How it all began
Clyde Daugherty began carving in the late 1980s while serving in the military. It all
began when he saw a photo in a magazine of "the old man of the wood," a carving
of an old bearded man in a slab of tree trunk. Clyde was very impressed with the
carving and thought, "I can do that." So he found a slab of wood and started with a
pocket knife and Exacto blades to carve his own "wood spirit."
About two weeks later Clyde had a carving that he was completely appalled with
and thought, "I guess I can't do that." He was so disappointed with his carving that
he gave up on it before it was finished and left it on a table on his back porch. The
carving then ended up on the ground and lost in the back yard. Clyde admitted
defeat and realized he was not cut out to be a carver.
Months later, during a visit, Clyde's mother noticed the rejected carving in the
grass. By this time the sun had aged it to a dark gray and tiny cracks had appeared
all over it. But she fell in love with it. Clyde was actually ashamed of it, but he
cleaned it up and gave it to her. She liked the piece so much that she brought it
home to hang on her fireplace. This encouraged Clyde to give it another try.
And that was the beginning of Clyde's carving career. He purchased some real
carving tools and continued to develop his own "old man of the wood." That was
several thousand carvings ago. And Clyde's mother still has his first carving
hanging in her home.
Clyde enjoys helping other sculptors and sharing his talents with those around
him. He is a past president of the Mahoning Valley Wood Carvers Club, and
demonstrates his techniques to its members and other clubs in the community.
He also enjoys carving trees in his community. He hopes that the many trees he
has carved in the area will be a legacy for years to come. Clyde is also developing
a nature trail through the woods on his property and a children's picture book
featuring the carvings along the trail.
began when he saw a photo in a magazine of "the old man of the wood," a carving
of an old bearded man in a slab of tree trunk. Clyde was very impressed with the
carving and thought, "I can do that." So he found a slab of wood and started with a
pocket knife and Exacto blades to carve his own "wood spirit."
About two weeks later Clyde had a carving that he was completely appalled with
and thought, "I guess I can't do that." He was so disappointed with his carving that
he gave up on it before it was finished and left it on a table on his back porch. The
carving then ended up on the ground and lost in the back yard. Clyde admitted
defeat and realized he was not cut out to be a carver.
Months later, during a visit, Clyde's mother noticed the rejected carving in the
grass. By this time the sun had aged it to a dark gray and tiny cracks had appeared
all over it. But she fell in love with it. Clyde was actually ashamed of it, but he
cleaned it up and gave it to her. She liked the piece so much that she brought it
home to hang on her fireplace. This encouraged Clyde to give it another try.
And that was the beginning of Clyde's carving career. He purchased some real
carving tools and continued to develop his own "old man of the wood." That was
several thousand carvings ago. And Clyde's mother still has his first carving
hanging in her home.
Clyde enjoys helping other sculptors and sharing his talents with those around
him. He is a past president of the Mahoning Valley Wood Carvers Club, and
demonstrates his techniques to its members and other clubs in the community.
He also enjoys carving trees in his community. He hopes that the many trees he
has carved in the area will be a legacy for years to come. Clyde is also developing
a nature trail through the woods on his property and a children's picture book
featuring the carvings along the trail.
About the Artist
First Carving
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