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White Eagle Studios is a studio operated by Michael Keller, catering to distinctive wood sculpture
and art. From myth and magic, Michael Keller holds a passion to create meaningful, thought-
provoking legacies in wood. Each piece is unique and is intended to strike a soulful cord in the
observer.

You are encouraged to take the time to closely examine a beautiful piece of wood... maybe
something you pick up from the forest floor. Notice its rich, deep color and texture. Notice its grain
and its smell. Wood can impact each of the senses in wonderful ways. Michael Keller believes that
wood holds a grandness in nature not found in anything else.

A good piece of art is timeless and shall be admired by unlimited future generations.
Emerson once said “Perpetual modernness is the measure of merit in every work of art.”
Michael Keller creates meaningful art, treasured forever.

Located in the Beautiful Mountains of Chelan, Washington

Michael Keller's White Eagle Studios is located in the beautiful mountains above Lake Chelan
nestled in a pine forest and over looking the plateaus of the Columbia River. See Contact Us for
additional information.

Our Commitment

		Continuing a long-standing tradition of creating meaningful art in wood;
		Perpetuating and promoting wood carving in the community and around the world;
		Offering classes at all skill levels (See Calendar); and
		Incorporating expert guest instructors.

A Reverence for Wood

"The century of magnificent awareness preceding the Civil War was the age of wood.
Wood was not accepted simply as the material for building a new nation - it was
inspiration. Gentle to touch, exquisite to contemplate, tractable in creative hands,
stronger by weight than iron, wood was, as William Penn had said, 'a substance with
a soul.' It spanned rivers for man; it built his home and heated it in the winter; man
walked on wood, slept in it, sat on wooden chairs at wooden tables, drank and ate the
fruits of trees from wooden cups and dishes. From cradle of wood to coffin of wood,
the life of man was encircled by it.
Eric Sloane
A Reverence for Wood

White Eagle Studios

Sioux Chieftain
honoring the Great Spirit
in rich, aromatic, Alaska
Yellow Cedar.

Distinctive Art in Wood

Let the Magic Begin...

"The creative mind plays with the object that it loves."
...Carl Jung

For Classes, Private
Carving Instruction,
Events and Open
Studio, click on
Calendar & Events,
above

Tricks and Techniques that work for me:

		When working with wood that is either too hard or to soft, to
		achieve good detail, I apply a 50/50 mix of rubbing alcohol and water to the area. Once the mixture is absorbed into the wood, I find that it cuts much more easily.

		Wearing a carving glove when holding a piece being worked on is a
		good idea; such as with whittling. Place the glove on the hand holding the piece itself. It could save you from a needless injury.

		I hone my tools approximately each hour of use. Doing so keeps a
		fine razor edge on the tool.

		I don't try to catch a dropped knife or chisel. It is easier to sharpen
		a dropped tool than it is to repair a finger or toe.

		A small sliver can often be removed by placing a piece of tape over
		it and pulling it gently off.

		Good carving comes from practice and experience; and a lot of that
		comes from bad judgement.

I find that good carving also has a lot to do with patience.

It's difficult but remember to eat and sleep in between carving.

		It's never too late to start carving. Many artists have taken up
		carving after retirement. But I must make the following important disclosure:

		Wood carving and whittling may be habit forming and could
		prevent you from engaging in household chores and other unpleasant tasks. Carving is enjoyable and you may be prone to sharing it with others; thus, causing them to experience the same distractions from less pleasant tasks as you may experience yourself.

		Albeit, I do not believe in sanding, careful tooling and clean cuts
		save you hours of sanding. Clean cuts provide a highly finished professional look.

		When I use hand tools (versus mallet work) on cross grain; I use a
		slicing cut for much greater ease.

		I find that clamping my work so both hands are free is always worth
		the effort - not to mention the added safety.

		USING A TEMPLATE (or pattern): Using a template can offer many
		advantages in applying your carving project on wood. A template: (1) can be moved around on your wood ensuing a good fit; (2) can be enlarged or reduced on a copy machine to better fit your wood; (3) can be used over and over again in cases where you are doing multiple pieces; and (4) can help you identify waste wood allowing you to band saw or chisel it off prior to getting into the meat of things. Remember to make a top and side view template that can be aligned with each other on the wood. Use carbon paper or a pattern makers wheel to transfer your work to the wood if you cannot use a pencil around the edges of your pattern.

		When doing lettering and fine line detail, I use a hooked, razor
		sharp knife. Doing so helps prevent my knife from coming loose from my cut and slipping or streaking across the wood. This is so obvious, yet many carvers have never even tried a hooked knife.

		When using palm gouges, it is easy to bang knuckles or fingers of
		the pushing hand on the piece being carved. Once you have banged yourself a few times, wrap the banged spot in vet wrap or elastic bandage material to soften future banging. Banging yourself a few times will make it abundantly clear where to apply the vet wrap.

		Stay Sharp and Happy Carving!

"I don't think there is
any thrill that can go
through the human
heart like that felt by
the artist as he or she
sees some creation of
the soul unfolding to
completion."
...Michael Keller

"Imagination is more
important than
knowledge"
...Albert Einstein