It?
Carving.
His medium?
Wood.
“It’s a beloved medium,” Shattuck said. “First thing people do is touch it, put their hands on it.”
He is also a painter, but he said when he painted, he would then have to go make something you could touch.
“It’s like a three D itch,” he said.
This all started when he was a young boy
When George was given some clay as a small boy, he became obsessed with molding it, he brought it to school, then back home again, day after day - always sculpting.
George, who is now a father of a grown son himself, grew up one of five brothers. They lived in the Sedgewick area of the city. His elegant mother, Sheila, still lives in the center hall colonial where the boys grew up. She is a member of the Eagan family, and is well known in CNY for her work in theater arts. She now also works as a therapist. His father, a lawyer, is attached to the family that started the former Schraffts Restaurants. This was one of the first independent chains in America, famous soda fountains with a world class chocolate sauce.
His parents later separated and his father moved to Cazenovia, where the Shattuck boys also spent a lot of time.
George has lived in and around CNY most of his adult life including Syracuse, Liverpool, Baldwinsville, Cazenovia and presently he resides on Shattuck Road in Oneida. He found this road named for his ancestors by accident on a long drive. Just like his many homes, his work is mobile, currently in Caz.
“I am carving the main beam of a horse barn in Cazenovia. The barn itself is from the 1820’s and is being rebuilt,” George said, “The carving are as follows; horse, buffalo, pig, crow, chicken, goat and a raccoon with beer bottle,” George said.
Settling on wood
He settled on wood after working throughout many mediums, including the culinary arts. While working as a cook at Riley’s on Park Street he would intentionally bend and shape the Friday night battered fish fry, so that it would resemble a fish jumping out of the water onto your plate. Later, while working as a line cook (hot food production) in Armory Square’s Pastabilities’ Restaurant in the 90s, he whittled carrots into renaissance-type studies of the human figure. Each night a miniature sculpture would be created with a shelf life of a few days. Many were given to children, and adults too, who visited the restaurant over a six-year period. He averaged about three a week, which loosely translated into about 900 studies that had perhaps a two-week shelf life.
Now he carves wood. Faces, flowers, hummingbirds, bees, the stuff of trees, maidenheads from the old sailing ships, busts and butterflies, all carved into or out of wood. Handsome wood that is fashioned first for function, such as a fireplace mantle, a chair, a bed, a banister, cabinets or even thrones.
“Most people that want what I do, are into it,” he said, “the first guy I met was building his own mantle, but wanted some carvings.”
That was Brian St. Laurent of East Syracuse. He said the collaboration process with George was brilliant – and everyday he looks at the work they accomplished together.
“Above all George is an artist, “ St. Laurent said, “he came to our house and sat down and talked with us and then came back with sketches, they were all fantastic.”
St. Laurent is even now working on a side table that he hopes Shattuck will embellish with a carving.
George also does restoration carving, and loves to see how others carved before him studying in books and from pieces people bring him.
Patrons make it possible
George put a small ad in the building supply section of Syracuse’s daily newspaper and through this met, Jim and Machelle Chatwin. They have a beautiful home in Weedsport with a lot of woodwork including six fireplaces.
George said they would give him a theme, such as oak leaves and acorns, and he would go to work carving.
“Whatever you can think of, I can do it,” he said.
Jim Chatwin said that George is a rare talent with respect to wood carving, he’s never seen a better carver and he is honorable, descent, honest and reasonably priced. He also was amazed at the time George spent to work on the initial design creating very intricate drawings and sometimes even carving mock ups that he gave them – and he would never accept money for this work or time.
“He really goes all out for customer satisfaction,” Chatwin said, “He recognizes the need to provide the customer guidance, and will think nothing of make a personal delivery and making sure the items fit properly.”
Based on his skill, patience and overall fairness Chatwin said he would encourage anyone interested in enhancing their home with a carving, to contact Shattuck.
George also carved a mantle with a heron theme; one lined with characters Americana and one with maidenheads such as those found on the prow of an old sailing ship. The latest commission was hummingbirds and flowers.
He has collaborated on furniture with Kevin and Jean Ridgeway, who own Unique Woodworks up on the North Shore of Oneida Lake. This shop is well named as it hosts an array of one of a kind pieces of handmade furniture and also other interesting home goods with Adirondack and Lake Country themes.
George will collect salvage wood and work with it to create anew.
“Wood doesn’t just grow on trees,” he said.
Breaking away
George knows only too well the struggle an artist goes through to create. For more than 20 years he has balanced working a bread and butter job at night, so he could hone his craft by day. He feels now is the time to concentrate full time on his artwork, and is available for commissions, ready and willing to translate your ideas into carvings.
“Being on your own adventure, there is no more longing,” he said.
The skinny
George Shattuck
Jim Reith fan
shattuckwoodcarving.com
george@shattuckwoodcarving.com
363-3613
