Ol' Don Burgdorf
As an art major in high school Ol' Don came across some lithographs by the Montana cowboy-artist Charles M. Russell who painted the life he lived in the 1890s and early 1900s.  This exposure was to launch an interest into the history of the Westward expansion and it's personalities.  Seeing the works of New York artist-historian Frederic Remington and other turn of the century artists who documented the opening of the West added fuel to the fire.  His interest in the working cowboy and the Native American cultures has lasted over 40 years and has been the inspiration for many of his paintings and carvings.

In June of 1999 he retired and is now devoting all his available time to his art interests—Painting, drawing, carving and most recently, traveling and teaching at wood carving events.
See last years site
Class: Caricatures with Character-- Carve a caricature which shows mood or expression from any of several available project roughouts.

"Ol' Don" Burgdorf will have caricature workshops on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday.  Those interested can chose the project of their choice from any of his roughouts.  Project roughtouts can be seen on his web site .  Four new projects have been added for 2008; 2 Santas, a golf caddie and a doctor (or nurse). All can be carved using basic hand tools, a detail knife along with a few gouges and V-tools. Though he will not be conducting a day class on Thursday, 

"Ol' Don" will teach a class on carving faces in golf balls Thursday evening and will provide the golf balls for the class. Examples of golf ball carvings can also be seen on his web site.

Tools needed: Basic hand tools (detail knife, assorted gouges and V-tools). Since lighting may be minimal, a suitable size lamp and an extension cord is recommended.

Material fee: Most roughouts are $15. None are more than $25
Four new projects have been added for 2008; 2 Santas, a golf caddie and a doctor (or nurse).  Some of the available project roughouts can be seen on his web site and pictured below.

Maximum students: 12 students

Web site: http://www.artofdon.com