People ask me where I get my ideas. These Santas, where do they come from? And honestly, I have wondered that myself. I have a general idea when I set to work on a piece of linden wood. But that really doesn’t answer the question.
There is some math involved
The general idea is always circumscribed by a few standards, like proportions. I make these gentlemen all of the same proportions. (Some might say elf proportions, but that notion stems mainly from the reference in Clement Moore’s “A Visit from St. Nicholas” better known as “The Night Before Christmas.” The Moore poem drew on Nordic lore, putting the Santa-as-elf idea into popular culture.)
I don’t think of Moore’s Santa (or the resulting Coca Cola Santa) when I work. The Santa legend is, after all, grounded in the life of a real man, the Bishop of Myra; so I would not want to lose that real-life connection altogether. (See https://thelindenwoodstudio.com/yes-virginia-there-was-a-santa-claus-sort-of/)
I just say, then, the proportions are for gentlemen of shorter stature. There are some periods in the misty past when men were shorter on average than they are today and I think of that. Anyway, I worked out a chart of proportions for the different heights of the Santas I make. That way they all have the same general appearance whatever their overall height.
Then I sketch out the proportions on the block of wood based on its height.
Then the creative process really begins
After that, though, the question “where do they come from?” has no more standard answers. I could say “imagination,” but even that is not quite accurate.
I guess you could say that my love of history, legends, carving craftsmanship, and that “creative something” that happens between the wood and me as I work on it all combine to bring the next unique Santa into reality.
Once the main shape is (quite literally) hammered out, the real collaboration among all those elements begins. And sometimes something from another angle will influence the work. For example, I was listening to a medieval Christmas carol, and I was inspired to put a phrase from it into the coat of this Santa.
This phrase is Latin. It means “Rejoice, Christ is born.” It is from the carol “Gaudete.” Here is a great recording of the carol by the King’s Singers: https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=kings+singers+gaudete&qs=SW&cvid=e287f352a5c545e490d984a3bf4f722c&pq=kings+singers+gaudete&cc=US&setlang=en-US&nclid=499AB90D391800E43DE17516B0552F3B&ts=1699829749948&wsso=Moderate&ru=%2fsearch%3fq%3dkings%2bsingers%2bgaudete%26form%3dWSBEDG%26qs%3dSW%26cvid%3de287f352a5c545e490d984a3bf4f722c%26pq%3dkings%2bsingers%2bgaudete%26cc%3dUS%26setlang%3den-US%26nclid%3d499AB90D391800E43DE17516B0552F3B%26ts%3d1699829749948%26nclidts%3d1699829749%26tsms%3d948%26wsso%3dModerate&view=detail&mmscn=vwrc&mid=1D38EBD2C902EAC8DB371D38EBD2C902EAC8DB37&FORM=WRVORC
Hereafter the work continues as it will. Even though I might have a vision of sorts for a Santa, moment to moment the opportunities arise for doing something different. I may see that Santa’s coat calls for folds. Or that a belt needs a new design.
What Santa has in his hands says much about his personality. I choose his accoutrements by a creative process as well. Ideas come to me from many places. Occasionally it comes down to what materials I see around me. A tree twig becomes a staff. A chip of wood becomes a pipe. Sometimes, I have help. For example, my wife made some miniature books, which fit a Santa’s hand.
The faces come to life
Truthfully, though, the faces that are the biggest mystery to me. No two are the same. Maybe they are compilations of faces I have seen over my life. Or maybe they are in the wood and I just find them.
So where do they come from? I wish I knew.
