Fritz Koltz' "Lonely Monarch" (Click to view... 64KB)
Nature Inspires Fritz Koltz
By John F. Swanson
Fritz Koltz, 75, is a Chicago-area carver who has been creating figures
and scenes for more than 60 years. He first became interested in carving
as a boy in Germany, after watching his grandfather, a master cabinet
maker, carve objects. Fritz perfected his craft through numerous
projects. “I have done somewhere between 30 and 50 carvings,” he said.
“Some were given away, others were lost during the war.” Several of his
more recent works are displayed in his one-bedroom apartment.
Fritz has been interested in nature all his life and his love is
reflected in his subject matter. He carves mainly realistic scenes from
nature, mostly birds and mammals. His most recent project, the 91/2-inch
long polar bear, “Lonely Monarch” [shown on the cover], took nearly 90
hours to complete. The basic figure is out of basswood, Fritz’s
preferred carving wood.
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Last Update: Friday, 28-Mar-2008 13:26:47 EDT