Customer Spotlight

Woodworking has given him a lifetime of joy

Gary's favorate piece is his home office desk with carvings that he later detailed by hand.

A multifaceted man, Gary Rodewald could, literally, have a resume a mile long.  Among his many titles including City Mayor, Master Electrician, Meat Cutter, Custom Home Builder, Fireman, Policeman, Salesman and Businessman operating Gas Stations, Trash Hauling Services, Hardware & Consulting Businesses just to name a few, Gary has consistently remained one thing – an artist.

Gary enjoys a variety of mediums in his creations.  Most of it is wood, both local and exotic woods, but he also uses stained glass, paint, and other objects.  Says Gary, “Art is art, no matter what medium you use or what tools.  Whether it is a computer, a paint brush or a chisel, you use the best tools available in the best way you can.  The tool doesn’t do the design or layout; the artist does.”  Much like Gary Rodewald has been woodworking all of his life, he has been a CarveWright user all of its life.&

 

A favorite accessory of Gary’s is the Scanning Probe, which he uses to recreate some of his own art work, restore antiques and recreate original moldings for home restoration.

An original Beta tester of the first generation CarveWright Woodworking System, Gary now owns and continually operates two more of his own.  Gary loves to design different things with his CarveWright and says of the CarveWright User’s Forum, which he was one of the first three original members; the forum is “a great source for ideas.”  Of the CarveWright he says, “I’ve had over 56 years of woodworking and for those who have never had to chisel, it is difficult for them to appreciate what they have in their hand.”

Since age 10, when his father gave Gary Rodewald his first woodworking tool (a Burgess Jigsaw), Gary Rodewald has been giving back.  First in the form of Christmas presents fashioned from the jigsaw.  Gary’s wooden creations quickly became a Rodewald Christmas family favorite.  Now at age 66, he has spent a lifetime of giving from his heart not only to his immediate family, but to his community, his church and his fellow mankind primarily through his art. 

At Thanksgiving, many families draw names in preparation for their Christmas gift giving.  The Rodewald family never knew what they would get, but they knew they wanted Gary to draw their names. His own home is filled with custom cabinetry, knick-knacks, tables, art, moldings and furniture including his own carved desk (a personal favorite) and the bed he and wife Virginia sleep in each night. 

A custom fireplace mantel with interchangeable facings.






From the foyer to the pulpit, St. Paul's Lutheran Church displays Gary's art...
 


 

For his community of Missouri Valley, Iowa where he has lived since age 6, Gary Rodewald gives his time and talents to local Committee Groups and City Government.  He is a major fundraiser and contributor to historic restoration including homes, buildings, antique furniture and even a historic steam train system for the Parks and Recreation Board.  He invents and creates accessories for the elderly even signs and gifts for neighbors and friends.  One neighbor’s fireplace features a new mantel Gary created with interchangeable facings that include options such as carved bears, a Christmas Wish, or openings for family photos.

His own church, St. Paul Lutheran, is filled with his art from the foyer to the pulpit including a very special piece that he designed three years ago.  Under a sign carved with the words “Pennies From Heaven” a miniature church sits with etched glass sides and meticulously placed shingles with South American Coins to cover the nail holes.  Church members drop monetary donations through a slot at the top of Gary’s miniature church.  The money from this beautiful collection box, usually $3,000 - $4000 per year is donated to an orphanage at their sister church in South America. 

Not every piece of art Gary creates uses the CarveWright, but a good majority of them do.  Cabinets in the church youth center and art room, lecterns, step stools and signs throughout feature carved text messages.  The church attendance board features a pierced carving.  Often, Gary uses the CarveWright to do most of the work and then finishes pieces with details that he chisels by hand as in the case of the Dragonflies and Cattails on the front of his home office desk and the hundreds of shingles, first cut by the CarveWright and then individually and uniquely textured by hand.  Even, his custom built homes feature many examples of what can be done with the CarveWright. 

A favorite accessory of Gary’s is the Scanning Probe, which he uses to recreate some of his own art work, restore antiques and recreate original moldings for home restoration.  Of the scanning probe, Gary says, “A duck is a duck and a bear is a bear.  Whether you look at it and carve it by hand or use a scanner you are copying someone else’s pattern.  It’s God’s pattern.”

God gave Gary a gift and Gary Rodewald has spent his lifetime giving back.