WHITTLE GUYS - A showcase of wood-carved creatures by Katie Aldworth

Through June 2024

DESCRIPTION OF SHOW: 

Whittle Guys is a colorful collection of tiny wooden creatures. Spirited and lively, these pieces were carved by hand with knives and gouges, and with few exceptions, each was carved from a single solid block of wood.

I first picked up a whittling knife and a piece of basswood on a camping trip in late 2020, simply hoping that it would keep my hands and mind busy in a time of deep, personal grief and uncertainty. Soon, shaving curls of wood became therapeutic, and for the first time in years, there was no pressure in the act of creation. Art didn’t feel like work anymore. When being an artist becomes a profession, it can alter the artist’s perspective of their craft. For me, the act of making art had become associated with my profession, exhibition, monetization, productivity, and by extension, stress. But these wooden creatures were never meant to be shown to anyone – they were created simply for the joy of creating. 

Over the past few years, whittling has lightened my mind. It’s changed my view of myself, not only as an artist, but as a whole human being. Whittle Guys is a celebration of joyful expression. I sincerely hope that anyone who sees my carvings can find some joy in them, too.

ARTIST BIO: 

Katie Aldworth is a director, storyboard artist, and all-around cartoon goblin. For the past 11 years, Katie has worked for animation studios including: Cartoon Network, Netflix, Disney, Warner Brothers, TItmouse, and Nickelodeon. Outside of work, you can find Katie playing dungeons and dragons, camping in the woods, and whittling – ideally, all at the same time. Katie lives with her wife and two cats (Snap and Toby) in Burbank, California, and usually has wood shavings stuck to her socks. I bet you $20 there’s some in her shoe right now.