Posthumous Relief Wood Carvings by D. Bruce Walker
Welcome to the world of Carvatures relief wood carvings. What you will find in the wood crafts art gallery is just a small sample of relief wood carvings from award winning wood carver, D. Bruce Walker.
What is almost impossible to see from the Photos of the carvings is the depth of the cut into the wood. Relief wood carvings have been described by many like a “3D picture” where the image seems to “leap” from the wood. Several carvings in the art gallery Celebrity Photos are “shallow relief”, meaning the cut into the wood is only a quarter inch or so. Others, like the bears, will spring forth from the wall hanging by 4 or 5 inches. Unfortunately, it is impossible to capture the wood crafts detail in a photo. If a part of the relief wood carving seems to be out of focus, this is because that part of the wood carving is several inches deep.
Not only did award winning wood carver D. Bruce Walker do relief carvings that hang on the wall like a 3D picture, he also created wood sculptures. These can sit on a desk or table and are carved all the way around. There was not much that Bruce could not carve.
The summer of 2008 Bruce Walker passed away. The family has decided to keep the Carvings that had not been sold. We will keep the website going to show the fabulous carvings Bruce created during his life.
ABOUT THE ARTIST – D. BRUCE WALKER
To Carve 3-D wood sculptures that literally leap out of the frame in his relief wood carvings has taken more than just a set of carving tools. D. Bruce Walker started his artistic career on the stage in Eastern Canada in the 1970’s. Later that decade, he moved to the West Coast where he met the Haida Native who would change the course of his career. His Native friend presented him with his first set of carving tools and Bruce found his true artistic calling in wood carving. A period followed where no railway tie nor abandoned “two-by-four” escaped Bruce’s tools.
Bruce moved to Alberta in the eighties, where he discovered clays and terra cotta. His idea of creating realism in 3D tabletop and wall-mount miniatures began with a full line of musical instruments ranging from pianos in 1800’s bar scenes to the basses and saxophones of jazz, on to country music favorites such as fiddles, guitars and banjos. Later that decade, while working as a mould maker for a Calgary display company, Bruce created sculpture moulds of mannequins for plastic thermoforming and precision computer cabinets which were distributed throughout North America. Unfortunately, his artistic career was temporarily halted after this period as his right arm and hand were paralyzed in an accident. Not to be stopped, he simply trained his left side to continue.
It was during this period that Bruce renewed his attachment to wood crafts. From the early 90’s to the present, he has been creating full dimensional characters in wood that literally leap out of the wall-mounts. His works are predominantly in oak that has been selectively culled and does not support the destruction of forests.
Unfortunately, only a small percentage of his earlier works are represented in this portfolio, due to the unavailability of quality film prints in the past. Some pieces of this portfolio are still available and any of the pieces can be duplicated on a limited basis. In viewing this portfolio, which spans from the most recent to his earlier work, Bruce’s progression in his craft is evident, with the promise of increased complexity in his future works.
This is the last work for a client who will use the Corbel Angels
on either side of his fireplace Mantle.
Millennialascent
Wood-Oak 14″ X 14″
Representing the history of the past millennium.
Bluerose
Wood-Poplar 12″ X 6″
Patriot
Wood-Birch 8″ X 11″
Cut from a log actually brought down by a beaver.
Produced on an oak panel from a kitchen cupboard. This piece shows the various options available of where one of his works can be placed. The possibilities are endless. (18 X 29 inches)
Produced to coincide with the 1999 Calgary Stampede, this piece demonstrates the western theme potential. (17 X 20 inches)
The artist retrieved a door made in 1916 and decided to recycle, and this character is the result. The purchaser would continue this utilization of a treasured resource. In it are symbols of recycling. As in nature the wind propelling the sailboat, the child in the baby buggy (as life cycle) the trees to newspaper, then post consumer reuse and the hill which if you follow it up, it will inevitably take you down again. And of course the man himself whom it appears is being body snatched into a tree with a face like image in the burl wood. (33 X 20 inches)
Pedistal
Daydreamer
Gothic
Clowns
This is the same carving after the artist painted the piece.The Gallery owner, where this is currently on display, suggested it be painted to add another dimension and this is the result. (15 X 16 inches)