A collection of Cliff Yates’ carvings and plaques will be on display and for sale in the Gift Shop at Singer Castle this season. A self-taught woodcarver who specializes in birds, fish and wildlife, Cliff and his wife NeNe have spent their summers on Elm Tree Island in Chippewa Bay for the past fifty-six years. He began carving in 1965 and over the years has refined his technique by carving hundreds of pieces, visiting craft shows and asking questions of other carvers. Cliff adds depth and dimension to his work with wood burning and acrylic paints. Each piece takes many hours to complete. Larger birds take 45-50 hours to complete: 15-20 hours to cut out, carve and sand with an additional 25 hours for wood burning and painting. A smaller bird takes around 20-25 hours to complete.
Retired from the Greece, NY Police Department in 1989, Cliff planned to spend his extra free time on his carving and fishing but in 1997 a serious stroke left Cliff partially paralyzed and unable to use his left hand. Unwilling to give up carving, Cliff underwent extensive physical therapy and worked until he was able to walk, talk and carve again. Cliff loves to share his art with others and is committed to passing on the art of woodcarving to a new generation of wood carvers.
Above news release direct from Dark Island.
