West Coast Eisteddfod 2011 Lovespoon - Video Blog

LINKS

David Western's Portland Eisteddfod Lovespoon

Fine Art of Carving Lovespoons: Understanding, Designing, and Carving Romantic Heirlooms

 
"The Fine Art of Carving Lovespoons" An Interview with David Western

Portland Lovespoon 2010 Finished!!

Laura Gorun collaborated with David on the design of the 2010 Left Coast Eisteddfod Lovespoon. See an excerpt from the blog here:-

David Western and Laura Gorun's Left Coast Eisteddfod Lovespoon Blog, 6 April 2010,

See the West Coast Eisteddfod Lovespoon at the AmeriCymru table at NAFOW and the W.C.E :-

NAFOW

West Coast Eisteddfod

From the Wikipedia

'The lovespoon is a traditional craft that dates back to the seventeenth century. Over generations, decorative carvings were added to the spoon and it lost its original practical use and became a treasured decorative item to be hung on a wall.

The earliest known dated lovespoon from Wales, displayed in the St Fagans National History Museum near Cardiff, is from 1667, although the tradition is believed to date back long before that. The earliest dated lovespoon worldwide originates from Germany, and is dated as 1664.

The lovespoon was given to a young woman by her suitor. It was important for the girl's father to see that the young man was capable of providing for the family and woodworking.

Sailors would often carve lovespoons during their long journeys, which is why anchors would often be incorporated into the carvings.

Certain symbols came to have specific meanings: a horseshoe for luck, a cross for faith, bells for marriage, hearts for love, a wheel supporting a loved one and a lock for security, among others. Caged balls indicated the number of children hoped for. Other difficult carvings, such as chains, were as much a demonstration of the carver's skill as a symbolic meaning.

Although the Welsh lovespoon is the most famous there are also traditions of lovespoons in Scandinavia and some parts of Eastern Europe, which have their own unique styles and techniques.

Today lovespoons are given as wedding and anniversary gifts, as well as birthday, baby gifts, Christmas or Valentine's Day gifts. They are now mostly seen as a folk craft.'

2011 West Coast Eisteddfod Lovespoon Complete!!!!!

Reproduced with permission from David Western's Portland Eisteddfod Lovespoon Blog

TA DAAAA!

2011 West Coast Eisteddfod Lovespoon

Front View ( click to enlarge image )

The 2011 Eisteddfod Lovespoon is finally done!   I am just applying a few coats of oil to bring up the colouration and to protect it from the elements a bit and then it will be ready to go!   I'm really pleased with how it has turned out...the wood has a soft amber tone with flecks of colour from the spalting which give it some real liveliness.  The design worked out as I had hoped it would with the dragon being dominant, but not overwhelming (or cliche).  I'm also delighted with how the contest designs worked out.  They are all very eye-catching and relevant....I'm glad I didn't have to decide which ones went on there though, there were a lot of really good ideas!   I think my favourite part of this year's spoon is the look of the knotwork.  I'm very pleased with how soft and 'organic' the birch makes the knots look; they are very touchable!!!   I think this year's spoon is a very unique design which will go very nicely on some lucky donor's wall!!!

2011 West Coast Eisteddfod Lovespoon

Back View ( click to enlarge image )

This year I included L.C.E. 2011 on the back surface of the design...even though I know the official name of the event is the West Coast Eisteddfod, the seditious side of my nature couldn't help itself, and I reached back to the event's original moniker, The Left Coast Eisteddfod-- cheeky yes, but who is going to stop me??)  I thought we should commemorate the event in a way which was both noticeable AND unobtrusive (with contradictory ideas like THAT, I should have been a politician!!) so I figured some thin lettering along the back of the spoon would be the way to do it!   With the knotwork carved as thoroughly on the back as it is on the front, the spoon will cast some nice viewing shadows when hung on display and the shadows will help to give the knotwork even more depth!

This spoon represents a great deal of thought, time and effort and I hope that you are as pleased with the results as I am.   The whole purpose of carving the spoon has been, and continues to be, to raise funds which will be used to stage our Eisteddfod.   It is my hope that you agree the West Coast Eisteddfod is a great idea worthy of your support and that you will consider donating a dollar or two even if you don't think you'll be able to attend. Every dollar you donate equals a chance to win this spoon and I thank you in advance for your kind donations!

David Western Supports The Left Coast Eisteddfod!

Reproduced from David Western's Portland Eisteddfod Lovespoon Blog

To support the development of the Left Coast Eisteddfod next year, I am donating a handcrafted, one-of-a-kind Welsh lovespoon which Americymru will raffle off to help raise needed funds.

I'm proud to be able to contribute to the creation of the Eisteddfod and to help highlight Welsh people and their culture here in North America. Everyone knows the Scottish and Irish and it is through events like the Eisteddfod that people will come to know the Welsh.

The lovespoon will be carved from a single piece of wood which has been reclaimed from a walnut bar panel. The spoon will be very modern in design but it will retain a traditional feel. The Welsh dragon will be the foremost feature of the spoon, but it won't be the cliched flag dragon which has been done to death on everything from knickers to door knockers. Y Driag will exude power and strength but without arrogance or ferocity.

Two bowls merging together are a traditional symbol for union, so I have used that theme to symbolize the merging of Wales with North America. From those bowls spring vigorous intertwining vines (a symbol for growth) and a symbol for the growth of Welsh culture which will come about as a result of events like the Eisteddfod.

A maple leaf indicates Canada and a star the USA with both supporting the dragon. Between the dragon's body and wings, the vine becomes a Celtic knot and symbolizes eternity.

I will, over the next few weeks, document the carving of the spoon and hope that you will drop by from time to time to follow the progress. I also hope that you will be moved to buy a ticket or two on the raffle!! If you are a Welsh celebrity, maybe you'd like to buy a load of them and help us really kick-start this process!

"The Fine Art of Carving Lovespoons" An Interview with David Western.

AmeriCymru: What is a lovespoon and what is it for? Are there comparable or similar customs in other cultures?

David: "A lovespoon is a heavily ornamented, non-functional gift of love or strong emotion. How's that for dry? Originally, it was a handmade spoon given by its maker to the girl who had captivated his heart in the hopes its acceptance would lead to the beginnings of a courtship. The custom was known throughout Wales and was known to exist in Sweden, the Alpine regions and even down to Hungary; it is even reputed to have occured in areas of Spain, France, Italy and Greece. It is in Wales however,that the lovespoon has survived the industrial revolution and it is the only country where it has survived in a notable fashion."

AmeriCymru: How did you become involved in carving spoons?

David: "My usual line is that I am too small for rugby and I lack the voice for choral singing, but I am a dab hand with a knife so lovespoon carving was a good way to stay Welsh! It is, of course, much more complicated and longwinded than that, but hiraeth and a desire to hold onto an element of Welshness was certainly at the root of it."

AmeriCymru: Who do you carve them for and what do your customers want from a lovespoon?

David: "The vast majority of my lovespoons are carved to commission order for clients who wish to create an heirloom gift expressing something 'of them' in a meaningful and emotional way. Both I and my customers want a lovespoon which says 'who they are' and what is good about them and their lives. That is a pretty tall order for a little piece of wood, but a lovespoon can deliver that result in a way few other things can."

AmeriCymru: Can you tell us something about the design elements of a lovespoon? Are there classic patterns that have particular meanings?

David: "Lovespoons are reknowned for their symbolism and abilities to 'tell stories'. How much of this truly goes back to the old days is still open for debate, but modern lovespoons have developed a large number of well known symbols which can be used to send messages of emotion. New symbols are constantly being added to the repertoire as lovespoon carving is a tradition in constant flux. Some symbols are famous and well known; hearts for love, diamonds for prosperity, horseshoes for good luck, others are more controversial; the comma shaped 'soul symbol', chain link or balls in cages for number of children or security. Symbols are even used on spoons which may only have relevance for the person receiving the spoon."

Find more photos like this on Americymru

AmeriCymru: Do you include both those classic elements and your own creations in your spoons?

David: "Although many of my designs can stray a good distance from 'classic design', I do keep a foot fairly firmly in tradition. My spoons are all carved from a single piece of wood as is the traditonal method and all strive to capture as much emotion as I can. In this sense they are very traditional."

AmeriCymru: Do you have a particular favorite design or element that you like or like to carve?

David: "I don't really have favourites, I really do just enjoy carving! I will occasionally go through phases where I am particularly happy carving leaves or hearts or doing Celtic knotwork, but for the most part I like it all equally."

AmeriCymru: How do you arrive at the design for a spoon for a client?

David: "Whenever possible, I work with my clients to capture as many of their ideas and emotions as I can in the design. We discuss things which are important to them in their lives and look for ways to symbolize them in the spoon. It is important that they and their lives be represented as much as possible and it is this which gives the spoon a deeper meaning for them."

AmeriCymru: You've created spoons for individual clients but you also have spoons on display in collections. Where can people see your work?

David: "Except for the occasional piece I do for myself and a piece collected by the National History Museum of Wales at St Fagans near Cardiff, all of my work goes to private collection. My pieces are very personal and emotional pieces which are carved for their owners expressly. I do, however, keep a large selection of photographs on my website at www.davidwesternlovespoons.com and there is a large gallery of my work in "The Fine Art of Carving Lovespoons" as well."

AmeriCymru: Is there any one piece you are most proud of?

David: "My favorite piece is actually a collection of four spoons very simply carved from a spectacular piece of spalted maple. I did very little carving on the wood except add the occassional heart and a bowl to each piece. The simplicity of the shapes and the stunning beauty of the wood do and say everything. The might not be to everyone's taste, but that is the nice thing about lovespoons...there's something for everyone!!"

AmeriCymru: You have recently written a book. How does it feel to be a published author?

David: "It is a tremendous feeling to get a book into print and to know that the lovespoon tradition has the potential to reach thousands of people throughout North America and the UK. Fox Chapel Publishing have been extremely supportive on this project and have done a brilliant job of turning my scribbles and pictures into a beautiful book. I'm very proud of myself of course, but I feel as much or more pride for the lovespoons and the tradition which is being brought to the bookbuying world! The book, entitled "The Fine Art of Carving Lovespoons" is available from Fox Chapel Publishing, Amazon, Borders or from your local book dealer."

AmeriCymru: Is the book aimed at absolute beginners? Could a novice acquire the skills to produce a lovespoon by reading your book?

David: "While the primary thrust of the book is to assist the complete beginner to understand the process of carving a lovespoon, intermediate and even advanced carvers and woodworkers will also find plenty to interest, inspire and challenge them. The book is the most complete collection of valuable information on the history and methods of lovespoon carving currently available and I hope it will inspire lots of carvers both novice and more experienced to take up this wonderful tradition."

AmeriCymru: Should there be more lovespoons in the world? What could be done to make the custom of giving and receiving lovespoons more widely known and practiced?

David: "Lovespoons, by their nature, are messages of love and deep caring. In our rush-rush world of plastic sentiment, there is always room for these genuine expressions of emotion. Before the industrial revolution, a lovespoon was THE way to show love and affection, so the question is, are we any better off without them? I think the answer is a resounding no ! I think the Welsh have done the lovespoon a great service by embracing it as an icon and I think that will help to secure its survival for the next while, however, the cheapening and mass producing of the lovespoon (while flooding the market with inexpensive product) threatens to sterilize and distort the lovespoon. It is when the spoons are created by hand and for an emotional purpose they have their greatest power and it is this legacy which needs to be encouraged."