Ken Kitterman has been carving since he bought his first carving knife at the show in Monroe in September of 1994.  He got started because Hal Allen, a carver who works with Ken, took him to one of Dick Weber’s carving classes.  Hal knew that Ken built wooden ship models and thought he might like woodcarving.  It seems that Hal was right.  Ken continued going to the classes and has a large collection of carvings for having carved such a short time.  He is still exploring subjects for carving and doesn’t have a favorite yet but he seems to like Santas and also has clowns, cottonwood bark carvings, religious subjects and an Indian style whale.  He hasn’t tried relief carving or chip carving yet.  Ken joined NWCA at the show in 1996 and was elected to the steering committee for 1998. 

         After winning six blue ribbons on three carvings as a novice he moved up to intermediate level when he entered a carving of St Francis in the intermediate class at the 1997 Monroe Show for the experience and won a blue ribbon.  Then a carving of The Risen Christ took best of division in the 1998 Kitsap Show.  He presently has numerous ribbons in intermediate class.   Ken has carved in basswood, butternut and cottonwood bark and likes all of them.  After blocking out on a band saw, carvings are done completely by hand at the dining room table.  He has a Dremel tool but uses it very little.  His wife Mary usually sits with him to carve and also paints many of his carvings while he carves and they enjoy the time together.  In 2004 they moved to a new house where he has ample space for his full complement of power and hand tools and lots of workspace.   

       In addition to carving Ken is interested in photography and enjoys reading.   He also does some wood working and carpentry.  He was an avid hunter before moving here from Wyoming in 1978 but now shoots with a camera.  A native of Rawlins , Wyoming born in 1941, Ken served in the Air Force between the Korean and Viet Nam campaigns and worked as manager of a parts store in Hannah , Wyoming before moving here.   Ken was a purchasing agent for Pacific Utility Equipment Company until he retired in February of 2006.  

Ken and Mary celebrated their 44th wedding anniversary in April.  They have a son working for Cingular AT&T.  An older son died in an auto accident in 1985. 

by    Jack  LaFond