Olds' woodworking artist John Smythe continued his winning ways at this year's Calgary Stampede.
He won first place in the 2014 Calgary Stampeded Western Showcase for his turned and carved wall sculpture depicting a western theme category of the woodworking section.
The sculpture was turned from a burl cap from a B.C. Big Leaf Maple tree, he explained. The front and the back of the approximately 36 centimetre diameter burl was turned on a lathe. “The elevator and wheat design was carved using both power and hand carving tools. The carving is enhanced with pryrography,” said Smythe.
The sculpture was turned for his mother's 97th birthday last December. She had it hanging in her room at the Didsbury Long Term Care centre until she passed away in May of this year.
Smythe also won a second place ribbon for his turned Hexagon Box.
“The Hexagon Box was turned on a lathe from a Big Leaf Maple burl from British Columbia,” he said.
The vessel measures 17 cm by 23 cm high.
“The bottom base is made from Cocobolo and the lid finial is made from ebony. Inside the lid is a surprise - a green Swarovski crystal.”
The piece also took second prize in the whole woodworking section.
Smythe describes himself as ‘self-developed artist.”
“In the mid 1980s I began a serious interest in woodturning which I continue to develop. I am a juried member of the Wellspring Visual ArtNetwork Association (wellspringvisualartnetwork.com), the Airdrie Regional Art Society and the Mountain View Art Society.”
Smythe is currently participating in Wellspring's summer Artwalk program and his work is displayed at the Didsbury Value Drug Mart during July and August.
In 2013 Smythe took first place in woodturning and Best of Show in the woodworking section. He also took a second place ribbon in the western theme section.
