Instructors
2024 dates are July 8-12 in Ellensburg, WA
Registration Is now Open
Welcome to the list of instructors
Here, you will have a moment to learn about who the NW Carving Academy instructors are, their backgrounds and some of the things that have brought them along their path to this place and time to be with you. Each one has a unique background that has formed their knowledgebase, tools and teaching skills. Ask questions, take notes and enjoy...
Click on pictures for an enlarged view.
Pat Moore
Pat Moore is a North Dakota resident who has been carving & painting for over 30 years. She has won several Best of Show Awards and numerous blue ribbons at shows across the country. She has been featured on HGTV along with several articles in Chip Chats, Woodcarving Illustrated and has had the frequent honor of judging at woodcarving shows. As an instructor she travels throughout the U.S. teaching seminars and sharing her techniques.
Ryan Olson
Ryan first became interested in carving when he was very young. When he was only seven, he had his very own pocket knife that he had found in the dirt and kept hidden from his parents. Ryan and the neighbor kids would sit in the shade during long summer days and carve bark that they pried off of the family pine tree. He began carving seriously while he was earning his master’s degree in opera at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music. Ryan carved on his own for the first five years or so. Ryan has won a number of competitions. He has become known for his innovative, clean style and his ability to capture female subjects in wood. One of Ryan’s greatest joys in woodcarving is participating in the Caricature Carvers of America . He loves meeting with fellow caricature carvers each year at different destinations around the country. He travels the country to teach woodcarving seminars and attend woodcarving shows whenever he can.
Tom Henschied
Tom Henscheid started carving spoons in the early 1970s while studying for a degree in fine art. While working at an art museum he was tasked with creating the displays and installations. This experience led him to start building furniture and small remodeling projects. Within a few years the business had grown into a full-fledged cabinet shop and construction company. During his 45-year career he continued carving spoons. In about 1979 he was taught the skills of making bent carving knives by a friend named Frank Guthrie, a NW native carver. Using simple equipment, they created the knives that transformed his carving. Over the next thirty years he experimented with the blade forms to suit his style of carving. Whenever he could he passed on this knowledge to other carvers. By 2005 he began teaching formal classes and workshops in carving wood turning, furniture building and bent knife making. Tom currently teaches at Pratt fine arts in Seattle, at the Port Townsend school of woodworking, as well as various other venues on the west coast. Some of the many thousands of spoons and bowls he has created over the years have been sold at craft fairs. He's had a few gallery exhibitions, traded for other crafts, and given many away as gifts. He continues carving for the joy of the craft and the fellowship found in the wood carving community
Izo Becic
Izo is an award winning European trained Master Carver. His carving specialty is the restoration and duplication of altars, statues, antique furniture and architectural detail. His technique is Architectural Relief - Mallet & Chisel. All levels welcome! Students may choose from decorative wall designs, mirror frames, shelves, clocks, green men, family initials, Acanthus, Oakley‘s fruit, flowers, and other various projects. Izo will call each student to verify project blank choice & coordinate a design for Students to follow. Tools required are: gouges, mallet and at least two or four clamps for holding the blank. You will be proud of your carving and walk away with knowledge from the Master. Izo will have some tools on hand for students to borrow if needed or buy if interested. Blanks could be in butternut, basswood or black walnut. Blank range is $75 to $ 350, depending on project selected.
Rohn Collins
Rohn Collins lives in Omaha, Nebraska and has been carving wood since 2003. He began teaching seminars in 2021. Rohn is known for his realistic animals, and his painting techniques. His classes focus on anatomy, hair texture, expression and color on each animal. He teaches through group demonstration and individual help in the classes.
Jerry Simchuk
Jerry grew up in the northwest where he spent numerous days fishing, hunting, hiking, camping, and caring for a variety of animals on his family's small farm. During this time he also grew to have an appreciation of and involvement in art with his many days and nights painting and exploring other mediums. It wasn't until 1993 after going to a few art shows and galleries that Jerry was drawn towards bird and fish sculptures. Deep down he knew this was going to be the medium that would be most rewarding and allow him the ability to apply his love of wildlife into art. Jerry has competed regularly at top-level bird carving shows around the country, including the Ward World Championships. He has received numerous high level awards with his wide variety of wildfowl and fish sculptures. Jerry has been invited to judge at some of these same shows he grew from. Most notable was the 2004 and 2005 Ward World Championships. With his passion for the art, Jerry has been sharing this knowledge and skill with others not only through judging, but also through seminars and classes. This has provided a very rewarding avenue knowing he is helping others grow in their passion for the arts. Jerry is not only a phenomenal sculptor but also a wonderful teacher. You can see from reading his articles in Wildfowl Carving Magazine that he is very thorough and detail oriented. Having four of his songbirds grace the cover of Wildfowl Carving Magazine he will certainly raise your carving and painting to the next level.
Bob Travis
Bob is a retired Professor of Plant Sciences and Agronomist from the University of California, Davis. When not in Davis checking up on old colleagues he can usually be found in his Montana studio carving and gazing at the wildlife on nearby mountains. Bob has been carving caricatures for over 30 years. He has taught seminars in several states across the US, including 20 years at the Doane Experience in Crete, Nebraska. He is a founding member of the Caricature Carvers of America and has served two terms as president of CCA. Bob has served as the project editor on all CCA books and when he is not carving and teaching he keeps busy with CCA activities. In Sept 2012, Bob along with the other members of the CCA completed a 1930's street scene with 11 buildings and over 100 figures. Visit his web site for pictures of his projects and more information. One of Bob's favorites is the drunk, wife and his dog.
Rich Wetherbee
Rich is a caricature carver and sculptor. Rich has spent most of his life in Colorado carving and sculpting. Having had no formal or informal training , he has designed thousands of pieces both commercially and one of a kind sculptures out of many mediums including wood, clay, stone, punkins, squash,taters....etc. Rich is splitting his time up now between designing originals and teaching his techniques to up and coming sculptors and carvers. His passion for concept, design,movement and detail , is at its least, an inspiration to all he comes in contact with. Rich is a founding member of the CCA.
Dick Wilk
I started carving in the Mid-60's. I started because I was fascinated with the collection of Northwest Coast Native Art I saw at the 61 World's Fair. That led to prowling about through the Burke Museum on the UDub Campus.
I also found a Shop near Pike Place Market that sold the Art. Alas it was too expensive for me to afford. I kind of laugh now at how inexpensive the items really were compared to good works today.
Gradually I moved on to the idea of trying to do it myself. I bought all the books I could on the Art and studied. Whenever an Art show featuring NW Coast Art showed up in the Seattle, Vancouver, or Portland, I was there.
The Carving community at that time was relatively small, so I got to know people with similar interests: Duane Pasco, Steve Brown, and Joe David. You couldn't find better people to learn from, and then there was always my idol Bill Holm.
I started out with regular carving tools, but soon came to realize that I had to have crooked knives and Adzes to do it like they did years ago. There weren't any sources at that time so I had to learn how to make my own versions. Over the years I took up Kayaking so I could get to the places where this great Art was created. Relatively recently I've had the great opportunity to help on the poles created by Dale Faulstich for the Jamestown S'klallam in Sequim at the Seven Cedars casino and surrounding Tribal buildings.
I've also done several masks and other Paraphernalia for Native friends in the Campbell River area.
I love the Art and culture and I try to do my best to honor the legacy of tradition and art of the past.
Jeff Gibson
