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i Section Two The Canadian Statesman, Bowmanville, April 29, 1981 5 Prime Minister Trudeau Came to Dinner, but Didn't Eat a Morsel t; j .. 1 ■hmx fe . ÉîÉ : É«:ÉîiÉl A naturalist and ardent bird watcher, Ron Barber carves wooden likenesses of much of the wildlife which abounds in the area about his farm at R.R. 1, Orono. The wood sculptor is pictured here with an authentic looking owl which is one of the numerous pieces he has crafted. Ron's latest and largest wood sculpture project is the carving of a life-size cigar store Indian. When completed, it will fetch $1300 and the commissioned piece will decorate a Toronto smoke shop. The surveying the Barber's diningroom diningroom table. Not your typical politician -- right? But then now could he be? The Pierre By Donna Fairey Guess who came to dinner at Ron and Nancy Barber's home northeast of Orono last winter? The Prime Minister. And he stayed for two weeks. He didn't eat a single morsel of food and contributed not a word to dinner conversations. He stood silently in the corner Elliott Trudeau who stayed with the Barber family for a brief period was a life-size wood sculpture carved by his host. Ron Barber is a 31-jrear-old General Motors plant worker who has been creating wood sculpture pieces for 15 years. Born and raised in Courtice, Ron is a naturalist who enjoys birdwatching. He carves likenesses likenesses of various. wildlife creatures and specializes in birds. But, since last year Ron has Public Notice from Carpet Warehouse Gigantic Liquidation ■ We have purchased all the stock of a local carpet company. Also, hundreds of rolls from two major mills that have recently closed. Full bales and short rolls. Shop early for best selection. Some quantities limited. ' Prints and Looped Carpet Ideal for kitchens, rec room or cottage. From $3.99 :q yn 100% Nylon Saxony Just like builders use In new homes. Only $5.95 sq. yd.. 100% Saxony Reg. list $49.95 NOW $19.95 sq.yd. Non-Wax Vinyl Cushion Floor From $1.99 sq.yd. Cut & Loop 100% Nylon Only $7.95 sq. yd. Burbur ' Type Carpel From $7.95 sq.yd. Goods subject to prior sale Speedy delivery Professional Installations Remnants Free parking Financing available Free estimates Roll ends Visa and MasterCard Some slight seconds Large rolls Discontinued lines and trials SOME ITEMS SELLING BELOW ORIGINAL COST uM*o70% Manufacturers' Sugg. List OFF 25,000 yards of carpet, vinyl flooring and turf must be liquidated. CARPET WAREHOUSE Hours: Mon.-Frl. 9-8 Sat. 9-5 149 King St. W., Oshawa Telephone 728-0292 A Canadiàn beaver gnawing on a birch tree is one of Ron's favorite pieces. Though it didn't sell at a recent antique show at the Harbor Castle Convention Centre, the wood carver did sell a $1500 life-size sculpture of Prime Minister Trudeau. not just any wood is adaptable for carving. Ron disclosed he spends many hours driving about the local countryside - looking for trees that meet his requirements. He sculpts his pieces from pine, basswood and cedar. In searching out a prime tree, it must have been dead for about five years and yet contain no rot, explained the wood carver. He added it must be reasonably free from knots and, of course, meet size specifications for the intended project. Ron says he often goes to the bother of carting a tree home only to find the interior decayed. He takes advantage of the barter system to acquire most of his trees. Often he will trade a small carved piece for the authority to cut down and haul away a dead tree. The particular particular tree which eventually became became a likeness of the Prime Minister was 130 years old and the finished product weighed over 200 pounds. Ron started whittling and carving while he was a student at Courtice Secondary School. An owl, which was the first piece he sold, fetched him a $10 bill. Later, he began giving his sculptures away as birthday birthday and Christmas gifts. Though Ron has become increasingly involved in what he still classes his hobby, he Working on one of his current projects, Ron is shown here whittling a block of wood into a blue jay. The finished product will be painted in the bird's authentic colors. It takes Ron about 10 to 12 hours to complete wood sculptures of this size. entertains an idea in the back of his mind that some day he may pursue it on a full time basis. "Right now it's not economically economically feasible," he stated. stated. The Barbers live in a farm home at R.R. 1, Orono which dates back to about 1850. On the wall of their living room hangs an 1854 flintlock rifle which Nancy Barber found in a basement crawl space. The couple revealed they are at ease with the solitude rural life offers. Too, Ron has plenty of space for his workshop workshop and the surrounding acreage provides an abundance of wildlife specimens specimens he can use as subjects for his carving. Elizabethville Indian weighs nearly 250 pounds and must be elevated off the workshop floor at night to protect it from dampness. branched into full scale wood sculptures of people. His wood statue of Pierre Elliott Trudeau brought him a tidy $1500 at the Toronto Spring Antique Show held recently at the Harbor Castle Convention Centre. It was the first time he had attempted to retail his work. Of the 14 pieces he took to the show, five were sold. His likeness of the Prime Minister was the first to go and as a result of the show, Ron was commissioned to carve a life-size figure of a cigar' store Indian. When completed, the five foot four inch Indian will bear a $1300 price tag. He will lend authenticity and color to the .Winston and Holmes smoke shop in Yorkville. The half finished Indian is currently residing in Ron's workshop and during the night the 250 pound sculpture hangs from the ceiling. Each evening evening when Ron is done his carving work on the cigar bearing savage, a winch is attached, to the wooden body and the piece is elevated about two feet off the dirt floor. The wood carver says it's imperative imperative sculptures be kept dry. If the weather remains cool and damp, the completed Indian will be taken inside the house where Ron will paint him. The Prime Minister was carved last winter and because of the cold lie was given a position of prominence in the Barber home until the painting was completed. Ron uses regular oil base house paint to put the finishing touches on his sculptures. According to the sculptor, QUICK CLEAN CENTRE 237 King St. E. (Dominion Plaza) 623-4189 DRY CLEANING Weekly Specials Repairs and Alterations WASH, DRY and FOLD SERVICE (Intended for last week) On Sunday the 12th, Rev. W. Kennedy was with us and spoke on, "Palm Sunday". The choir sang 'We had an average crowd.' In the afternoon the elders of the church met at Canton and had dinner with the confirmation confirmation class and discussed business. Mrs. Ken Trew put in the Dresden plate quilt on Monday ready for quilting at our U.C.W. meeting on Tuesday. Mrs. Dorothy Bell helped mark the quilt. On Tuesday our U.C.W. Unit II had a brief devotional put on by Mrs. J. Peacock and we had the minutes read and paid bills that were due. We had to quilt again Wednesday before we had it finished, our last for this year. On Friday evening Welcome Church had an Easter service in the evening but due to a heavy fog not too many attended attended from here. Rev. W. Kennedy conducted the service; a service of singing and devotion. Little Lesley Westheuser took part in the skating carnival at Orono recently. Mr. and Mrs. H. Quantrill spent Monday evening with Mr. and Mrs. H. Thickson. Mr. and Mrs. J. Peacock had Steven home for the weekend weekend and Mark was home during during the week. The Golden Age Club met and had a speaker for part of the program. I was unable to attend so can't tell much about the address. On Tuesday evening we held our general meeting at Garden Hill Church. Mrs. M. Davis, the, president, opened the meeting. The business was to decide if the U.C.W. would again buy bibles for the confirmation confirmation class which we decided decided to do. The devotional was put on by Mrs. M. Gardiner: Mrs. Bell; and Mrs. Thickson. The speaker was Mrs. Joan Chalo- vich, the president of the Cobourg Presbytery U.C.W. Our Easter highlight was Sunrise service at Willow- - beach at 6 a.m. with breakfast at Welcome put on by the C.G.J.T. . The Whitbreds from Oshawa, along with some friends were at Sunnisidé for the holiday Friday. Mr. and Mrs. O. Mercer visited with their daughter, Mrs. R. Prévost and Mr. Prévost, Prévost, Lindsay. Staying with Angie who has had her tonsils removed recently while Mrs. Prévost was working on Thursday. Mr. and Mrs. R. Westheuser and girls were with Thicksons on Friday. Mrs. E. Fowler has been to Peterborough and has to have operations on her wrists for pinched nerves which she expects expects to have done soon. There was a bad accident on Dean's Hill between a panel and a small car early in the morning Wednesday. I haven't heard too.much about it, only what was reported by persons going to work about 8 a.m. Little Kim and Michele Fowler, daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Ken Fowler, are both in hospital with, high temperatures temperatures which has doctors baffled at present. Kim in Peterborough and Michele in Port Hope. TELEPHONE 623-6555 JOHN MANUEL, C.G.A. Income Tax and Related Accounting Services 118 King St. E., Suite 2 Bowmanville, Ontario L1C 1N4 THE MORE YOU LOOK, THE MORE YOU LIKE! Mazda's GLC Front Wheel Drive has it all. Comfort, economy & style. 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