Wednesday, July 27, 2011

There's something about turtles...

I'm not sure what the deal is but, a lot of people like turtles.  And by "turtles" they may mean turtles or tortoises...  So I try to carve both in order to satisfy the most customers.

This first critter is my rendition of the African Sulcata. This large creature is a popular pet which is so well cared for that their carapace {upper shell} becomes distorted from eating too much protein.  No. Those cool pyramids are not the sign of a healthy Sulcata but they do attract a lot of oooohs and aaahs.

The Green Sea Turtle is a species I carve very often.   The simple design is recognized as a generic turtle which attracts many would be buyers.  More buyers, in fact, than the tortoise.  I suppose it's easier to get excited over a turtle which appears to fly through water than over the tortoise who skids about on his stomach.

In the near future, I plan to add other turtle species to my carving repertoire starting with the Leather Back.  Perhaps a snapper or a stylized design will catch people's attention?