Commissioned woodcarvings for collectors…
I suggest that you take a moment and look through the pictures on this page and on the Zillions of Pics page. When you do, you will notice a few things.
First of all, I do all of my carvings the old school way – by hand. No computerized carving. Also, I lovingly hand paint each piece. Each is a one-of-a-kind, signed original. No two are alike.
This is very labor intensive work…
To be certain, there are many fine craftspeople online, but the type of carving work that I do is in a whole different category. What you will receive is a cherished family heirloom, something you can pass down to your kids and grandkids. This as one of a kind, commissioned fine art…a signed original from a Disney artist.
In looking through the pictures that you see here, you may find something that you are drawn to. This can be the jumping off place from which we can create something uniquely for you, with the same flavor perhaps, but not the exact same design. We can do pretty much anything we can dream up together. Anything….
Timing: The Queue
I have an absurdly long backlog of commissioned order (this is normal for me), and hand carving is a VERY slow groove which will require Zen patience on your part. Carving is an organic process and as such, it’s pretty much impossible to call out a completion date until it gets close to your turn in the queue.
I do my orders in the same sequence in which the order is placed. First I carve the one in front of me. Then the next. Then the next. I have carved thousands of these over the last forty-plus years and I am used to the queue process, but waiting for a significant period of time can be very unsettling for some people. Be sure that you are up for that if you want to place an order.
OK, I get that there’s a long queue. But how long will it take?
The answer is this: I just don’t know. You can contact me to find out how many orders are in the queue at any one time (or to see where your order is currently). Some of these can take up to two years, perhaps less, perhaps more… it depends on how many orders are in the queue and how complex they are.
This will require Zen patience…
Just know that when your turn comes, you will certainly feel like it was worth the wait.
Pricing
These woodcarvings are done by hand. The old school way. Please understand that some of the fancier carvings can sometimes take weeks (or even months) of full-time labor and as a result, the more detailed ones can be spendy.
This is custom work, and prices are all over the map depending on complexity and size. Most of the carvings you see here (on this website) are typically $3K plus and many of them are significantly more than that.
Since each piece is a one of a kind, signed original, we will have to discuss your specific ideas in detail before I can give an estimate.
There are no stock designs and no “price list”.
All quotes are valid for 30 days.
Student Work
I have several students who are putting out some very nice work. If you are on a time limitation (can’t wait that long) you might consider consider commissioning one of my students to create something for you. Please contact me if you’d like me to recommend a student who can do something for you.
The Process
We will need to brainstorm some ideas back and forth. Complexity, size, theme, what will it say? That kind of thing. After we have an idea of what you want, I will give you a price range, from simple, to fancy, to super fancy (by super fancy I mean lots of detail).
I can get pretty geeky with detail when the budget allows for it. The higher the budget, the more detail. Based on your budget, I will let you know how much detail will be in your piece.
After we reach this agreement, you will need to make a deposit in order to secure your spot in the queue.
Payments / Placing an Order
No payments are made until you and I have reached an agreement, as discussed above. Once an agreement is reached, and you are ready to place your order, it is time to make a deposit.
Terms for placing an order are 50% deposit with the balance due upon completion. Shipping is not included. I use a local UPS store for both packing and shipping, so whatever they charge will be the shipping cost. Also, I ship worldwide.
Please complete the Contact Me section below or on the Contact page to discuss details with me and to place your order.
All payments are non-refundable but may be used as credit towards future purchases in the event of unforeseen circumstances.
When Your Turn Comes Up In the Queue
Sometime between when you place your order and prior to the carve, I will do a simple line sketch and submit it to you for approval. This is really more of a scribble than an illustration. Just a roadmap for me actually; the real thing happens in the wood itself. Once I start working on your project, I generally send photos of your work in process, and a final one upon completion.
I look forward to working with you. Together, we will create something that you and your family will treasure always.
Peace,
Raymond