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Dave and Michele Stetson Woodcarving

Dave Stetson
Dave Stetson has always been an artist. Getting caught daydreaming and drawing during classes at an early age didn't impress either his parents or his teachers. He did however impress the principal of his grammar school, having incised his initials in his 4th grade desk with the pocket knife he wasn't supposed to take to school. He impressed the principal so much that he was given a one man show. Everyday at lunch and recess for 2 weeks, young David sat at his desk in the hallway in front of the principal's office, demonstrating the art of furniture refinishing.

His love for woodcarving changed focus later in his life. No longer interested in relief carving, Dave explored the relm of human figure carving. He incorporated form and balance, anatomy and structure to develop a unique form of caricature carving. Dave's caricature is based on realism by exaggeration. In order to create good caricature, one must understand the realistic anatomical order of the human body. And Dave does create wonderful caricature. Not only is he a master of the knife, he has a unique ability to find the sense of humor in life, recreating it in his art. He has been carving since the early 1980's and teaching his form of exaggerated realism since 1984. He is a co-creator and founding member of the Caricature Carvers of America. His woodcarvings have won best of shows and first place ribbons too numerous to count. His carvings are prized by collectors all over the country and internationally. To contact Dave write call or email him at the address below.

Michele Carville Stetson
Michele Carville Stetson's first carving experience was as a junior in high school. Her sculpture instructor wanted the students to experience all forms of sculpture so with the aide of some expert carving tools (a carpenter's chisel and a rasp) and a lot of sand paper, she created her first carving of a stylized walrus.

Many years of santa collecting inspired her to later try her hand at carving again. So in 1991, she started carving with a santa woodcarving book, a bench knife, and a package of bass wood blocks purchased from a local craft store. The first carvings were primitive to say the least but her family and friends encouraged her to continue. Progress was interrupted after a year and a half of carving 16 hours a day, 7 days a week with carpal tunnel surgery on both wrists. But a couple of months went by and she was at it again with the same intensity.

She began teaching in 1995 in a couple of Tole Painting shops as their token woodcarving instructor. The quality of painting exhibited by the Tole Artists she was working with, inspired her to learn decorative painting. With the help and instruction of a wonderful local artist, Michele learned the art of decorative painting and applied it to her Santa carvings.

In 1998, she met Dave Stetson and thus a very positive and productive relationship began, professionally and later, personally.

Look for the Stetson's Around The Country
Today Dave and Michele Stetson travel the country together, teaching woodcarving and painting seminars, sculpting commissions, selling carvings in Pete Engler's Gallery in Branson Mo and FolkWorks Gallery in Evanston IL.

To schedule seminars or order carving supplies, roughouts, commissions, or show judging, please contact Dave and Michele at the number below.