When Richard Stephens works on a sculpture in the woodcarving class at the Sterling Heights Senior Center, time slows down. Every movement of his wrist is deliberate — each dig and swipe of the knife serves a purpose. He peers through his glasses, studying the cherry wood for the perfect place to start another curve.
At 86, Richard works like an expert in the workshop.
He carved his first figure earlier this year.
“I just started in May,” Richard said. “I’ve got two carvings I’m going to submit to an upcoming show.”
Richard has been coming to the Senior Center at least twice a week for years, walking the upstairs track for a mile to get his blood flowing. After passing by the woodcarvers in the hallway — and with a little push from his family and doctor — he decided to try something new.
“My doctor said carving would be good for my hands and coordination, and my stepson told me, ‘Dad, you’ve got to keep busy,’” Richard said, laughing. “Honestly, I wish I’d started carving sooner.”
When he began, Richard had no expectations for his final piece. He brought in a completed figure from another carver to visualize what could come from his own block of wood.
“When I started, I’d hold and rub the original piece until I got a feeling for it,” he said. “I’d talk myself up and say, ‘I can do this.’ I didn’t know I could, really.”
The carvers meet on Monday and Wednesday afternoons at the Senior Center, typically bringing in about a half-dozen residents. The longtime members were impressed with Richard’s work right away.
“The guys told me I was good and gave me some advice,” he said, showing his first piece — a goose laying a golden egg. “They don’t tell you outright — they give you little hints about what you can do to improve.”
Between bits of banter about Detroit sports and family stories, the group keeps their knives in motion.
“It’s very relaxing. Sometimes we just sit and talk. We always say we carve at home, but we come here to socialize,” Richard said.
Encouraged by his peers — or as he calls them, “the pros” — Richard has stuck with his new hobby. He’s gone from a basic three-piece carving kit to an upgraded belt full of specialty knives for more intricate designs.
At a campground he frequents, he brings his tool kit to make progress on his pieces. Passersby have started requesting carvings from him — and he’s more than happy to oblige.
“I’m making 10 penguins for the kids now. Every time I was carving, they’d ask me to make them one,” he said. “I get a lot of compliments — it makes me want to do more.”
While he was never hesitant to pick up a new craft, Richard knows that watching the pros at work can be intimidating. Whether you’re interested in woodcarving, a fitness class or a social hour, he says it’s never too late to start something new.
“If another senior says they’re too old for a new hobby, I tell them I’m 86 and just started this,” he said, showing off the progress on his latest design. “I’ve met a lot of nice people from carving. It keeps my hands busy and keeps my brain open.”
Richard typically stays later than the rest of the woodcarving members to get in his track time after he’s satisfied with his progress. He waves goodbye to the last member packing up his tools, then gets back to making careful cuts with his knife.
“I’m really enjoying this,” he said. “If I started earlier in life, I’d probably be almost as good as some of these gentlemen.”