Ed Twilbeck Posted January 27, 2019 Report Share Posted January 27, 2019 I have been a member for a while and have used it in the past much more than I do now. My age and pain has slowed me down. That said I wish it would continue, I think a lot of new and young carvers, and myself would get inspired by what other carvers do. Many of my ideas for my carvings have came from others here. To see the art and wonderful work done by so many fantastic Artist that have posted their ideas, their drawings, their work in progress,their finished work. Yes I have seen some of their work on other sites, like Pinterest, etc , but all of the personal feelings, the comments, the advice, the encouragement, is not at any other site. I hope someone can keep it going and,hope it will. Thanks Ed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janel Posted January 27, 2019 Report Share Posted January 27, 2019 Hello Ed, Thank you so much for your very thoughtful and encouraging words. I remain hopeful that this forum and its many years of generous information, archived here since January of 2005, will be helpful to others. If anyone wishes to make a financial contribution towards the forum's expenses, that generosity would be appreciated. I know, it is tacky to ask for $$$ but keeping the forum open and on the web has its ongoing costs. Ed, I am sorry to read that you are slowed by pain. Thank you again for your kind words, and I hope that you are able to carve and create from time to time. Janel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B.K. Henderson-Winnie Posted August 11, 2019 Report Share Posted August 11, 2019 Hello Janel and all, I am sorry to not see this post until months and months after the original posting. I am glad that you decided to keep it up and going Janel, though I completely understand wondering if it's time to shut it down due to lack of activity. I haven't been on in a long time, mostly because I've been working a lot and my carving has slowed to a crawl. I'm chipping away at that mountain called "saving a down payment for purchasing a home" which has me taking all the paying work I can. I do think I need to ease up on that, though, because too much work takes the spark right out of life. I am grateful to have so much work but it is at the expense of other important things. I am happy to say I think I've solved all my physical issues and hope the coming year will be a more open and productive year for me in regards to the carving. I'll put a check in the mail, Janel, and am happy to do it if for no other reason than to help preserve the valuable info here. I will make an effort to be a more active commenter and poster too! Thanks to you Janel, and to everyone here for all you do and have done. Bonnie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janel Posted August 14, 2019 Report Share Posted August 14, 2019 Hello Bonnie, Thank you for your thoughtful message content. I do continue to consider taking a step towards not keeping the forum live for interaction between members. In the past years I have learned of a website archiving site. A while back a silent admin/friend added the url to this archiving site, but shortly afterward the push to change url from http:// to https:// for internet security occurred so the direct link to the active forum stopped on the day that I had that change made to TCP's url. I have finally connected the dots for that archive not updating ... and recently entered the https url version. It is too soon to know how often or how well the archive will work. I will follow it for a while to be sure the occasional postings are included, and then might consider making a change to refer all searches to the online archive. It is my understanding, and sincere hope, that this archive will make available all of the years of collected wisdom and communications to seekers of information about carving in the smaller scale, materials, tools, hopes and dreams. It has been difficult to even arrive at this decision and mindset, but change is inevitable for everything and I am having to accept that regarding my relationship with this forum. On a more personal note, I do understand about being extremely work oriented to achieve financial goals. It can be wearing. Working for real income and a regular paycheck is not in my experience so the pressure is constantly on to work long hours while knowing that sales are not guaranteed. A three day weekend show could be rained out, the audience could be show weary, and on and on. A nod to my story, the massive audience shift with clients aging out of collecting can become a life-changer. Yet, I continue to be self-employed with the naive hope that if I make it the audience will be there ... for pottery now, not netsuke. Sorry, not necessarily on topic. I admire you for having work that stimulates and supports you financially, and for having a part of your life devoted to carving explorations and all that goodness that focused activity brings to one's wellbeing. We all struggle to seek a balance with all the parts of our lives. I am hopeful that you will find that point and be able to purchase the home you are hoping for. I have met many, many wonderful people here. You included, having met you in the more recent years. Your financial support has been marvelous and generous, and has been a great encourager to keep the site open for a longer period of time. Thank you for your willingness to make another contribution. You are a special person! Janel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B.K. Henderson-Winnie Posted August 15, 2019 Report Share Posted August 15, 2019 Hi Janel, I think archiving this site is a great option, and I'll be happy to contribute to the costs of that. There is just so much valuable information here that isn't readily available elsewhere it is worth preserving. Along with all the good conversations! Trying to keep a balance and have right livelihood in changing markets/environments/conditions is difficult, to put it in mildest terms. I applaud the fact that you are making your living as an artist, whatever the medium! I don't think a lot of people understand that to choose life as an artist, for most people who don't come to it with ample financial resources, is to choose a life demanding flexibility and resourcefulness, as well as sacrifice and constant assessment of the market, constant hustle. And real and constant work in striking a balance with family obligations and all else life demands outside of the studio and stage. I see it all the time with the performers here. Skill, even brilliance doesn't always guarantee success (where success = you are able to keep doing it for a living). And some success doesn't mean that it will continue, even if the work continues to be really good. I could launch off into a whole multi page tangent about craft, value, and its relationship with income. And the question "who am I making this for?". But I won't right now It is also true that if this forum ends up going into archive-only mode, any new enthusiastic carvers that come along and want to make a forum of their own and keep it active, they will. I hope if that happens down the road, that we can point them to the archive as a helpful resource. I treasure the opportunity I've had to learn from the contents of this site, and to get to know and befriend the person responsible for initially bringing me back into artmaking, and whose work continues to inspire. They say "don't meet your heroes because in real life they often disappoint", but that has been dramatically untrue in this case. I am glad to know you, and to continue to follow you work & life on facebook, Janel. I'm grateful for all you have given and continue to give. You're pretty special, too! Whatever you decide, it'll be the right thing. With gratitude, Bonnie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janel Posted August 17, 2019 Report Share Posted August 17, 2019 Dear Bonnie, Thank you. Your succinct observations are sincerely appreciated. Further your offer of support is marvelous. I am trying to research what and how to make the forum appear on the archiving web site. There is a learning curve with that, it is not yet performing as I would like to see it. Meanwhile, please everyone, post and ask questions on The Carving Path forum and keep the information flowing. Thank you again Bonnie, you are immensely perceptive and helpful. Janel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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