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Charles Hand Introduction


Charles Hand

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Let me start by apologizing for not introducing myself before. I believe that I have been a member of Scroll Saw Village for about 2 years now. I was born just outside of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Now reside in Southern Ontario, Canada not too far from Niagara Falls. My background is engineeering design, both mechanical and electrical. I also have an extensive background within the graphic arts fields. I am dating myself here. I started drawing professionally way back in 1972 within the Telecommunication fields. Space program, Satellites, etc. I was also designated graphic arts designer therefore was very involved with all company artwork and brochures. Let me not forget photography as I was also the company photographer as well. Moving on, the first computer for me was purchased by the company I worked for in 1984. Autocad was only becoming popular then and I was nominated as the pioneer within our company for this new style of engineering design. Before that, everything was drawn by hand, drafting board, etc.. I was actually using this program before General Motors and was asked by some of the engineering staff at GM to show them how this program worked. Over the years, the company purchased more programs for me. Coreldraw, Photoshop, Illustrator to name a few. In 2004, I was at a local Home Depot where there was this old guy (probably my current age) demonstrating a scroll saw. We talked for a little bit and I was hooked. I think it was only a day later that I went out to Sears and purchased my first scroll saw. Craftsman 16". soon after that, I purchased a Pro Craftsman 20". I ordered books, magazines you name it and anything to do with scroll saw. Within months, I was already cutting my first advanced portrait. Because of my extensive drawing background, I started to design my own patterns in 2005, but not using a computer. I drew them by hand from photos that I took. Sat for hours in our living room while watching TV and drawing at the same time. It was only in 2014 or 2015 that I was encouraged to introduce my designs to the public through some Facebook Scroll Saw groups that I belonged to. Then after doing so, I was found by Fox Chapel Publishing company where some of my work has been published. It is difficult to keep a life long journey within design world brief. Let me not forget that my mom enrolled me into art class at a local college when I was 12. I hated every moment of it as it was on a Saturday morning. All I wanted to do then was play outside with my friends. Never thinking that I would be still drawing today in 2019. So, professionally and hobby wise, i have been drawing and designing for over  47 years and still having a blast. For those who would like to see some of my scroll saw designs, you can find me at www.scrollsawart4u.weebly.com. I now own 3 scroll saws. 1998 30" Excalibur, 2009 21" Excalibur and finally a new King 30" Excelsior. I am also an avid cyclist. I have ridden my bicycle equivalent to 5 times the circumference of earth. I designed cycling jerseys for local racing clubs since 1998 and countless T-Shirt designs as well, but all for cycling. I was in a racing club for over 25 years. Too old for that now, but still enjoy cycling. I also love to play golf and long hikes with my wife. We both love the outdoors. She is a gardener and I am the artist who loves to make crazy things for our garden and house. 

Edited by Charles Hand
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Welcome to the village Charles,

What a fantastic journey!   I too was involved with AutoCAD for many years. Not as a designer. I worked for an AutoCad reseller in Montreal and was an expert in  configuring, troubleshooting and optimizing PCs for  AutoCAD Version 10 to 2000.  I've seen many of your work on Facebook  and am glad to see you here in the Village!

Very nice intro!

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On 5/3/2019 at 12:47 PM, poupster2 said:

Welcome to the village Charles,

What a fantastic journey!   I too was involved with AutoCAD for many years. Not as a designer. I worked for an AutoCad reseller in Montreal and was an expert in  configuring, troubleshooting and optimizing PCs for  AutoCAD Version 10 to 2000.  I've seen many of your work on Facebook  and am glad to see you here in the Village!

Very nice intro!

I started with Autocad 1 or 1.5 up to Version 14. Very different from current editions. 

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Wow was I surprised to see your name here. I am very familiar with your patterns and I have  cut at least a couple of them. I like to challenge my skills, if it is safe to refer to have skills, and you always have great patterns for that purpose. It is exciting to have someone as well known in the pattern making world as part of our world wide family. I hope you find the time to log in often and I am sure in a short time you will start to recognize us as family too. 

From Southern Arizona, I say   WELCOME

Dick

heppnerguy

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I've just visited www.scrollsawart4u.weebly.com and am very impressed by what I saw!  When I eventually make time to use my scroll saw for its intended purpose (rather than DIY projects, where it's so handy), I'll hope to produce work of that standard.  My son lives in Toronto and has visited Niagara Falls a few times.  Assuming it's not already been done, that might be a good scene for scroll saw art.

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