n u d e s

The human form, untroubled by clothes, has been the subject of endless artistic endeavour, and abundant critical thought. We need only mention the works of classical antiquity alongside the anamorphotically modulated effigies of any regional culture you might care to mention, Igbo to Hopi, to give the reader an idea of the range of gazes that have fallen upon the nude, and taken up tools in response. As in geometry and calculus, tracing the nude reduces structures in space to an elemental level -- the extent of greater or lesser degrees of curvature, an extremum here, a point of inflection there, form is considered in the purest terms.

Big thanks to Erika and Patrick for having our 18th meeting in their house. Nudes proved a fecund subject for carving, as you may see below.

14th Meeting - Hotel Garderobe

For the past few days the sun has bombarded us with streams of photons, so we hid away in a dark hole in a half-abandoned building to conduct experiments. This time around the whittling-club was hosted by "Hotel Garderobe" - a secret cinema run by whittling-club member Adam in a hole through his wardrobe.

Specially made poster for 14th meeting

Photocopy hand-out and whittling by Jack.

Tooth by Jamie J J

Flower by Lawrence

12th Meeting

Bleeding Thumb Whittling Club at Rachmaninoff's
Wednesday 9th of February 6-12pm

As well as all as all of the usual activities, we are pleased to present two new outputs -- audio CDs -- one with sound work by members, the other containing sound culled from American folklore films, which could be called the aural equivalent of whittling.

We invite you to the twelfth meeting of the BTWC at Rachmaninoff's, to take part in the wood shaving, to consume pickles and coffee (sharp), to take part in the tacit decision of a group to sit in hush, cutting, cutting.

Everyone welcome, tools and wood supplied.

A display connected with the event is viewable by appointment Thursday and Friday 10,11 February.

Rachmaninoff's

First floor, Unit 106
301 Kingsland Road
London E8 4DS
t +44 (0)20 7275 0757
www.rachmaninoffs.com

BTWC III (Twin Peaks)

"There's something about a lady and a log..."

--David Lynch

Photocopy handout for the 3rd meeting

The third meeting of BTWC was rather busy, and although there were quite a few first-time whittlers at this meeting there were hardly any cuts. One could ascribe this unusual alertness to the double combination of home-made cherry-pie, donuts, and strong black coffee, which were served in line with the Twin Peaks theme of the evening.

David Lynch has long explored the transcendental possibilities of wood and the forest, never more explicitly than in Twin Peaks. Whether it be the Log Lady's talking log, trouble at the mill, or the black lodge situated among majestic Douglas Firs, Lynch has limned a special place in the world of timber. Our club has produced its share of owls too, which mediate between the world of souls embedded in wood and that of humans.

As the soundtrack from the show played, we were happy to welcome guests from as far away as New York and Japan. Writer and drummer Oran Canfield juggled five lemons while Ben T introduced the world to the BTWC via Chat Roulette.

Around midnight, people made their way home.

Donut by Billy

BTWC II

Photocopy handout for 2nd meeting

It has been some time since the occasion of the second meeting of the Bleeding Thumb Whittling Club, but we feel it cannot go unremarked upon. The sharp knives were out in force with members bringing some interesting models, including Mark's scooping blade from Mora, with which he crafted an excellent spoon.


This time the wood was excellent. Having cut their teeth cleaning green wood of its bark and other such rudiments of whittling, our members were now able to get involved with some German lime-wood. The staple of German figure carvers for centuries, lime is a medium hardness deciduous wood with a heady citric scent. Whilst somewhat prone to cleaving when cut close to the direction of the grain, when carved across the grain beautiful rich patterns are exposed. We now have a useful stockpile of lime-wood for upcoming meetings.

When the club was finished, we swept up and kept the aromatic chip shavings; one day, we will burn them in a ritual.

On the Occasion of the First Meeting of the Bleeding Thumb Whittling Club -- 12/IX/2009

To those in attendance, we say Thank You. The solid elements were wood and bread, in opposition - respectively - to carbon-steel blades and pickles. The liquid elements were those of a triad: borsht soup, grain-spirit, and blood. Between these, flesh mediated numerous achievements: a mushroom talisman with ornate bark-work, a wooden pebble, and a functioning butter-knife.

To the next meeting we add a sharpening implement -- an oil stone. Thus our elemental tool box will be augmented by the solid stone and the liquid oil, though some claim that oil and the other fluids are immiscible.

Photocopy handout