A Project of the Central Massachusetts Caricature Carvers Club, Fitchburg, MA
By Edsel L. Johnson
The 1940 Waterfront Scene was an inspiration that came about from Pete LeClair. He was interested in a scene centered around a nautical theme. Since the club meets at two different sites each week, one on Tuesday night and a Thursday morning with a total of 20 individual carvers, a great degree of coordination was needed. The scene had to be erected and disassembled numerous times in the course of the four and one half months until it came to fruition.
It was finished in time for the Spirit of Wood contest last October, sponsored by the New England Woodcarvers, which was held at the Middlesex Community College, Bedford MA.
The Waterfront Scene took First Place as a group project, besting the other entry, a building scene. The New England Pier is filled with characters of all descriptions. The Fall seasonal backdrop set off the buildings that loom over the water and dock.
Carvers who won the group prize included Pete LeClair, Scott Arsenault, Rick Boyer, Bob Guay, Pete Tomasello, Frank Desorbo, Gail Hansche-Godin, Top Siat, John Lussier, Mandy Thibault, Len Hill, Gerald Kottman, Gary Filiault, Edsel Johnson, Bill Manser, Ed Laetz, Norma Jean Quinn, Lynne Readon, Joe Readon, Frank Quinn, Ron Roth and Ernie Charpentier.