Airport in Taylor, Michigan. The exhibit hall shares space with a giant permanent public market in the Gibraltar Trade Center. Woodworkers found a place where they could find not only the newest in tools and accessories but  could also get a tattoo, body piercing, and an area rug all while dining on a hot dog and sampling mini donuts.  In spite of all those temptations, we had what the attendees really wanted.

Though the educational areas weren’t as crowded as some of our previous venues, those that came were very attentive. This is an area very hard hit by the recession and the resultant unemployment but woodworking is still strong. These are people who I believe find comfort and expression in their craft. They still are organizing their shops, putting on finishes and building cabinets. Many people I talked to had stayed the entire three days.

In addition to the usual woodworker clubs, this show also seems to draw carvers from around the area. I was told that there are over forty carving groups affiliated with the Michigan Carvers. The Metro Carvers booth had both members and individuals demonstrating their best work at one end of the exhibit area. I got a chance to spend a good deal of time with two of these interesting people. Gary Bityk said that he has only been carving for a few years but I found his work very detailed and unique. He is a bark carver who likes to harvest his own stock. He showed me his technique for carving the outside of a glued up piece, separating the halves to hollow and form the interior and then regluing. The results made for a very intricate piece of art.

I found Silvano Salvador, an accomplished artisan, sitting quietly with a pen knife whittling an innocuous block of wood.  This, I learned, was his Bird of Prayer. As a 12 year cancer survivor, he had an epiphany of sorts. The result is an artistic bird that he hopes will lead you to offer your first prayer for him and other cancer survivors. Subsequent prayers he hopes will be for peace, love, hope and health for all. I felt honored to be given one of his creations and have followed his wishes.

Another of the carvers took this week’s prize for top choice in the Show Off area. He did not enter his self portrait as JoJo the Clown, but this religious carving instead.

 Running a close second was a handsome chest.

The next stop is Redding, Pennsylvania. We’ve never been to this area but the hope is that it will draw attendees from an area that includes Philadelphia. If you’re n the area, come out and catch a show. Maybe they’ll have a public market there. Now I’ve got to find a way to get this boa constrictor I bought into the overhead. I was going to try to sneak the Macaw on the plane but he wouldn’t shut up. I hope that my wife likes her new Elvis scarf.

‘Til then, I’ll see you on the road.

Jim Heavey

WOOD Magazine Traveling Ambassador