Claus, from Leesburg, FL, has been carving for 15 years. He started carving songbirds which is still his first love, but he does carve animals, fish, human bust and fish. He also took up wood burning art 3 years ago and finds it very relaxing along with the carving. Claus teaches bird carving in his studio mostly for people in the Lakewood carving club of Leesburg, FL. He was president of the club for 5 years and now with his wife tend the library. Claus has won numerous ribbons and prizes. He entered 8 pieces in the Lake County Fair and won 8 blue ribbons and Best of Show for his wolf and third in class for his great horned owl. Claus enjoys doing pioneer style shows and demonstrates carving and talking to people about carving.

The cypress knees lend themselves to such figures as wood spirits, Old World Santas, traditional Santas, wizards, elves, sorceresses, green men, animals, etc., and are limited only by your imagination. You can choose a cypress knee for a particular figure you want to do, or choose a knee you like and let the shape of the knee suggest the figure. Barbara will help you find the figure in the knee if you wish.

Some woodcarving experience is helpful, but imagination and enthusiasm for the project will go a long way. We use knives, gouges and V-tools, and all tools need to be sharp as the cypress knee is fairly soft. Hair, beards, and mustaches can be carved with a small gouge or V-tool, or woodburned for a different look. The instructor will have a woodburner available. A small cypress knee can be carved in a day, while the larger knees may take an additional full day to complete. Completed knees look best when sanded with the 220 gold, cloth-backed sandpaper and then finished. They can be painted with acrylics or oils, or lacquered, or finished with tung oil only. The instructor will have examples of different figures and styles and finishes.

Barbara has been carving for 37 years and been teaching carving for 32 years. She is a returning instructor for the Florida Roundup, the Michigan Roundup in Evart, and the Northeast Woodcarving Roundup in Pennsylvania. She has also taught at the Southeastern Woodcarving School, John C. Campbell Folk School, and will be returning to teach for a second year at the Jacksonville Center for the Arts in Floyd, VA in July. She is a co-founder of the Tallahassee woodcarving club, Capital City Carvers, and regularly teaches workshops for the club, for the Tallahassee Museum of History and Natural Science, and for Light N Up Art Co-Op and Studios. She is frequently called upon for woodcarving demonstrations. Her carvings have been shown in galleries in Tallahassee, Havana, and Quincy, Florida, and have won several ribbons at woodcarving shows.

She can be contacted atcarvermann@yahoo.com. To visit her website at click here.

"Carving an Eagle in the Maritime Style" - this is a 26 inch wide eagle done in Butternut from a Rough Out, carved in a Maritime/folk art style made famous by John Bellamy of Kittery Maine in the 1860's. The Bellamy style eagles are made to hang flat against the wall. His carvings are actively collected and sell for thousands of dollars. His most famous work is the Lancaster Eagle ship's figurehead, on permanent display at the Mariner's Museum, Newport News, Virginia. We will cave this with large londhandled tools of which Jim will have plenty of sharp loaners. Bring a clamp and or a piece of rug to carve on, and a sharp v-tool, but if not Jim will have some loaners also. This Eagle can be substanically carved in one day, but you are welcome to come back as msny days as is necessary. Cost is $25 including the Butternutt Roughout. Jim will have an oil finish and acriylics available to paint with although you would have to spend at least 2 days to include painting. The intention is for the bird to be oiled and if a flag is included on the piece it would be painted.

"Carving your own Human Face Study Stick" is an introduction to face carving for the beginning woodcarver with little or no experience doing human faces. Students will have the opportunity to follow a methodology in developing a human face using just a knife. The emphasis of the class will be on the “process”, not the artistic nature of the carving. Students will go home with own Human face study sticks. Workshop charges are $15 per person, which includes all wood and supplies. This is a one day class and as it is step-by-step teaching technique, you will complete it in one day. A detailed description of the class can be seen by clicking on the Human Face Study Stick class to read all about it. This class will be offerred on Wednesday only.

Jim winters in Florida and is available for seminars in your local area. Contact Jim at jeodea@aol.com with questions.

Check the schedule to see which days these classes will be offered, click HERE

His background is in Architecture, art and stone and his unique style of fantasy architecture is reflected in his bark carvings. His workshops always promise to be interesting. A description and pictures of the Whimsical House In The Round class project can be seen by clicking on the Whimsical House to read all about it. Workshop cost is $30/day and includes matched blanks of your choice. This year Tony will also be offering the Hummingbird Feeder as seen in Carving Magazine, Basswood Houses and a Bobble Head Santa project in a basswood blank in a semi flat plane style using a knife.

Many of the projects he offers as a one day class could take more than one day to complete but, in that day, you can learn the techniques needed to finish the project at your own pace. If you should want to return for another day, bring a chair and a lapboard and join in the next days class. Tony only asks that you leave the tables open to the new days class. He is also available at the roundup at all times for any help you may need.

Cost is $30/day, $20/ half day which includes your choice of any project. Tony will also offer a Friday night one hour class on "Lighting Your Project" cost $5. Check the schedule to see which days these classes will be offered. Tony visits Florida often in the winter and is available for seminars in your local area, contact Tony at tonyjerickson@yahoo.com or anton@woodakoodashooda.com See several of his other carvings at his website

We will bring blanks for the jobs that should take only one day. They will range from $10.00 to $20.00 per blank. The size ranges from 6” x 10” up to 12” x 18” in different shapes. The price will include a computer generated lettering pattern. Each carver must have their own tools. We suggest a ½” or 3/8” and other size vee and round gouge, sharp knives, leather strop, sand paper and other finishing necessities. Remember if your doing large letters you may want larger tools, and smaller sign letters smaller tools. (Kind of common sense.) We bring the Water Base Acrylics and brushes for you, but if you have a special brush or brushes of your own bring those too. I know I like my own brushes for my work. We have power sanders for finishing and saws if a shape change is desirable. Remember, the idea is to keep it simple, have fun, and have the sign carved in one day.

Bill and Isa Hastings(Bill’s Wife} have been doing signs for nearly 30 years. We had a large Screen Printing factory and has now been reduced to just the two of us doing Specialty sign, as well as countless vinyl cut and back lighted signs. Sometime ago we have moved into the hand carved signs because of public demand. Few people knew that they could obtain excellent quality and have it last a long time. We got involved in hand carved signs more by accident than on purpose, but it has been going very well and the demand for our carved signs is growing. If you want to keep customers happy you have to keep ahead of the market demand.

Bill spent many years overseas in the Oil and Gas Pipeline construction and coating business. Asia, Australia, Europe, and the Middle East. The trick in preserving rust & corrosion on underground or offshore pipelines as well as signs is the coatings. After many years of pipe coating/painting, we know how to preserve steel pipelines and carved wooden signs too. And that’s the trick! ! We will help each student learn these tricks. (We supply the paint and the TRICKS.)

We are both very involved in the Sunrise Wood Carvers in Oscoda Michigan, and do several shows around Michigan. Bill will be attending the round up near Tampa, Florida March of 2008, and a learning seminar for the Capital City Carvers in Tallahassee, in early April.

Unfortunately, Isa will not be able to attend this year’s roundup due to sign business commitments. Each day will be the same routine. Now, lets just carve, and have fun!

Lowell will be returning for the forth year to this Roundup. He will have 30 different patterns of finished spoons and cutouts with prefinished bowls. Lowell attends 12 carving shows during the winter season, selling cutouts and encouraging people to carve.

Floyd has won numerous awards including the CCA Special Award in Dayton Ohio and recently a first place ribbon at the 2004 National CCA Competition. He teaches woodcarving classes all around the country including Michigan Woodcarving Seminars, Oscoda; Creative Woodcarving Seminar, Cadillac, MI in June each year; Woodcarvers Roundup, Evart, MI June each year; and NorthEast Woodcarvers Roundup, Honesdale, PA July each year. Floyd is looking forward to carving with new and old friends at the first Florida Roundup. Floyd will be teaching every day of the roundup.

Cost is $20 FOR A FULL DAY + BLANK COST. He has many blanks available which range in price from $8 TO $20. Generally 1 or 2 projects can be completed in a day. Floyd uses knives and palm gouges. Floyd will discuss his painting techniques and if there is time will do a painting demo one day. He uses watred down acrylic paints. Floyd is a 2007 inductee to the CARICATURE CARVERS OF AMERICA, Floyd was featured on the covers of all three major woodcarving magazines and took Best of Show, First and Second at the 2006 Caricature Carvers of America Show held at Dollywood, Pigeon Forge, TN. See several of his other carvings at his website

All levels of carvers are welcome, intermediate and above may enjoy it more. Power tools and hand tools both can be used and a set of micro chisels will be helpful. Workshop charges are $5 per person, per 1/2 day plus the cost of Basswood Catalpa and Butternut rough outs, pictures and an out line will be available at a cost of $25-$50. Rough outs include but not limited to a girl, mountain man and several Native Americans. Chris will be giving half day classes every morning and afternoon, some carvers may want to take two 1/2 day classes and are more than welcome to do so.

Chris has taken many ribbons in competition including:
2005 International Carving Congress -Best of Class in Realistic Bust, Best Of Group 2nd Place in Realistic Bust (Combining 2 or more subjects)
2006 International Carving Congress -Best of Class Combining 2 or more subjects, Best of Group in Realistic Bust (Combining 2 or more subjects)
2006 Artistry in Wood Dayton,Ohio - 1stRealistic Bust Painted Class, 2nd Realistic Bust Painted Class, 1st Combining 2 or more subjects
2007 International Carving Congress-2nd Realistic Painted Bust
2007 Artistry in Wood Dayton,Ohio -Special Award, 1st and 2nd, Deacon Don and Shirley Deitz Religious Award, 1st Realistic Bust
Chris's website

He has won numerous ribbons at various Carving Shows and Art Shows and has served as a judge at the Florida State Fair. Cecil owns Sunshine Woodcarving Supply selling carving tools and supplies. You can check out his products at his web site here

Cecil will have his full line of tools, supplies and books for sale at the Roundup.

Cecil will be having one day classes on Wedensday, Thrusday, Friday and Saturday. Students can choose any project: Standing Black bear; Walking Black Bear; Howling Wolf. Rough outs and/or cutouts will be available. All projects will take more than one day to completely carve and burn in the fur. You can choose a different project each day or Cecil suggests you choose one project until finished. Students may use either power or hand tools, their choice. If they use power , they will need some sort of dust collector.

Class cost is $35.00 a Day plus cost of the blank or rough out.
Standing Black Bear....... Blank $15.00 .......Rough out $25.00 SIZE ....About 11" tall
Walking Black Bear.........Blank $15.00.........Rough out $25.00 SIZE....About 8" long
Howling Wolf...................Blank $15.00.........Rough out $25.00 Size About 6" long

Power tools are used but the carving can be done with hand tools. Also v- gouges and a wood burner will be needed. These can be purchased at the round up from the instructor if the student does not have them. All painting supplies must be supplied by the student so bring appropriate colors and brushes.

Pete, a resident of Gardner, Massachusetts, has been carving since 1973 and began showing his work in 1990. In 1994 Pete won Best of Show at the Susquehanna Decoy and Woodcarving Show in Pennsylvania, and is a two time Texas Whittling Champion in the open competition!

Pete is a member of the prestigious Caricature Carvers of America. He was inducted into CCA in September 1994. He now teaches seminars throughout the country and recently taught and lectured in the UK and Australia. He is the author of three books – “Carving Caricature Heads & Faces”, “Carving Caricature Figures from Scratch” and "Carving A Caricature Bust". Pete also contributed to the book “Carving the Full Moon Saloon” and “Carving the Circus”.

Pete teaches in a very structured manner, step by step. Thus to get the full benefit of the class students must be there at the start and stay thru the end of the class. The bottle stopper will be completed in the 2 day class and the faces will be completed in the one day class. The one day face class will be the same face on each successive day. Please don't sign up for multiple classes with Pete, give other students a chance to take this class.

Pete recommends (but not required) : #9 sweep -5mm (Swiss gouge); #11-3mm (Swiss gouge); #9-3/8" (Harmen or Ramulson gouge); #7-1/2" (Harmen or Ramulson gouge).Pete will have several extras of these recommended gouges with him for the students to use during the class. And a sharp knife.

Jack carves numerous subjects including fish, birds, animals, Santas, caricatures, and walking sticks and canes. He specializes in birds, especially wading and shore birds- the topics of his seminars for 2008. Classes will cost $25 per student per day, plus the cost of a blank. For the carving class he will have blanks available of at least two species of shorebirds and one miniature heron to be carved. Blanks will cost $15 to $20 each.

The painting class will cost $25 per student per day. Bring your own bird ready to paint or purchase a roughed out shorebird which is ready to paint, these priced individually from $25 to $35 each. Jack will teach his style of painting using multiple washes for building base coats and then using his "magic brush" and white chalk pencil to do feather edging. Brushes, paints, and pencils will be offered for sale.

Jack will also offer an evening demonstration on fashioning bird feet and legs from copper wire, a process unique to his style of carving. The resultant legs are then carved using a special dremel carbide bit. Tools used in the demo will also be available for sale.

Jack Miller resides in Hanover, PA and has been carving for twelve years and teaching carving for eight. He is a state certified teacher and guidance counselor. Jack has taught carving seminars at many venues, including his home studio, at his high school, at various community centers, at carving clubs in Rhode Island, Connecticut, Maryland, Delaware, and Pennsylvania, and at several roundups across the country. He and his student established and conduct the Northeast Woodcarvers Roundup in Honesdale, PA.

Jack has competed at numerous woodcarving shows in the eastern U.S. His carving of a northern pike fish decoy was pictured in a calendar in Michigan and also won a world championship ribbon. He has won numerous ribbons in shows in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia. He has won eighteen (18) ribbons from the Ward World Championship carving competition in Ocean City, MD. His western sandpiper rig was awarded Best of Show at the Middle Creek Wildlife competition in Pennsylvania. His carvings are treasured in numerous homes in the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Mexico.

Jack welcomes carvers of all levels into his classes and hopes that carvers will sign up for his painting classes. So may carvers have expressed concern about their lack of painting skill that Jack has developed this painting class to address this need. Jack uses very few tools for his carving- a Murphy knife, a #9 Phiel gouge, a bent V Phiel gouge, and a set of Dockyard mini gouges. All classes will be taught using these few tools. Pictures of some of Jack's work can be viewed by clicking here to see Jack's newest web site or clicking here to see more of Jack's carvings.

Learn how to create and paint realistic fur as well as other textures to make your carving come to life. Leah will be teaching two 1 day classes, one Saturday and repeating on Sunday. Using a practice block, students will learn how to create various types of realistic fur as well as other textures using simple hand tools and a wood burner. Once the texture is created students will then learn and practice the various painting techniques.

Cost is $20.00 per day which includes the cost of all wood and paint. Students are welcome to bring other carvings to work on painting and finishing as well. Rough-outs of Leah's small animals will also be available for purchase.

Leah contributes to several wood carving magazines, and has authored her own book “Carving Nature’s Rascals: Wood Carving an Armadillo, Skunk, Mouse and Raccoon.” She has competed nationally and has won numerous awards as well as best of show in the Artistry in Wood show, Dayton,OH. She has recently been filmed for the Wood Sculpting series for the DYI network. Leah has taught wood carving for the past nine years. Leah regrets she can not make it on the other Roundup days due to her "Day" job commitments.

Mel will be teaching classes on animals, wood spirits, love spoons, 4-part roses, many kinds of ornaments, whistles, toys, knives, and pins. Cost is $10 per 1/2 day and $5 to $20 per blank depending on what you want to carve. He will have a large variety of blanks available, and his students will be able to carve whatever they want. Mel is the current president of the Woodbee Carvers Club in Iron Mountain, MI, To see examples of his work click HERE