Finishing a Project

This is a Buffalo ( American Bison ) that I had started about seven years ago by cutting out the rough figure from a block of Black Walnut, with the intention of doing a detailed carving of, however I set it aside until the "Mood" was proper and the piece would show me how it was to be.

For some reason I kept drawing a blank in my mind so I put it up on a shelf till the vision would reappear to me once again and speak clearly to me...well it just didn't happen right away , so I moved on to other projects that were begging to be created.

I had almost forgotten about this wonderful piece of wood till after I had finished the last two flutes that I have posted here recently, and was drawing a blank once again as to what new project to begin...suddenly I heard this small voice from across my work shop...."Hey Bob...remember me?"...looking across the shop my eyes rested upon that rough cut Black Walnut blank of a Buffalo..and it began to speak to me once again.."It is time for you to finish what you started seven years ago..follow me I will show you how it will be."

I walked over to the shelf, picked it up , and could again see the vision of a Buffalo and just how it should look, so carving knives in hand I began to carve ever so carefully and precise, feeling the warmth of the wood admiring the grain and working the contures of the body shape with the grain and began to envision the depth of cuts and sanding to achieve a three dimensional figure that would represent the look and feel of a real Buffalo...well after about 5 days of hand carving..I think I have achieved a rather realistic rendition..and anatomically correct Buffalo...except..maybe I should have made the head a bit larger....click on the photographs for a larger and closer view..

The Buffalo stands Three and Three Quarter inches tall by Six inches long....and in case you didn't notice...it is a Bull Buffalo.

Rear view of Buffalo

View of Underside

View of Other Side