A mother, father, and their seven-year old son Ryan accepted the invitation to observe wood carving classes held in Lake Placid, New York last month. Ryan proclaimed "I want to carve a loon" when he entered a room filled with carvers fashioning common loons. I responded by saying he's a bit young to try, but someone in a carving club near his home might be willing to teach him. His parents chatted with our teacher, Butch Clark, as they investigated the work of each student. Ryan chatted with me.
I asked if he really wanted to carve a loon. Ryan said, "Yes. I love loons. I love to draw birds and do it all the time. I would love to carve a loon!" I explained that carving might be difficult at his age, but that some carving teachers start children on bars of soap which require less hand strength than wood. Ryan suggested that perhaps he should focus on drawing then try carving in a few years. I validated his idea by sharing that I'm learning to draw because it helps me see birds better which, in turn, helps me carve better. Perhaps focusing on drawing now will put him ahead of the game when he starts carving later. He smiled a smile that conveyed that he knew the next steps in his journey as a bird artist.
Our conversation was between two artists; that I am sixty one years older than Ryan and that I have been carving for years while he has not yet carved his first bird were insignificant details. After Ryan and his parents left, I told Butch my sense that Ryan is one of those people who have a call to carving. Butch had learned from Ryan's parents that they live quite near Jim O'Dea - a carving teacher and the organizer of the Lake Placid Carving Experience Event. Upon hearing my sense of Ryan's deep desire to learn, he found Ryan's parents and introduced the family to Jim who agreed to teach Ryan and his parents how to carve.
Ryan's love of drawing birds, especially loons, may be a flame that burns brightly briefly then dies out as is usual with the interests of seven-year-olds. But maybe, just maybe he is one of the lucky few who discover their life passion in childhood. Maybe a short conversation with a stranger will add fuel to a fire that will burn within the boy for decades.
I asked if he really wanted to carve a loon. Ryan said, "Yes. I love loons. I love to draw birds and do it all the time. I would love to carve a loon!" I explained that carving might be difficult at his age, but that some carving teachers start children on bars of soap which require less hand strength than wood. Ryan suggested that perhaps he should focus on drawing then try carving in a few years. I validated his idea by sharing that I'm learning to draw because it helps me see birds better which, in turn, helps me carve better. Perhaps focusing on drawing now will put him ahead of the game when he starts carving later. He smiled a smile that conveyed that he knew the next steps in his journey as a bird artist.
Our conversation was between two artists; that I am sixty one years older than Ryan and that I have been carving for years while he has not yet carved his first bird were insignificant details. After Ryan and his parents left, I told Butch my sense that Ryan is one of those people who have a call to carving. Butch had learned from Ryan's parents that they live quite near Jim O'Dea - a carving teacher and the organizer of the Lake Placid Carving Experience Event. Upon hearing my sense of Ryan's deep desire to learn, he found Ryan's parents and introduced the family to Jim who agreed to teach Ryan and his parents how to carve.
Ryan's love of drawing birds, especially loons, may be a flame that burns brightly briefly then dies out as is usual with the interests of seven-year-olds. But maybe, just maybe he is one of the lucky few who discover their life passion in childhood. Maybe a short conversation with a stranger will add fuel to a fire that will burn within the boy for decades.