Island Carvers
Chris Thompson and Ken Peterson
Chris Thompson working on a carving.
I come from an artistic family. My paternal grandmother was a fiber artist and my grandfather a woodcarver. Both of my parents were talented sketch artists and graphic designers. Both of my sisters are fiber artists and one is also a painter. I began carving around the time my son was born 30 years ago. I was inspired by my Danish immigrant grandparents' stories of trolls and wood spirits, by my grandfather's woodcarvings (he began carving at age 75), and by the love of trees and wood which I had gained from working in my family's nursery business.
I have continued to draw on my Danish heritage for inspiration. After carving Scandinavian figures and Santas for 4 years, I began teaching in my home studio in West St. Paul, Minnesota. I was able to develop my carving and teaching into a thriving business and expression of my artistic nature while raising two children. Several of my students have gone on to become woodcarving instructors.
I have taken lessons from several Twin Cities woodcarvers and have also studied with nationally recognized carvers Harley Refsal, Tom Wolfe, Harley Schmitgen, Marv Kaissersat, Ivan Whillock, and Darold Bailey. I have also studied Scandinavian knife making under several instructors from Sweden and Norway.
In 1992 I received the honor of being nominated for membership in Caricature Carvers of America. I have also written two books about woodcarving. I am excited about the new dimension that living on Madeline Island has brought to my creative spirit.
Ken
Peterson Biography
Moving to the Island is somewhat of a homecoming for me. My grandparents
moved here as young parents and my father was raised here. I first came to
the Island as a very young child to visit my grandparents. I have always
been excited by the interaction of the many natural and spiritual
environments that are found on Madeline.
Working with wood has been a passion for the men in my family. My grandfather was a carpenter, one of my great-uncles was a furniture maker, and my father was an avid amateur woodworker. I learned an appreciation for the visual arts from my father, who was a cartoonist, graphic artist, oil painter, and watercolorist. I took my first woodcarving class about 15 years ago from "Kam" Kammueller. I have subsequently studied with Chris Thompson, Ivan Whillock, Darold Bailey, Elaine Stenman, and Harley Schmitgen. I am also a self-taught pyrographer (wood-burning artist).
In 2000, I won first place in the carving category at the Maplewood, Minnesota Rockler Woodworking and Hardware Store's Annual Woodworking Contest. I like to create both relief carvings and sculpture in caricature and realistic style. My favorite works are marine decorative carving and sailor caricatures. I also like to relax by doing abstract pieces.
"Log Gnome" by Chris Thompson
"Santa Claus Mask" by Chris Thompson
Ken Peterson working in the shop.
"Viking Mask" by Ken Peterson
"Golfer" by Chris Thompson