JIM STAHL FEATURED LAKEWOOD ARTIST

A place to present artists of all kinds and mediums

By Patti Browder

When Jim Stahl and Donna Bowles got married four years ago, they combined their lives and households in one of the friendly Lakewood neighborhoods along the lakefront. Jim brought many of his lifelike wood carvings to display in their new home.

Over the years, Jim has many wood sculptures using the technique of flat-plane woodcarving. Working with a piece of soft wood such as basswood and an amazing array of small, sharp chisels and mallets, Jim brings his caricatures to life with realistic and humorous expressions and postures. Although many of his pieces tend toward a Western theme, Jim has carved animals and birds as well.

Jim began carving as a twelve-year-old Boy Scout. Over the years as a Scout leader and throughout his life careers, Jim continued to improve and refine his wood carving from a hobby to creative art. Some of his carvings took months to complete. While employed by Bowers-Siemon Chemicals, Jim spent many hours on the road serving clients over a several-state area. When he tired of the road and long hours behind the wheel, he would stop at a roadside rest area and pass some time working on his latest wood carving project at a picnic table. He even took his carving along on trips and cruises with his wife and family members. Unlike carving at the kitchen table at home, Jim enjoyed carving on a table outside or on the deck of a cruise ship because the “shavings just blew away and there was nothing to clean up.”

Jim and Donna enjoy spending time on the lakeshore with their neighbors watching the boats and wildlife, and they are frequently seen dancing up a storm on Saturday night at the American Legion.

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We have updates regarding which areas of the Lakewood Oaks Clubhouse will be off limits for the foreseeable future. We ask that our Club Members and Residents do not attempt to enter construction areas during repair, and follow the signage/pathways set up to navigate the building for the time being. •

• Men's locker room stalls

• Front Lobby Entrance

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We will keep Members and Residents informed about rooms/areas of the Clubhouse as repairs are completed and can be used as normal, but we estimate that the repairs and improvements will take four to six months. Thank you for your understanding!