Bob is a retired Professor of Agronomy, University of California, Davis, CA.  He has been carving for over 30 years. Early on he tried several carving styles, but he soon focused on caricature carving. He especially enjoys the humor in caricature carving and is delighted when his carvings draw a smile from observers. Bob is a founding member of The Caricature Carvers of America (CCA). He has been active in CCA duties having first served as president in the mid 1990’s. He was elected to a second term as president in 2003. He was the project editor on “Carving the Full Moon Saloon” and “Carving the CCA Circus”. Both books are highlighted on the CCA web site (www.cca-carvers.org).

Bob has instructed at the Doane Experience in Crete, NE since 1990. In addition he has taught seminars at numerous locations around the country.  His teaching philosophy is simple. He first strives to identify the skill level of each carver in his class and then to move each on to a new level. His approach is to describe, with the aid of sketches, the concepts to be taught, demonstrate on an in-class carving, then work one-on-one with each student. Two-day, or weekend seminars usually focus on the caricature face. A typical project would be a small head and bust combination. Longer seminars focus on full figure carvings.  All projects are challenging and are from band-sawn blanks. 

Bob has served as a judge at a number carving shows including several times at the Idaho Carvers Guild show in Boise, ID, the Grand Canyon Carving show in Phoenix, AZ, the Middletown, OH show, and the Iron Mt. MI show.  He led the judging team at the second and third Annual CCA National Caricature Carving competition at Dollywood (Pigeon Forge, TN) in September 2003 and 2004.

Bob spends most of his free time in his carving studio in Montana.  When not in Montana he is most likely back in California checking on old friends at the University and dreaming of Montana.

Contact info:

Bob Travis
rltravis@ucdavis.edu