Nova Scotia Folk Art Festival
"The best four hours of fun..."
Sunday afternoon, August 5th, 2012
Our 2011 Poster features the work of Douglas Dorken
Back to artists page
Douglas Dorken, featured artist for 2011, uses but one piece of wood, skillfully directing chisel and knife so that figures and
landscape seem to emerge from within. Depending on the piece, he may use kiln-dried pine, poplar, or "sea-seasoned" wood
to create his relief carvings. Following in the footsteps of his shipwright father, Doug took up carving in 1994 after retiring
from a career in the navy.
As with all forms of art, formulating the idea is the most difficult step in the process. Once he fixes on a subject for a carving,
Doug sketches the images in pencil on the piece and proceeds to "rescue them" from the wood. "Before I start a new
project," he has said, "I sit on my carving stool and turn the wood over and over, studying each side and I try to picture
fishermen and other people I know." Indeed, he admits that many of the figures he carves are based on real people.
