As an Award-winning turner, Sammy Long joins us on May 18 to demonstrate leaf carving and spiral carving on a turned vessel.
- Leaf carving demonstration: use a turned disc to demonstrate layout of the leaves, transferring the pattern, removing negative space and then carving the leaves. Sammy uses actual leaves as inspiration for his stencils and carving.
- Spiral carving demonstration: how to lay out and carve evenly spaced spirals on a hollow form.
Sammy began his career as a machinist and first learned to turn on a metal lathe as a young adult. With 6 kids, Sammy decided he needed a workshop outside of the home in order to maintain his sanity. He found his passion with a wood lathe and has been developing new skills at each opportunity. When he returns from a class, symposium, or demonstration, he continues to study and practice what he has learned. In his journey, he has advanced from bowls to hollow forms to thin & piercing and then to carving.
Sammy is now known for his unique hollow forms with leaf carvings, piercings and spiraling. He is a member of the Craftsman’s Guild of Mississippi and Magnolia Woodturners. He has taught and demonstrated at the Appalachian Center for Crafts, John C. Campbell Folk School, Arrowmont School of Arts, for local and regional woodturning clubs and regional symposiums as well as the AAW Symposium. Those who have directly influenced Sammy’s work have been John Jordon, Binh Pho and Dixie Biggs.
All anyone has to do is engage a chain saw and he comes running to see what kind of wood might be up for grabs.
Sammy has discovered that teaching is his favorite part of his woodworking journey.
“I love it. I love doing what I do. I love seeing the appreciation of when people pick it up and ooh and awe, but being able to teach it and share with someone else is very important to me. I get a good high at the end of the week when my students have a finished product. It makes you feel good and warm and fuzzy on the inside.”
Join the demonstration on May 18 and then give it a try yourself, or attend one of Sammy’s classes for a hands-on experience. We also have OVWG members who have trained under Sammy and can provide support and answer questions you might have. Bring your workpieces to share at the next meeting.
Register for Hands-On Classes with Sammy:
- Spirals on Vessels (5/19): Class - Carving spirals on vessels - Sammy Long - 5/19/2024
- Leaf Carving (5/20): Class - Carving Leaves - Sammy Long - 5/20/2024
Resources: See more of Sammy’s work…
- Visit his website: https://www.sammylong.com
- View his portfolio: https://www.sammylong.com/portfolio
- See his video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uA5AQ8ajD-o