Video: The Art of Wood Carving by David Esterley
2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55
The 17th century woodcarver Greenling Gibbons is often cited as the most prominent craftsman in his field. Contemporary author David Esterly is less well known, but no less talented. He was prompted to engage in carving by chance, but now David cannot imagine himself without his favorite pastime and creates real masterpieces.
In the 70s of the last century, David Esterley entered one of London's churches and was struck to the core - not by the divine liturgy, but by a part of the altar, which is a vegetable pattern skillfully carved from wood, created in the 17th century by Greenling Gibbons. David could not ignore the work of this man and decided to write a book about him. To better understand the master, he bought a piece of wood and tools and began to master the basics of carving himself. It didn't work out very well, and Esterlee always believed that he had no artistic ability. But he didn't give up, trying again and again. Soon, woodcarving fascinated him so much that David had already forgotten about the book he was going to write, and the art of carving became the main business of his life.
Many years later, David nevertheless returned to his original idea and wrote the book "Greenling Gibbons and the Art of Carving", but this was already the work of not just an admirer of the great master's talent, but his disciple - even centuries later - and a follower.
In 1986, there was a fire in Hampton Court (the former country residence of the English kings), and it was David Esterley who was invited to restore the damaged Gibbons carving.
There is an expression that "a person copying the Iliad does not copy Homer." Talking about David Esterlee would be pointless if his works were purely copies - even perfect ones - from Gibbons' works. David himself understands this, so he always tries to add something new, modern to his works: "Revive old vessels," says the master, "but pour new wine into them." Building on the old tradition of carving, Esterlee confidently creates new masterpieces.
Esterlee's works include individual sculptures, but most of them are part of the decoration of the premises. The master works exclusively on order and knows no end to clients from the USA, France and Britain. More of his work on the site.
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