Local wood crafters receive recognition
Staff reporter
First impressions are important for a business.
Rick Sardou and Linda Goodwill, owners of R&L Creative Carvings of Marion, are champions of first impressions, receiving awards for their commercial booth displays.
Most recently, the pair received the governor's award for having the 2004 grand champion inside exhibitor single booth display at the Kansas State Fair.
In March, they placed first and second at a woodcarver's convention in Wichita, and recently received an award of excellence at the Wichita Log Home Show.
Sardou, an experienced, full-time carpenter, builds the wooden products. Goodwill sketches the design on the wood and Sardou uses a scroll saw to cut the pattern. Goodwill then finishes and stains the carving and wood pieces.
Drawing sketches by hand was new for Goodwill. She had spent more than 30 years in the medical research profession.
"I had trouble drawing stick people," Goodwill said with a laugh.
Perseverance, determination, and a lot of wood paid off for the couple. By trial and error, they began to figure out how to make it work together.
"We build just about anything," Goodwill said. Gun cabinets, book shelves, dining room tables and chairs, wall hangings, doors, mirrors, and clocks are among the items available.
Nature scenes are their specialty. Most of their work is custom-ordered.
"We'll make a new product and advertise it," Goodwill said. "Maybe one out of 10 customers will purchase the ready-made item. The remainder prefer to custom-order."
Sardou also offers chain saw carvings. The pieces vary from Indian heads, to bears, to eagles, and roses in a boot.
Custom carving is available for most any type of wood item.
"We can't compete with Wal-Mart," Sardou said, "but we can build a quality, one-of-a-kind piece. You can't get that at Wal-Mart."
Customers have sent photographs of their horses, dogs, and wildlife that were used in the design of the customized pieces.
Goodwill also collects driftwood. She makes unique wall hangings and walking sticks. Some of the driftwood is used in the other furniture pieces as handles and accents.
Their products are available on a web site, www.rlcreativecarvings.com. The majority of their sales are from the web site and shows, Goodwill said.
Their shop is at 25 Jerome, Marion County Park and Lake. One of their gun cabinets is on display at Flint Hills Firearms at Elm and Main streets, Marion.
The couple is preparing for another big show — a deluxe market for crafters at Canton, Texas.
"A lot of shows are juried," Goodwill explained, which requires crafters to be approved by a board of craft business owners.
Their work also has been accepted in a gallery in Santa Fe, N.M., gaining additional marketing exposure.
Goodwill said she hopes this will turn into a full-time profession for both of them — providing quality work and doing what they love to do.
"I don't consider this a second job," Sardou said with a smile. "It's too much fun to be work.
