From gluing to carving...Malinda

Yesterday, after doing a quick writing assignment, I got back to the work of creating the horses that will make up the Berkshire Carousel. There was a need to create a glued up block for a headless horse. Phil gave me the dimensions, and my experience from some previous days kicked in. It is amazing how quickly you can become somewhat skilled in these things. My first full day at the carousel, I learned the gluing technique as I put together Malinda's head and neck blocks. Perhaps I am a fast learner.

Photo by Katy Levesque

Then I got to carving on Malinda's body. All of the body parts for this horse are spelled this way, and in some cases, the traditional "e", the second letter, has been crossed out, and changed to an "a". Some other "newcomer" volunteers, who had been used to the traditional spelling of the name inquired about this. (Some of us had been in teaching before coming to the carousel, and we are very aware of names and spelling.)

There is a story behind the name, and I am finding out there is a story behind every horse. The name is actually Ma-Linda, in memory of a wonderful woman named Linda who was also a great Ma to her kids. Malinda is a large horse, and will be one of the more ornately decorated horses on the carousel.

I marvel at how carving is done. A drawing is traced onto the blocks with anatomical features such as eyes, jawbone, nose, teeth and mane. Bridle and straps are drawn, and flowers or other decorations on top of all of it. It is the carvers job to remove wood with a variety of chisels so that all of the features of the drawing are apparent. Determining the center line is critical so the anatomical parts and straps match up. The right side of the horse will be the decorated or romantic side, and also the more challenging side for the carver.

A good three dimensional eye is required as the carver determines where the deepest parts of the carving will be, usually the body skin of the horse. Material is removed gradually down to that level, leaving high the saddle, blankets, straps, flowers and other adornments. The article closest to the horses flesh or perhaps the jawbone, is the next level to carve to, and so on until the three dimensions are carved to the drawings, and the original blocks of wood are rounded into a shape that resembles the structure of a horse.

It takes the patience that I spoke of earlier. And since this is a huge volunteer effort, involving hundred of people over 6 or 7 years, lots of collaboration on the part of the master carvers. It was described as the largest volunteer permanent art project ever attempted in Massachusetts. It is good to be part of it.