West Coast Eisteddfod Lovespoon Contest On!

Reproduced with permission from David Western's Portland Lovespoon Blog

Well, no sooner had we announced the contest to help design this year's Eisteddfod spoon, the ideas came flooding in! We're very excited to get such a positive response and we look forward to seeing lots more excellent ideas!

In case you missed it last week, here is the design for the spoon:

We'll be looking for 3 designs to fit the blank circular sections and are open to any and all ideas at this point. As mentioned earlier, you don't need to be an AmeriCymru member or have the artistic capabilities of a Rembrandt...you just need a desire to have some fun. Scribble down your best ideas and post them as comments at one of three locations:

• Dave Western's Blog
• AmeriCymru members
• Facebook members

You may enter as many ideas as you like but only one design idea per person will make it to the final poll.

The contest is open now and will close for entries on March 31 so you have chance to ammend, improve or re-do your entries you may have already sent or if you think of something better in the six weeks! The final poll to choose three designs will be up on all three sites for one month from April 1st and will close April 30. There are no restrictions to what you can enter -- pictures, photos, poems, whatever floats your boat! Just remember that it has to fit in a 2" inch diameter circle and I have to have a fighting chance of rendering it in wood. So photos of the Sistine Chapel Ceiling or the unedited text of Beowulf likely won't make the cut!! If you are Welsh or have Welsh ancestry, let your pride have free reign, if you aren't Welsh, pretend you are! Everybody is welcome to enter, we don't care if you are kids, grandparents, miserable cranks, wickedly irreverent humourists, capitalists, socialists, fat, thin, incredibly witty, ploddingly dull, even if you are English!! So go on, give it a go and don't use the old 'I can't draw' and 'I don't have the imagination for this kind of thing' routines, because we've already taken those....THAT'S why we're getting YOU to do the work for us!!!

Winners will be selected by public vote during the month of April. Visitors to the AmeriCymru website will be free to vote for their three favourites from 10 possibilities picked by a selection committee comprised of Ceri, Gaabi, Dave and Lorin. The selection possibilities will be chosen after a rigorous protocol of alcohol consumption, intense brawling, arguing and name-calling, in the Welsh tradition, has taken place within the committee.

We even have prizes!!! Fox Chapel Publishing have generously donated three copies of "The Fine Art of Lovespoon Carving" to be awarded for the three winning designs. As a bonus, you will also enjoy the unstinting praise and admiration of all who behold your champion design when they are announced on May 1!

Have fun and be part of the 2011 West Coast Eisteddfod!!! But please remember that the spoon's purpose is to help raise donations to support our event. Please see your way to helping with a donation and you could be the one who wins it!!

David Western's Portland Eisteddfod Lovespoon: THIS is a lovespoon!!!

David Western's Portland Eisteddfod Lovespoon: THIS is a lovespoon!!!: "With the Left Coast Eisteddfod lovespoon somewhere in the air over the continental USA, I thought I would use the time before Laura gets ..." more here

Jesus Presley, Western Aerial, Runaway Norm and The SlimJims Play Left Coast Eisteddfod in Portland, Oregon

Friday Night's Lineup Finalized Jesus Presley Leader and founder of the band, The Reverend Tony Hughes comes from a long line of jazz musicians. His father played with Wes Montgomery and his grandfather played radio shows back in the 30's and 40's. So for him it was really the only thing he knew growing up. He has always had a love for music of all styles, and its apparent from the sound that Jesus Presley plays. In 1994, while booking music for a club in Portland Oregon, he noticed that there was a lack of large show bands playing in live music venues. He had an idea for a band that played music that was a little off center, mixed styles from swing, jazz, R&B to rock and the whole time making sure everyone was having fun. The whole concept was to include everyone in the experience, from the musicians to the folks going out to see live music. For the musicians in the band it was simple- they stopped worrying about the music industry and focused on music and entertaining people. For the past 12 years Jesus Presley have amassed a following in the Pacific Northwest and received critical acclaim for their live shows, musicianship and recordings. After achieving a cult status and playing every music venue and festival and event they could. They have learned a couple things, fun is fun and now matter what you do, it better be fun. http://www.jesuspresley.com/ http://www.myspace.com/jesuspresley Western Aerial Western Aerial’s music and ferocious live show have drawn recent comparisons to Foo Fighters and Jet, creating a diverse and loyal following of supporters who have been looking for a genuine rock ‘n’ roll band. Geoff Metts’ whiskey-soaked vocals and swaggering guitar riffs pour over Jimmy Richards’ thundering bass rhythms and bone crushing backbeats by drummer Anthony Tripp. Western Aerial’s use of infectious melodies and AC/DC style hooks make it clear that it’s once again cool to play a guitar solo. http://www.westernaerial.com/home.htm http://www.myspace.com/westernaerial Runaway Norm Runaway Norm has brought together a unique blend of music genres to create acoustic-driven rock music that will leave you singing and dancing. http://www.runawaynorm.com/ http://www.myspace.com/runawaynorm The SlimJims Mixing an eclectic variety of popular music with unconventional “B-side” hits, The SlimJims put their alternative upbeat twist on over five decades of quality American roots music. They’ve distilled the best of 40’s traditional western, 50’s rock-n-roll, 60’s folk, and 70’s country into one tall cool refreshing drink you can sip all night long. So just click on their calendar to catch them at a favorite venue near you. You won’t go away thirsting for another round... www.TheSlimJims.com www.Myspace.com/tommyvonjim

BUY TICKETS FOR THE LEFT COAST EISTEDDFOD SHOWS FRIDAY NIGHT - JESUS PRESLEY, WESTERN AERIAL, RUNAWAY NORM, THE SLIMJIMS SATURDAY - CHRIS NEEDS, BRUCE ANDERSON, OCEANS APART, TYLER STENSON AUGUST 21st - 22nd 2009 McMenamins Crystal Ballroom 1332 W Burnside Portland Oregon

David Western's Lovespoon Eisteddfod Blog, 6 July 2009 - "Home Again, Home Again, at last!"

Reprinted with permission from David Western's blog, all material © 2009, David Western --

I've just got back from a couple of weeks in Europe. My wife loves to go there for the art, the scenery, the markets, the food, the vino and the history. Me, I like to go there to crawl around under church pews, to crick my neck trying to spot carvings on timber framed houses, to be the guy laying on the floor taking pictures of an ornamented chair leg while everyone else is drooling over Rembrandts and to be the fellow who barely notices the magnificent stained glass of Chartres Cathedral because I'm mesmerized by the tiny roses carved into the stone columns. I confess, I absolutely love the wood and stone carving of the medieval and renaissance period! Whenever I start to think I am getting pretty good at what I do, a quick look at some carvings done by the artists of medieval Europe puts me well and truly back in my place and vividly illustrates the distance I have yet to travel!

But it isn't just the masterworks of the medieval church carver which inspire. The 'folk' carvings of the Barvarian and Tirolean Alps never fail to dazzle me with their exhuberance and virtuosity. Scarcely any wooden object was left unadorned and the result is an exciting legacy of chip carving which is still practiced by adherents around the globe today.

What I really like about wandering around Europe though, is that wood carving seems to show up everywhere. This picture was taken of a shop door in a Parisien fashion arcade. Although the picture doesn't do it justice, the work was exquisite. If there was some of this kind of stuff at the fashion stores here in Canada, my wife would have a fighting chance of getting me to go shopping with her once in a while!

I know that many carvers out there struggle with finding designs to inspire them and they especially find imagining their own patterns very difficult. I'm not too much different in that respect but I have found that by continually keeping my eye peeled for little gems like this, I have managed to vastly expand the repertoire of ideas I have to draw on during the design process. This simple little detail from a confessional is absolutely captivating and will definitely find its way into one of my designs some day soon. It may get altered a bit, but it is such an elegant form that I can't wait to find a way to carve it! To have this kind of inspiration available almost everywhere one looks really does make a trip to Europe more than worthwhile for a carver. And did I mention the beer? Ahhhh, the beer!

I'll conclude my little travelogue with this last picture from Chartres Cathedral (I was exaggerating for effect earlier, I did notice the stained glass!). This, for me, was the absolute highlight of my European trip! Although hard to see in this pic (as it is in real life) there is a tiny frog carved onto the stone column. His head has been broken off at some point, but his torso and limbs remain. Representing a staggering amount of extra work for the carver, this little frog was likely carved here for the sole purpose of supplying some whimsical beauty for the observant viewer. What a delight he must have been for eagle eyed children (and adults) over the years. And what a modest, quiet and yet powerful illustration of the beauty of carving!

David Western's Lovespoon Eisteddfod Blog, 21 June 2009 - "Inspirations!"

Reprinted with permission from David Western's blog, all material © 2009, David Western --

David Western will be appearing, speaking on the lovespoon carving tradition and showing his work, including the Left Coast Eisteddfod lovespoon - which David will award at the event - at the Left Coast Eisteddfod in Portland, Oregon on Friday, August 21 and Saturday, August 22, 2009. Get your tickets now.

As I've been compiling this little blog following the twists and turns of carving a lovespoon for the Left Coast Eisteddfod, I've received a number of emails from fellow carvers, lovespoon enthusiasts and a few people who are 'just interested' wanting to know how I got into this and what my inspirations are.

I can tell you that I basically fell into lovespoon carving. Although I have been aware of what they are since childhood, and have tinkered with carving them since my teens, the really serious obsession (or as I prefer to call it, professional interest) with lovespoons is about 10 years old now.

My main inspirations were, and still are, the lovely antique spoons housed at the National History Museum of Wales at St Fagans (near Cardiff). I always make time for a day or two at the museum studying these little gems of fervent workmanship whenever I am in Wales. A finer introduction into the craft cannot be found anywhere else (except maybe in my book The Fine Art of Lovespoon Carving- how's THAT for a shameless plug??). I encourage anyone keen on lovespoons who plans on visiting Wales to make time for this marvelous museum. Even if you could care less about lovespoons, the outdoor museum is chock-a-block with tremendous things to see. But if I were to single out one spoon which above all others has been my greatest source of inspiration and as acted as a beacon guiding me to strive to constantly improve both my carving and my design it would be this one.

For me, this spoon epitomizes all that is great about the lovespoon. Masterfully and elegantly carved, the spoon appears deceptively simple, yet every feature is flawlessly carved and the represents the very highest level of craftsmanship. If you want a spoon that 'has it all'...this is the one. Whoever the unknown craftsman was who made this brilliant offering, I sincerely hope that he won the heart of his intended and lead a long, happy and productive life! He deserves it!

After that masterwork, this little spoon may seem like the 'ugly duckling', but what I love and find so inspiring about this spoon is the passion which seems to almost emanate from its fibres! Lofty talk, I know, but despite its rather rudamentary craftsmanship and design, this spoon has tremendous emotion. Made with the simplest of tools by someone in the deepest thrawl of love, the bowl is exquisitely formed, showing an amateur carver giving it his very best effort . For 'feeling', this spoon has always rated as one of the most inspirational for me!

The last example from the St Fagan's collection is this completely over-the-top example of woodcarving virtuosity. A riot of chainwork, balls in cages, swivels and a fiendishly difficult diagonal chain pattern, this spoon was carved by a very, very serious professional. It would have taken months and months of patient and extremely nerve-wracking carving to create this magnum opus! Whenever I think I am getting fairly good at carving, I study this spoon and realize just how far I have yet to go!

But it isn't just ancient history which inspires. Recently, I had the very good fortune to meet carver Alun Davies of Wales, whom I believe carves the most technically perfect lovespoons I have ever seen. Alun's mastery of woodcarving is so complete that his spoons are almost unbelievable in their perfection. No single aspect of them is any less than stunning. In fact, the first time I laid eyes on them, I felt like I really needed to get some carving lessons and to practice a LOT more!! Alun's spoons aren't just technically staggering though, they have a soft and elegant charm which is really the root of lovespoon carving...they have feeling!!! It was Alun who told me something which has become my lovespoon carving mantra... "A lovespoon is not a lovespoon unless it is carved with love; love for the wood, love for the tradition and love for the person who will receive it." Hang that above the workbench and you have all the inspiration you'll ever need!!

My last lovespoon inspiration has probably had the most profound influence on in my lovespoon carving as he has shown me that the possibilities for the tradition are vast, varied and exciting. Mike Davies is probably the most well known of all the Welsh lovespoon carvers and for many years has been a one-man promotion for this venerable tradition. Thousands of people around the world proudly display Mike's work on their walls and for good reason....Mike was one of the first to really realize the design possibilities for the lovespoon outside the 'antique traditional'. With dramatic Celtic designs, dramatic modern pieces and delicate foliage inspired spoons, Mike's work is always adventurous. Realizing that there were so many unexplored avenues available to the lovespoon carver was probably the greatest inspiration for me and I will always be grateful to Mike for so vividly pointing that out!

I have enjoyed great generousity, cameraderie and inspiration from many lovespoon carvers over the years and I know that like everything else, the more influences, techniques and ideas are brought to a subject, the better it gets. Hopefully, one day I will be an inspiration to a beginning carver or my designs will spark inspiration for someone to take the craft another step further and that will be a very happy day for me.

David Western Interview on Canadian Radio

If you go to this url http://www.cbc.ca/nxnw/ you can hear a half hour interview with David Western master lovespoon carver. Its a fascinating interview dealing with the history and techniques of the craft. There is also a link on the page to his blog http://davidwestern.blogspot.com. The blog has a link to the donation page for the Left Coast Eisteddfod. We would like to encourage all our members and readers to listen to the interview, read the blog and consider donating to the Left Coast Eisteddfod fund. Every dollar you donate entitles you to one "ticket" in the online raffle for the unique lovespoon which David is carving to support the event. Enjoy!

Hear the Interview here.

David Western's Portland Eisteddfod Lovespoon

The Left Coast Eisteddfod

Buy David's book here.

Crafting the Spoon

I have been working on the spoon bowls and have roughed them out to almost their final look. The first pic shows the front view and the second shows the back.

I am a firm believer that a good lovespoon must have a really well carved bowl. My research through the museums of Wales has shown me that in the olden days, a great deal of effort was put into the bowls, no matter how adept or crude the carver. When you stop to consider the rather meager tools that many of these young men would have had access to, some of their work borders on miraculous.

Many of the spoons I see for sale on the 'gift shop' type lovespoon sites suffer from extremely poorly designed and carved bowls. In many it appears the bowl was just an afterthought which was only grudgingly included so that the piece of wood is recognizable as a spoon. I think this is a great shame as the bowl lends a quiet dignity to the proceedings. Lovespoons are busy and vibrant things with the handles often being a veritable riot of activity. An elegant bowl acts as a real visual anchor and can have a quieting effect on the overall design. It also is a real measure of a carver's skill to get it even and fair with the right 'look'. I spend a good deal of time fussing with the bowl and I honestly believe that the effort I put in on an easily overlooked detail pays big dividends at the end of the job.

But that is enough sermonizing (is that a word?...it is now) for one day. I just hope that you'll agree with me that so far this double bowl has a very romantic feel to it and that it is doing a good job symbolizing 'union'.

Thank you for dropping by to see how things are progressing! I hope that you will be inspired to join our efforts to initiate an Eisteddfod in Portland and I look forward to reading your comments.

Latest from David Western's Lovespoon Blog

David Western's Lovespoon Blog

Well, the fun stuff has finally started. I've been busy scroll sawing out the shape of the spoon and am very pleased with how the wood has responded. There is lots of lovely grain patterns which should make the bowl and the leaf look really vibrant and the wood has been cutting evenly with no splitting or shattering. Wood this old and dry can sometimes be a bit brittle, but this walnut seems very good. The dowel that I came across last week shows up pretty well in this photo, but won't be quite so visible when the spoon is complete. I'm very pleased with the proportions and am even more confident that this will be a very smart spoon when complete.

In the second picture I have begun carving out the spoon bowl using a hand-made bent knife. These are specially made for me by Mike Komick at Preferred Edge Tools who specializes in crafting razor sharp, beautifully made blades. In the old days, the Welsh carvers used a ferocious looking bent bladed knife called a 'twca cam' which was often fashioned from whatever metal was at hand. Thankfully for me, I can rely on Mike to use the very best steel so that I can reap the benefits of a good, keen edge. Many carvers use gouges, electric grinding tools and curved scrapers to achieve the same ends, but I personally prefer the bent knife.

Carving the spoon bowl is one of my favourite parts of the process and is one I am happy to spend a good deal of time on. I tend to think that a lot of spoon carvers consider their bowls an afterthought with the lack of attention they give them showing up as a clunky and unsightly end to their hard carving efforts on the handle. But I'm starting to get preachy, so I'll get back to the tools and see how things shape up.

Before I go though, I hope that you are enjoying the blog so far and that you will feel inclined to donate a dollar or two to the Left Coast Eisteddfod! Every dollar you gift will equal a chance to win this spoon when it is completed. I hope you'll join in and I wish you good luck!

Latest From David Western's Lovespoon Blog

David Western's Portland Eisteddfod Lovespoon

After a rather frustrating 'down time' due to a computer virus, I've got my photo file back and can resume spoon blog entries!

I've now glued a photocopy of the spoon design to the wood and have roughed out the overall shape of the spoon with a scroll saw. Unfortunately, you can't see much yet as all the good stuff is hidden under a layer of paper. But for me, I can see the wood left behind and I have a good idea of what awaits me when I start carving! When I flip the piece over, the proportions seem right and I am confident that the various vagaries of the wood grain will line up where I want them.

The second picture is a close-up showing an old dowel which must have linked the panel this spoon was cut from to another in bygone days. The dowel won't be seen when viewing the final product from straight-on but it will be visible on the side view. I have decided not to bother trying to remove it and repatching it with a walnut plug though. This old dowel's inclusion in the spoon won't do any harm structurally or visually, but it will lend some quirky charm and will be a good talking point! After all, how many people have a dowel which is potentially a hundred and fifty years old in their lovespoon!!

Latest From David Western - "The walnut board from which the spoon will emerge"

Reproduced from "David Western's Portland Eisteddfod Lovespoon Blog"


Here it is, the walnut board from which the Eisteddfod spoon will emerge!

Although it doesn't look like much at the moment, especially covered in dried glue, flecks of old paint and the dust of a century and a half, I am very confident there is a spectacular spoon waiting inside.
As you can see, there are a number of holes scattered around the board which were where big screws or nails were driven through the old cabinet holding it to the wall. I have found two or three different areas of this piece where the spoon will fit without running into a hole, so now I just have to settle on the one I think will yield the sweetest grain figure. Right now, I'm leaning heavily to using the wood nearest the edge of the board as it has a section of swirling grain which should line up right where I want the bowls to be. That will make the carving a bit trickier in this area, but will make spectacular bowls which should shimmer as light passes over them.

This wood has something of a history the condensed version I will relate. Apparently, the wood forms the back panels of a wonderful bar which originally was built approximately 150 years ago for a steam ship which traversed the seas between Ireland, the UK and Europe. When the ship was scrapped, the bar was removed and spent many years in a small town pub in Ireland. A number of years ago the bar was purchased by a large hotel in Victoria BC who have now used it as the centerpiece of their off-license shop. The back panels were unnecessary during installation and were scrapped. Fortunately for me and whoever gets this spoon, the pieces were retrieved from the dumpster and found their way to me, where they found a very warm welcome and the opportunity for a new life.
I can't wait to see how this lovespoon turns out!

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."