In Focus: Bagley Area Arts Collaborative Begins Free Woodcarving Classes

The Bagley Area Arts Collaborative has started a new Woodcarving Class taught by long-time woodcarver, Pam Janssen. Pam Janssen of Shevlin, Minnesota, has been woodcarving for quite a long time.

“I have been a carver for over 40 years. I used to teach woodcarving in Bemidji through community-ed also. I’ve taught that for 12 years,” says Janssen.

So what initially got Pam started on her woodcarving journey all those years ago?

“Because it’s a challenge. I like challenges,” adds Janssen.

And woodcarving is arguably one of the more challenging styles of art to do.

“You have to read the wood and you have to take away wood that isn’t part of the project,” says Janssen “With clay, you can just keep adding clay till you get what you want. For this, you have to figure out what to remove and what to leave. If you’re going to leave it the natural wood, then you don’t want to take away too much and have to use wood filler.”

Janssen wanted to start teaching woodcarving classes in hopes to expand one of her favorite art forms.

“Those of us in Bemidji were worried that it’s a dying art because it’s mostly older people that are doing it, and so we’re kind of trying to get other people interested in it, too, because it is such a unique art,” says Janssen.

And the classes seem to be doing just that.

“My wife and I go south for the winter and I was bored, so my wife bought all of this stuff for me to have a winter project in Florida,” says Roger Jensen, Woodcarving Class Attendee, “She then sadly passed away. So it’s been sitting in a dresser drawer for 4 or 5 years, and when I saw the ad in the paper, I decided it’s time that I actually do this and I didn’t know where to even start so I came to the class. I’ve been spearfishing since I was 3 or 4 years old. My daughter’s a spear fisherman; my son’s a spear fisherman, so I’m hoping to eventually use these for spearing.”

Janssen hopes that if enough people take interest in these classes, it will eventually lead to a woodcarving club within the community.

“I like to try everything. I try to try everything at least once to see what I really like, and you meet a lot of people. There’s a lot of enthusiasm, a lot of interest. We just love it,” adds Janssen.

Classes are held at the Bagley Public Library on the second and fourth Thursday of every month until the end of April. Classes are free to attend and start at 3 PM.