Inner-Row Jumper - Pelt
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Carvers: Al Sushynski & Bob Young
Painters: Al Sushynski & Bob Young
Size: 36" chest to rump
Status: finished
Sponsor: The Lloyd Family
Lauren Baker, an employee of the Foundation, just happens to be an artist who is completely captivated by "all things carousel." Every PTC carousel studied shows at least one horse wearing an animal pelt saddle. Lauren's version sports a cougar pelt saddle, reflecting early Edmonton history.
Pelt, along with five other horses, was blocked-up by students taking woodworking classes at St. Joseph's High School. The body pieces are made from 30-40 pieces of basswood from the linden tree, laminated together with glue to form eight body parts: head, neck, body, four legs and tail. To ready the blocks for the carvers, Lauren's blown-up patterns (using an overhead projector for enlargement) are used as a guide when cutting the laminated blocks to shape on the band saw. That same pattern is used, in turn, by the carvers when they subsequently carve the horses from the body blocks.
In an effort to speed up production we found it necessary to pair up carvers, but in doing so problems with consistency arose. To overcome this, our carvers became specialists. While one team member would carve all of the legs, the other carved both the neck and mane, along with the tail. While one worked on the head, the other worked on the body, resulting in an harmonious body of work. Both artists, Al and Bob, decided to paint, as well as carve, their pinto. The result is a fabulous Indian pony.
On October 12, 2005 we lost Bob Young to cancer. Thank you for all your work and lending us your talents.