The spirit of a woodcarver
by Michelle Minnoch

Wood carver Honky Hawrysio says a wood sprit is a face you can see in a tree when you are lost in a forest. It's a protector, ensuring you are not alone.

A multi winning carver, Honky established his business, Spirits of the Wilderness, in 1997. A self taught carver, the idea came to him a year prior while he passed a wood carver display in Mississauga.

"It went from a passion to an obsession," he said.

Whether creating a spirit on a small or grand scale, he says no two faces are ever

the same. He does not carve animals, only spirits with realistic human characteristics.

His first creation was a mantle piece, carved out of an 8" piece of wood. Sketching his idea for the spirit on cardboard, including a front and profile view, the preliminary drawing is a guide to the creation.

Honky also enjoys tackling the larger projects. He receives many calls from home owners who would like something unique done to the trees in their yards that are left damaged from lightening or a storm.

He asses the tree and makes sure he has enough wood to work with to carve a spirit.

"The shape of the tree will help dictate what I do," he said. "There's a saying that states the carving was already there, all I did was remove the wood around it."

For these projects, he roughs out the area with a chainsaw. The facial features are done with a mallet and a chisel. Once the spirit is carved, a sealer is applied to the finished project to protect it from the elements.

Although he has not competed in the Canadian circuit for the past two years, Honky has 88 awards for his carvings. In July, he attended the Wood carving World Championships in Davenport, Iowa and he placed 4th in the Realistic Human category. It was the first time Honky had competed at the World Championships.

Honky has decided not to compete in the Canadian circuit because if he wins again in this country, he would be considered a Master Carver.

"I don't want that title," he said. "I don't think I'm at the stage in my career to be considered a Master Carver."

Since 1998, Honky has taught his craft to students interested in the art of caring spirits. He said when people get into his class and watch him work, they are often intimidated, until he shows them his first carving.

"You cannot make a mistake in my class," he said. "If you did make a mistake, all you did was create a different feature."

If you are interested in contacting Honky, he can be reached at (705) 456-2815.