What type of finish is used?
• Natural – No Finish – Limited outdoor life with no finish
• Australian Timber Oil
• Australian Timber Oil & Paint
• Australian Timber Oil, Paint and Man O’War (Most Common)
• Spar Urethane – (commonly used with white paint and/or indoor mantles/sculptures)
***All finish can be brushed or sprayed***
How do I care for my carved sculpture?
• Keep Sculpture off ground (concrete pad, garden/patio pavers, treated wood airflow pad, shims under base of carving to provide airflow)
• Keep sculpture out of direct contact with mulch, dirt, leaves, pine straw, etc.
• Apply Australian Timber Oil, Man O’War, or Spar Urethane to sculpture every 12 months to preserve the sculpture
Are carving classes offered?
Carving classes are not currently offered.
How long does it take to carve a sculpture?
The carve time of a sculpture varies. Typically, a 12-inch sculpture can be carved and finished within 1-3 days. A 2-foot sculpture can typically be carved and finished within 3-5 days. There are many things that can determine the carve time to include weather, size of the sculpture, condition of the wood – wet/dry, design of sculpture, fine detail, and equipment maintenance.
**We currently do not have a waitlist for new sculptures/orders. New sculptures/orders will be started after July 15th, 2025. We no longer create sculptures over 7 ft tall.**
Does the wood used have to be a certain dryness?
Yes, it is preferred that the wood used to carve sculptures be dried or seasoned six months to one year prior to being used.
Will my sculpture crack?
• Sculptures are carved keeping wood grain direction and movement in mind to prevent cracking as much as possible.
• We carve a relief line (see info below) into larger sculptures to allow for wood movement without damage to the sculpture.
• Cracks can still happen even though we do everything we can to prevent them. J & M Art and Design offers a 1-year warranty on all carvings. In the event the carving cracks please contact us or bring your carving back to us and we will repair it for you. After the 1-year warranty carvings can be repaired for a fee.
Why is there a crack down the back of my sculpture?
An intentional relief line is carved in the back of the sculpture to allow the wood to shrink and expand in response to the dryness and humidity of the air and surroundings. This prevents unsightly cracking on the exterior of the carving.
Do you ship carvings?
Not preferred. Due to the mishandling of shipments by delivery companies it is not ideal for us to ship your carving. Carvings we have attempted to ship in the past have arrived with broken pieces, busted, etc. due to being mishandled.