Carver Desiree Hajny Hunts Wildlife among the Northern Woods

by Carol McDermott

Eckert, Colorado

From her studio in Eckert, Colo., Desiree and husband Bernie have elevated wood carving to a higher plane. “It was hard getting wood carvings into galleries at first,” she said. But that was before the awards started pouring in: 15 Best of Show, 70 First Place and six People’s Choice all attest to the quality of Desiree’s work.

The process begins with the wood. Desiree “looks for something” among the imperfections, blight holes, knots and grains. She marks the block for Bernie to cut away with his bandsaw. He does some more generic shaping of the piece, then Desiree carves the details. Bernie helps with wood burned accents. Desiree does the fine woodburning details and coloration.

Mill Creek Studios receives the carvings, then re-creates them in resin. Once a mold has been made, a blend of fine resins and pure white alabaster or alabaster and porcelain powders are catalyzed and poured into it. The chemical reaction creates intense heat, which causes the mixture to harden and expand into every crevasse and detail of the mold. That makes an exact duplicate of the original. Acrylics are applied by hand to finish the pieces.

Desiree discovered her wood carving talent while teaching high school in Nebraska. “I got into wood sculpture in a ranching community where the kids weren’t into art. Many in the classes were kids who wanted an “easy credit” and didn’t want to exert much effort. I lured them in by introducing woodcarving using pocket knives. I’d never done it. I was all bluff, but got their interest. For me, it became an addiction...almost.”

With the birth of son Jeff, Desiree left teaching and devoted more time to her art. She designed T-shirts, made greeting cards, signs, posters, whatever. She devoted herself to woodcarving full time in 1986. She has written numerous articles and authored six books on carving techniques. Her books and videos are marketed on four continents. Desiree is featured in the March-April edition of Sporting Classic, “Searching for the Ultimate Art Form.” Add to her portfolio the commissions she completed for the Disney Animal Kingdom theme park and MGM in Florida.

What’s the best part of creating her art? Desiree said, “It’s when someone gets just as excited with a piece as you were when you did it.”

The slow-growing linden, walnut and cherry trees of Wisconsin’s northern woods are the perfect medium for Desiree Hajny.

Desiree’s work may be found at the Apple Shed Gallery in Cedaredge, Colo. 

Pictured above, "Faced of Ancestry," limited edition, wood sculpture by Desiree Hajny.