I became interested in carving in 1966 when I discovered a book called “Whittling with Ben Hunt” and a booklet titled, “Whittling is easy with X-Acto.” I did 4 projects by myself. I developed a passion for woodworking in 1970 and made a Grand Mother clock, coffee table, corner table, drum table, and two complete bedroom sets. Along with these pieces, I made numerous additional crafts.

While at my job, our secretary had brought in some pictures of both English and western style rocking horses that her brother-in-law had carved. I showed some interest and her brother-in-law invited me over to his home. It was at this time I discovered he was a commercial artist working in Southern California. He gave me some plans he had drawn up for a rocking horse and it wasn’t long after that I revisited carving. I retired from my job in June of 1983 and about a year later, I had finished carving my first western style, rocking horse using only rasps, chisels and whatever I could get my hands on.

My activities after retirement centered on woodworking, golfing and bowling. In 1989, I set out across the Midwest with my wife and dog in our motorhome to visit some friends in Iowa. Along the road, my wife and I kept seeing signs for the National Woodcarving Museum in Custer, South Dakota. We decided it must just be worth the visit. There, I bought a couple of books by Bill Higginbotham. After returning home, while carving, my blade hit a particularly slick knot and I cut myself. Three stiches later I decided that it was time that if I was going to carve, I ought to learn from a professional the proper way to do things.

In 1991, I started taking classes with a master woodworker and woodcarver William J. Mortensen. I learned untold knowledge from Bill. He was more than a mentor, he was a friend. In my eagerness to learn, I later purchased books by Tom Wolfe, Harold Enlow, Cleve Taylor, Pete LaClair and others, whom I owe my hobby and enjoyment to. I am not an artist; my passion is not in creating patterns. However, I do take some patterns and modify them considerably for my carvings.

A good friend began teaching me realistic bird carving in April 1999. Seven months later, in November, I lost sight in my right eye due to blockage of a blood vessel in the optic nerve. Despite the damage to my right eye, I continued carving birds until July 2003. It was at this time, I began to lose sight in left eye due to medication. Luckily, it was caught in time. I could still carve, but I no longer could paint. My wife has done most of my painting since and I am ever grateful to her.

My pieces are not for sale; they are for my enjoyment and are given as gifts to friends and family. I hope you enjoy looking at them much as I had in carving them.

Bill Blocker