About Bill Beeler - Folk Artist

Reared in central Kentucky, Bill was active in Scouting. He did a lot of hiking and camping as a teen-ager. His first disastrous attempt at carving was a Boy Scout neckerchief slide and a very dull knife. It would be many years before he would be inspired to try again.

He likes to paint occasionally, but he describes himself as an artisan or folk artist rather than a fine artist. Bill finds his talents are best expressed in his wood carvings. He carves walking sticks, canes, colonial kitchen utinsels, caricatures, and small animals. Even today, he jokes about cutting himself very easily and wears partial gloves to protect his hands. The photo on the left shows him working on a walking stick while camping on Baron River lake several years ago.

One ongoing project is a pair of totems about five feet long. The first was begun in 2004. They will take ten to twelve years to finish. They are for his grandsons, Jordan and Mathew. Carvings will depict important life events. The child's height will also be noted at birth and at each birthday. They will be given to Jordan and Mathew when they are taller than the totems.

As a retired teacher and history buff, Bill likes to follow some of the old traditions in his works. You can see more of his work at his website: www.kentuckyfolkartist.com

The picture on the left was taken at a recent wood carving exposition in Florida.