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When Siegried "Ziggy" Weis retired in the 1980s, he and his wife, Pat, spent time in the Peace Corps, where he created agricultural tools and machinery for use in underdeveloped countries
When Siegried "Ziggy" Weis retired in the 1980s, he and his wife, Pat, spent time in the Peace Corps, where he created agricultural tools and machinery for use in underdeveloped countries
Self-taught carver featured in show
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STAFF PHOTO / FRANCINE MILFORD
Siegried "Ziggy" Weis often works more than three hours a day in his hobby room in Bay Indies.
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Working with a variety of tools is nothing new to Siegried Weis, who spent 30 years as a design engineer and earned 25 patents in the process.
When Weis retired in the 1980s, he and his wife, Pat, spent time in the Peace Corps, where he created agricultural tools and machinery for use in underdeveloped countries.
But the tools Weis uses these days include gouges, knives and mallets.
Weis, known as "Ziggy" to his friends, has become a national award-winning woodcarver and will be the featured artist Saturday at the 26th annual Exhibit of Wood Carvers at the Boys and Girls Club, 3100 Fruitville Road.
Weis took up woodcarving in 1987 after he and Pat grew tired of Michigan winters and retired to Florida.
"I have always wanted to do woodcarving but never had the time," said Weis, who made model airplanes and restored antique furniture as a hobby.
"I am a self-taught wood carver," he said with pride.
Weis not only creates beautiful pieces of wood art but also designs the tools he uses.
Depending on the piece, Weis usually works between three and five hours a day, up to 400 hours to create some of his carvings.
"I don't use stains or varnishes on my pieces. It's all natural," said Weis, who hand polishes each piece to a smoothness and sheen not often seen in wood carved pieces today.
"Sometimes it takes me just as long to finish a piece as it does to create it in the first place," he said.
Weis used to use all hardwoods in his pieces but now prefers working with walnut, cherry, mahogany and butternut.
"These woods are easier to carve and have many interesting grains in them," he said.
Weis' artwork ranges from familiar animals like birds, dolphins and eagles to abstract designs.
"My first love is the abstract," he said.
Upon examining a few of his complex pieces, I would say only an engineer could have designed them.
Since entering Florida State Fair competitions in 1995, Weis has received 17 first place awards, 16 seconds, 10 thirds and eight honorable mentions. He also received a ribbon in the 1998 World Competition for his entry "The Phoenix."
And what does Weis usually make on a given piece?
"I make anywhere from 50 cents to $5 an hour," he said with a laugh. "I do it (carving) because I love doing it."
To develop his skill, Weis read every book on woodcarving that the library had to offer. Disappointed by most of the selections available, Weis joined the Bay Indies Wood Carvers, a club of 25 resident woodcarvers.
"Each week we meet and discuss new techniques and ways of doing things with our art," Weis said.
If you're interested in joining the club, call Syl Salzman at 485-4790.
Last modified: March 12. 2004 12:00AM