When two extraordinary artists, both at the zenith of their art, meet, it should be memorialized—by one of them. Fortunately, it was.
Legendary woodcarver Vic Hood regularly offers a five-day seminar at the International Woodcarvers Congress (also known as the Congress). See Photo 1. Throughout the woodcarving industry, it is known that his class. Carving a Life-Size Bust in Butternut, which strongly emphasizes design, creativity, and technical execution, fills up in record time. Vic, a much sought-after instructor, was Woodcarving lllustrated's 2011 Carver of the Year, a Dayton Best-of-Show Winner, and a 2011 White House Holiday Ornament Artist. He has been featured on DIY’s Woodsculpting show, is the author of Carving Found Wood and Extreme Pumpkin Carving, and will be the featured artist at Carv-Fest 2014 in Faribault, Minnesota (August 7-9, 2014).
In 1981 Vic founded Leatherwood, Inc., to provide restorations and the preservation of historic buildings. Leather-wood, Inc., can also replicate historic structures by utilizing their ample supply of vintage wood, their fabrication shop, and their custom sawmill.
Rose Frantzen, a nationally and internationally renowned and acclaimed artist, is a native of Maquoketa, Iowa, the same town that hosts the International Woodcarvers Congress. In 2005/2006, Rose painted 180 portraits of her fellow Maquoketa residents. Her exhibit, Portrait of Maquoketa, was featured at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery in 2009/2010 for eight months. Portrait of Maquoketa is also the title of Rose's 110-page, hardcover coffee-table book, which documents her yearlong project. See Photo 2. A flip animation of one of the portraits, photographed every seven minutes from start to finish, is featured throughout the book.
Each year, Rose, as a faculty member for the Portrait Society of America, demonstrates portrait painting. She also offers a five-day intensive Portrait Painting Workshop in Maquoketa, Iowa, focusing on alla prima portrait painting in oil. The Italian phrase alla prima means "at once. An alla prima painting is completed, from start to finish, in one sitting, while the paint is still wet - without building up layers of colors or using an underpainting. Old City Hall Gallery in Maquoketa, Iowa, exclusively represents Rose.
In 2013, while Vic was teaching Carving a Life-Size r. futternut at the International Woodcarvers Conaress Rose and her mother Ellen, were touring the Congress When Rose viewed Vic teaching his class, she was im pressed with his energy and decided that he would be an excellent subject for an alia prima painting Within an hour. Rose set up her easel and began painting. See Photo 3.
Vic, in his inimitable spirit, had decided to wear a red hat that day. See Photos 4-6.
When the afternoon ended, the smile on Rose’s face confirmed that she was quite satisfied; she had captured the unique essence of Vic Hood-alla prima. See Photo 7.
by Susan Alexander
