The Oakhurst Woodcarvers Rendezvous is a week-long woodcarving event held every April in Oakhurst, California. The Central Sierra Woodcarvers club has been organizing this annual event since 2009, and it has become a significant gathering of woodcarvers in the Southwest United States, attracting hundreds of woodcarvers from across the country.
Offered woodcarving classes allowed the attendees to learn various woodcarving techniques, including whittling, spoon carving, relief carving, chip carving, caricature carving, bark carving, in-the-round carving, power carving, and more. The gathering also provides plenty of opportunities for fellow woodcarvers to socialize and chat during classes and in informal settings. The organizers organized raffles and distributed high-quality door prizes donated by attendees and local businesses.
The Oakhurst Woodcarvers Rendezvous also arranged classes in other media such as pyrography, basket weaving, beading, stained glass steppingstones, tatting, etc. The event is a prime opportunity to learn new skills, meet fellow crafters and carvers, and get inspired by the unique projects of talented carvers.
Vic Hood, a featured woodcarver of the event
Vic Hood, a renowned woodcarver, taught a dozen carvers how to carve facial expressions. Vic’s exceptional skill in carving faces and busts was evident in his intricate work on display, which included carvings of historical figures, Native American Indians, and everyday people. His carvings always convey emotions.
Vic’s class on carving faces was extremely popular, as too many carvers wanted to sign up for the class. After a week of carving under Vic’s guidance, a few attendees shared that they had made noticeable progress on their carvings. If you would like to learn more about Vic Hood’s woodcarving career, please visit his website: https://www.vichoodwoodcarver.com/
Organizers: Central Sierra Woodcarvers
Thanks to the Woodcarvers Rendezvous organizers, the Central Sierra Woodcarvers, Chapter #37 of the California Carvers Guild, for organizing the event and classes. The club members brought various power tools with them, such as bandsaws and drill presses, to help the attendees cut large pieces of wood faster and be more efficient in specific tasks, such as making a blank for a chain carving. The club also organized breakfast, lunch, and dinner on certain days, and arranged for food delivery on other days.
In the photo, we can see how the members of Central Sierra Woodcarvers displayed their group projects. The stacked carved cubes highlight the diversity of woodcarving skills in the club, including whittling, chip carving, pyrography, caricature, animal, and other woodcarving styles.
If you live near Oakhurst and want to join the club, you may visit the Central Sierra Woodcarvers club’s weekly meetings at Bear Paw Quilts in Oakhurst, CA.
Oakhurst Woodcarvers Rendezvous Classes
Undoubtedly, the Oakhurst Woodcarvers Rendezvous is one of California’s finest woodcarving events, with hundreds of attendees, both experienced and novice woodcarvers.
There were so many activities daily; I am glad I captured many of them during the week. I was focusing on whittling and spoon carving classes. Many other classes were available that woodcarvers could attend and learn new woodcarving techniques.
Al Plasch’s spoon carving class
Al Plasch taught a spoon carving class, and it was a strong success, with dozens of attendees carving wooden spoons from various wood species: basswood, butternut, and jelutong. Al provided a large pool of spoon patterns, including patterns from the Carving Spoons book by Shirley Adler.
Al supported his students by sharing carving tips and inviting them to try various spoon carving tools such as scorp knives, hook knives, and spoon gouges.
Theda Mobley and Sharon Terrel
Theda Mobley and Sharon Terrel from Sonoma County Wood Carvers offered a wide range of woodcarving supplies, including safety equipment such as cut-resistant gloves and thumb guards. They helped many carvers by keeping various carving tools in stock, offering low prices, and describing the pros and cons of different woodcarving products in the inventory.
Theda taught a class on how to carve backscratchers, which proved to be a hit among attendees. The class provided an opportunity to carve a functional item with no limits to creativity. The collection of colorful backscratchers was unique and truly inspirational, featuring whimsical animals and other decorations such as castles and flowers.
Jerry Schneider’s whittling projects
Jerry Schneider’s whittling projects were a marvel, with intricate carvings that included chains, balls in cages, love spoons, and interlocked hearts.
Everyone’s favorite carving was the wooden chain on Jerry’s hat. He carved it from one piece of basswood and fitted it by adjusting the width of the links. It looks gorgeous on his hat and is a great conversation piece.
Jerry also offered an interesting project during the class – a ball in a cage with 12 identical pentagonal facets, a dodecahedron. Nham Worley from the Tri-Valley Carvers achieved nice progress with the project.
Gary Hensley’s bark carving
Gary Hensley’s bark carving class was also well-attended, with attendees learning unique techniques for working with bark. Gary provided many examples of bark carving that he had carved over the years as a reference for the class attendees. Gary shared some unique techniques, such as hiding a glue seam in case the bark breaks, and using a wood-burner on bark.
Gary is the president of the California Carvers Guild (CCG). The guild unites dozens of wood carving clubs across California and provides insurance coverage for woodcarving events. Thanks to Gary Eaves, the CCG Editor, the guild publishes The Log, a newsletter that aggregates activities of woodcarving clubs in California. Please support CCG by becoming a member; the membership fee is only $25 per year.
Darryl Easter
Darryl Easter’s Dreamcatcher carving class was a success. Dozens of carvers attended the class and carved a dreamcatcher, a beautiful but challenging project.
It was inspirational to see that Darryl also whittles in Tramp Art style, and his carvings win high awards in local carving shows. I am happy that I got small samples of Darryl’s work.
When Darryl whittles, he finds a perfect balance between sanding and leaving tool marks visible on his woodcarvings. Darryl also paints in watercolor, achieving the most vibrant colors the watercolor paints can provide. He paints cats, flowers, mermaids, and birds.
Steve Gramberg
Steve Gramberg is an expert in relief carving from Auburn, CA. The class that he teaches is so popular that it has always been overbooked in recent years. Steve provided guidance on carving many projects, including carving country scenes, landscapes, eagles, bears, grapes, acanthus leaves, etc.
I had the pleasure of sharing a table with Steve during the group dinner, and I can tell you that Steve is a knowledgeable woodcarver with a lot of experience helping others to master the craft. No wonder his class was always booked quickly!
Bert Flack weaved rings.
Bert Flack showed how to weave rings from cords. Bert taught attendees several weaving patterns and how to make a ring of a particular size, and supplied colorful cords for weaving. He also made and gifted many rings to fellow carvers during the week.
I enjoyed sharing a table with Bert and listening to his stories. Thank you, Bert, for gifting me this Ukraine-themed ring; I appreciate it.
Joe Peery
Joe Peery brought an eye-catching collection of carved golf balls. He explained how to cut them open and how to carve them. The surprising part of golf ball carving is that you never know the color inside the ball. Even more, Joe found a two-color ball and carved it to add to his collection.
I was amazed by Joe’s toolbox. His toolbox is not only functional, but it is also decorated with flat and shallow relief carvings all around; Joe glued or screwed those decorations to the toolbox frame over the years.
Sharpening station with Eric Jensen
Eric Jensen’s sharpening station was a valuable resource for attendees, especially for beginner carvers, allowing them to hone their tools to perfection. Eric sharpened knives, chisels, gouges, and other tools to a high level of sharpness.
Beginner woodcarvers may not realize that their tools are not sharp enough, so a huge thank you to Eric for supporting beginner and expert woodcarvers during the event and for sharing his expertise in sharpening!
Oakhurst Woodcarvers Rendezvous Donations
The generosity of attendees and local businesses was on full display at the Oakhurst Woodcarvers Rendezvous, with a wide range of donations contributing to the event’s success. Notable contributions included a custom knife from Bernie Reed, a stunning woodpecker photo from Nancy Robbins, chip carving practice boards from Roman Chernikov, and a gorgeous quilt from the Bear Paw Quilts in Oakhurst, CA. Additionally, numerous other items and special deals were donated by local businesses, demonstrating their support for the woodcarving community.
We would also like to thank the Oakhurst Community Center for hosting the Woodcarvers Rendezvous during the week. Their hospitality and facilities made the event an enjoyable and productive experience for all attendees and visitors.
Woodcarvers Rendezvous Craft Fair
The Oakhurst Woodcarvers Rendezvous also featured a craft fair on the event’s last day, where attendees could display and sell their unique projects. The fair was a blast, with many carvers showing their work and sharing their passion for woodcarving, woodturning, knife making, knitting, painting, embroidery, and quilt making with the community.
I had a table there, and it was an excellent opportunity to promote woodcarving to the fair visitors. As usual, I told stories about woodcarving, showed my carving tools, and demonstrated various carving styles, including chip carving. Some visitors were quite impressed after learning what results I can achieve with a chip carving knife, and they often asked about joining a local woodcarving club.
Woodcarvers Zoom
It was a pleasure meeting and reconnecting with fellow woodcarvers during the event. Most of us live far apart, and it is fantastic that Oakhurst Woodcarvers Rendezvous allows us to meet in person and learn different woodcarving styles while bonding in friendship. However, please don’t wait for in-person events; we can reconnect via Zoom.
The Tri-Valley Carvers club hosts a virtual meeting on Zoom every Monday evening. Our weekly Zoom sessions have been ongoing since 2021, providing an excellent opportunity to share your work and inspire fellow woodcarvers. Contact Gary Eaves, the CCG Editor, if you want to join.
Oakhurst
Oakhurst, California, is a calming place located near Yosemite National Park, with a rich history and a strong sense of community. The climate is lovely, with minimal snowfall during the winter months. If you plan to visit Oakhurst, expect to see many carved bears, a testament to the Oakhurst community’s love for woodcarving. Learn more about Oakhurst: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oakhurst%2C_California
About the Author: Roman
Roman Chernikov is a hobbyist woodcarver with 10 years of experience specializing in chip carving, whittling, and woodturning. He lives in San Jose, CA, and carves with Santa Clara Valley Carvers. Roman also shares chip carving patterns and chip carving practice boards on his website, READ N TRY. Roman attended the Oakhurst Woodcarvers Rendezvous for the first time in 2025 and was impressed by the talent and dedication of members of the woodcarving community who participated in the Woodcarvers Rendezvous this spring.
Thanks to Larry Wade, the president of the Oregon Carvers Guild, for taking this photo. I was thrilled to attend the Oakhurst Woodcarvers Rendezvous, share my projects with other woodcarvers, and attend whittling and spoon carving classes.
Next Cut with the Grain
The next Oakhurst Woodcarvers Rendezvous is just around the corner, and Central Sierra Woodcarvers invite you to join for an unforgettable experience again in 2026. Whether you’re a seasoned woodcarver or just starting, this event has something for everyone. So, mark your calendar for April 19-25, 2026, pack your tools, and get ready to cut with the grain! See you there!
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