Red River Valley Woodcarvers share their art at 47th Annual Wood Arts Festival

FARGO, N.D. (KVRR) — The Red River Valley Woodcarvers held their annual Wood Arts Festival Saturday and Sunday, sharing their art with fellow carvers, and hoping to inspire a new generation.

The event featured artists from around the region sharing their woodcarving creations and expertise.

Event organizer Rhonda Smith said that the response they saw this year was encouraging.

“I think we’re actually going to break our record for how many are in attendance. We haven’t had a final count yet, but by noon we’ve already had 150 people come through from the public and we opened up at 10 o’clock. Last year we had over 600 people walk through, and that’s huge for us.”

The event also featured classes with Vladimir Davydov. Davydov and his wife sold their home in 2022 to travel around North America teaching woodcarving techniques, and trying to preserve an art that he says is slowly dying.

“One day I ask myself what I can bring to this art, what I can do to the art, and my decision was clear. I have to teach as much people as possible.”

Davydov says that he was inspired to start traveling after he saw some of the clubs he had worked with in the past begin to shrink.

“I know many people from different clubs all over the United States and Canada and each time I speak with them I understand the clubs became smaller and smaller. And the average age of the woodcarvers in the clubs? 70 years-old.”

He says that he is encouraged by the people he sees turn up to events like this one.

“There are many people interested in it. And it’s all the good people. So whatever, in Texas or North Dakota or Minnesota, when you go to an event like this, you feel yourself at home.”

Davydov says that he encourages all carvers to share their passion with the younger generation to help preserve their art into the future.

“If you have grandchildren, show them this art as quick as possible when they are young. Because the youngest people are our future. If we don’t share the knowledge and this art with them, it will be dead in 50 years.”

The Red River Valley Woodcarvers hold classes for both people learning the artform, or looking to improve their skills. Alex Bertsch, KVRR News.