Dylan Goodson is a self-taught woodcarver, born and raised in the woods of Coosa County, Alabama. He has always enjoyed making things, and since he had an ample supply of sticks and wood, he made lots of wooden boats and other toys as a child. When he needed soldiers to go with his boats, he carved a small army of matchstick-sized soldiers. He enjoyed it so much, he tried his hand at other figures and small human heads.
In 2000, at age 14, he checked out every book in the public library about woodcarving. Since then he has carved a wide range of subjects, from human figures to miniature animals.
During the spring of 2010 he spent two weeks in Austria studying the Austrian carving style and learning gilding.
Dylan started exhibiting his work in 2005. At this time, he took his first woodcarving class. He has since taken several classes from renowned carvers. Most of his work is done in basswood, although he also likes to use mahogany, walnut, and other woods.
In the fall of 2007, he taught his first class on relief carvings. Since then he's taught several classes around Alabama. He has also exhibited his work around the eastern United States, garnering top awards at some of the major woodcarving shows.
In 2000, at age 14, he checked out every book in the public library about woodcarving. Since then he has carved a wide range of subjects, from human figures to miniature animals.
During the spring of 2010 he spent two weeks in Austria studying the Austrian carving style and learning gilding.
Dylan started exhibiting his work in 2005. At this time, he took his first woodcarving class. He has since taken several classes from renowned carvers. Most of his work is done in basswood, although he also likes to use mahogany, walnut, and other woods.
In the fall of 2007, he taught his first class on relief carvings. Since then he's taught several classes around Alabama. He has also exhibited his work around the eastern United States, garnering top awards at some of the major woodcarving shows.
Here I'm working on one of the figures in the "Girls at Play" carving.
Taking a piece of wood, and turning it into something that can cause a person to smile, is something that gives me a great sense of enjoyment. What I try to capture in my carvings is the peace that can be found in the quiet places of the world, and the joy of motion and life.
The world is full of inspiration, and I try to draw off of that as much as possible. Ideas come in all shapes and forms. Whether it's something I see, or a conversation with a friend, I try to incorporate it all into my work.
Wood has a natural warmth to it that I try to enhance. Realism is something that I strive for in every carving, even down to the smallest detail. I work hard to push the limits of relief carving, to achieve the maximum amount of depth in a thin piece of wood, always trying to let light and air into the deep, dark places. I can spend as little as a few hours on a project or 50 hours or more – whatever it takes to achieve the look and feel that I desire. I love the challenge of trying to do just that.
My desire is to learn as much as is humanly possible about woodcarving and pass it on to others.
Some of the tools that I use.
Left to right: the hand pieces of two flexible shaft machines; reciprocating carver hand piece, or power chisel, that fits on the flexible shaft machine. Rotary power carving bits: (bottom to top) coarse carbide burrs; fine carbide burrs; ruby and diamond stones; very top, blades for the power chisel. Some of my gouges, shallowest to deepest with the fourth being a v-tool; these tools are often used with mallets such as the one at far right. Two of my knives and some palm gouges. Plunge router - this is a great timesaver when doing relief carving. My mallet.
Here I'm using one of my flexible shaft machines while carving on a woodspirit.