Visitors were intrigued, fascinated and captured by the Wood Spirits previously hidden beneath the bark of a dead cottonwood and revealed only by the unique skills of a crafty carver.

Multiple artist demonstrations are scheduled for both days, including glueing, gourd carving, bark carving, and walking stick carving.

Flat plane carving is used to make three-dimensional figures and, according to Borson, is the most common and popular form of carving, while cottonwood bark carving is used to make whimsical ...

Joel E. Falkowski carves cottonwood bark with hands the size of small footballs. His trademark silver beard, a penchant for red flannel and his candy-cane red Ford-150 have earned this retired ...

Westmoreland resident and wood carver Harold Kaltenbach chiseled meticulously at the window of his latest Cottonwood bark home.

Paul Simonson creates Wood Spirits, long the legend of bearers of good luck and good fortune, by working his own magic on, of all things, aged cottonwood bark.

Jansen authored several books on the hobby including "Cottonwood Bark Carving" in 1998, and "Spirit Faces in Cottonwood" in 1991. "Cottonwood bark is taken out of dead trees.

Some of their projects include animals, birds, Kachina Dolls, bowls, Christmas ornaments, Scene carvings, Cottonwood Bark carvings, and even car models.

From the expressive wood spirits he carves into cottonwood bark to the gray life-sized squirrels climbing wooden walking sticks, Howell said he takes his time on his art, sometimes spending more ...

Capital City Carvers is a club for those who wish to develop wood carving skills in a relaxed and supportive environment.

“Montana has unusually good cottonwood bark, which you can pick up by the ton. I started out carving boats and whatever came to mind. “My dad didn’t believe in buying kids toys.