Santa’s other workshop

Richard Spinney to exhibit his wood art at BAL in July­­

Richard Spinney’s workshop is chock full of wood, from carved cowboy hat to various whales and dolphins, the lines from the wood grain elegantly snaking around the contours of the pieces. There is also a plethora of scraps, boards and blocks of cherry,

Spinney, who has played Santa at Parkdale Mall for the past 17 years, said this is Santa’s other workshop.

“This workshop requires air conditioning,” he said, laughing.

Since he retired in 2004, Spinney, 77, has carved, sanded, glued and shaped all manner of objects from wood. So much so, that he is looking forward to his upcoming solo show at the Beaumont Art League, opening with a reception 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., July 13, partly to share his artistry and partly in hopes of selling some work so he can clear some space.

“I’m out in my shop two to eight hours a day, five to six days a week — I’m getting too prolific,” he said. “I’m putting out stuff like crazy. I’ve either gotta stop carving or find more outlets. The dilemma is, I keep producing, and it fills my shop up, and I’ve got no room to work. And in order to do my work I’ve got to acquire more wood.”

 The self-taught artist found his passion for woodworking in the early 1970s. It grew out of a fascination with whales and dolphins, he said.

“Back in 1974 or 5, I’m not sure which, I sat down with a knife and a piece of cherry and attempted to carve a dolphin,” he said. “That carving is now in a museum for wood carvers, along with a more recent one — thank god they don’t look alike; there was improvement. It took me forever because I tried to use a knife, and cherry is a very hard wood. It took me about 25 hours to carve the thing. But (I had a) feeling of satisfaction when it was done.”

Spinney said he doesn’t really know what a particular piece will become. He leaves it up to the wood to decide.

“I don’t know how to explain it,” he said. “You see a piece of wood, and sometimes you see something in it, and sometimes it sits around the shop for five years and does nothing — then all of a sudden there it is, something pops into your head. I’ve saved wood for 20 years before I’ve used it.

“My wife says, ‘What are you going to do with all this wood?’ I say I don’t know right this second. This piece and that piece, when I get an idea come, I’ll do it. But do I know exactly what I’ll do with it? No.”

Much of Spinney’s work incorporates the natural color of the particular wood. He also has a gift for using the natural grain to enhance the design.

“After 40 years, if you can’t carve something you should have given up 35 years ago,” he said, laughing. “But we always improve.”

A sense of play infuses Spinney’s work, and he is constantly trying different styles and ideas.

“I have a friend who carves nothing but Santa Clauses, 400 or 500 a year,” he said. “I don’t want to do that. It’s like work — and I retired from work. If someone says, ‘Can you make me 10 of these?’ I’m like, no. Now if someone wanted 10 dolphins I might consider it.”

Spinney said that he hopes visitors to the show will leave with an appreciation for wood. Although it is a renewable resource, there are some woods that are becoming scarce.

“You can’t get chestnut any more, or if you do, somebody’s got it hidden in a barn somewhere and wants $50 a board foot — and a board foot won’t make very much,” he said. “I love to make whales out of butternut. It is easy to carve; it has nice color and good grain — it’s like walnut but lighter. But you can’t get butternut now. What I used to buy for $20 now costs $100. I can get $100 for a whale, but I if pay $100 for the wood, I’m working for nothing. Now I don’t mind working for cheap. I don’t do it to make money, but I at least want to pay for my materials.”

While much of Spinney’s work uses the natural color of the wood, when he needs something painted he turns to his in-house artist, his wife Juanita. She laughs as she talks about some of the requests she gets from Richard.

“Do you know how hard it is to paint something that’s not realistic,” she said. “He had a fish and a porcelain face, and he puts the face on the body of a fish. I said, ‘How do I paint this thing?’ It blows my mind when he does that kind of crap.”

The couple laugh as Juanita holds the aforementioned sculpture. Spinney said they are working on a life-size swan for the show.

Spinney said he is a wood worker, not just a carver.

“I carve what I like to carve,” he said. “If I see an idea and it gives me another idea, I carve it. Or produce it. It’s not all carving.”

One of the pieces that earned Spinney his solo show as winner of the 2018 BAL Membership Show is an Art Deco-style clock which is assembled rather than carved.

Spinney said he plans to have door prizes during the show opening, and most of the works will be for sale. Spinney plans to have a sales table with items people can take home with them that night.

“All I’m doing is having fun,” he said.

So visit the show and take something home. Spinney needs the space. Don’t worry, he’ll make more.

Beaumont Art League is located at 2675 Gulf St. in Beaumont.

For more information, call 409-347-6166, or visit the BAL Facebook page.

Story by Andy Coughlan, ISSUE editor