About the Artist:
Tom Schlenker learned to carve wood in his mid 20s in a Guatemalan colonial furniture workshop and has been carving ever since. He borrows ideas and styles from old world Spanish, German and Italian churches and New World masks, toys and decorations. He carves both exotic and off-the-shelf hardware-store woods, using traditional hand carving tools -- mallet with curved and straight gauges. Finishes are various stains and oils and acrylic paints. All designs are original, although some derive from paintings or photographs.
When he's not carving, Tom (Dr. Schlenker) is the Director of Public Health in the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District.