Treasure Coast Wood Carvers.com

The Treasure Coast Wood Carvers club has a treasure in Charlie Miller. He grew up in small town Milltown, N. J., learning to carve from the son of the owners of a taxidermy shop. First Charlie duplicated ducks, pheasants and birds. He carved until he joined the Navy in 1948. When he was discharged in 1952 Charlie continued carving heirloom pieces such as cradles, coffee tables, clocks, etc. Each piece included decorative carving.

It was 1992 when Charlie started carving Welsh Love Spoons, from a fallen dogwood tree. Since then he has carved 760 spoons which are in a collection in his home-perhaps the largest body of work of this kind anywhere. Charlie carver 14 love spoons for his wife, Barbara, for Valentines Day. The tradition of the love spoon started in the 16 th century when poor young man in Wales, unable to afford wedding rings, carved spoons for the woman they wished to marry. The spoons are a symbol of love, in fact, that is how the word "spooning" came to mean wooing or romancing.

No two spoon are alike-most are 4 inches in size, but speaks volumes about my inspiration. Charlie gets his inspiration from Celtic motifs, Welsh antiquity, books, the Internet and everyday objects. Charlie has also carved over 3000 individual hearts of various sizes and materials, including stone. Intricately carved flowers, hobo puzzles, treble clefs, knots, fish and flamingos are also in Charlie's collection.

Most recently Charlie is carving miniatures which are completed by assembling them inside glass bottles, similar to whips in bottles . The designs are Charlie's own as are the tools he fabricated for this delicate process-definitely a challenge in patience.

Charlie and his wife, Barbara, moved to Port St. Lucie, Fla. In 1998 and in 2002 Charlie joined the Treasure Coast Wood Carvers club. Being self taught, the value which a club can prove invaluable for technique, advice and information is tremendous. More importantly it is a forum to help fellow word carvers.

Come meet Charlie and many other talented carvers, both beginners and master carvers, at the Treasure Coast Wood Carvers in Port St Luice, Fla. See Treasure Coast Wood Carvers.com