Janet Cordell Sculptures Home

I cannot remember a time when woodcarving and art were not central factors in my life, or did not permeate every house I lived in. I have always been heavily involved with woodcarving and have never worked in any other field than art. I grew up deep in the Boston Mountain Range of the Ozarks, as the second daughter of the Denton family of woodcarvers, not intending to be a woodcarver, or indeed an artist in any field. In those days, I still thought there was a job description for raising horses. However, as I grew up, I began to understand the value and originality of woodcarving as an art form, and to appreciate the unique direction from which my family approached this form of sculpture. I hope that my style clearly reflects my upbringing in the woods and close to nature, and combines it with a love of classical art.

I have been carving professionally for fifty three years, and have been teaching woodcarving and sculpture since 1986. In 1994 I opened my own school of wood sculpture. The Ozark Mountain School of Sculpture was housed in a log cabin on the family property in Crawford County, where the quiet, undisturbed atmosphere and close proximity to nature fostered creativity. It has now become the Denton Family School. Students at all levels of sculpture are welcome in the classes, and come from all over the states to learn here, but it is still centered in and housed on the family farm in Crawford County.

Over the years, I have been recognized by my peers and others for my work in carving. The following list includes some of these awards.

~Recognized by the state of Arkansas as a Master Artisan, and included in their apprenticeship program for
the heritage arts.

~Twice a nominee for Arkansas' Living Treasure Award.

~Featured in magazines, newspapers, and television.

~Judged many woodcarving shows, including the International Woodcarvers' Congress.

~Won hundreds of ribbons and awards.

~Featured with my family in venues such as a National Geographic Magazine article about the family, television documentaries, and
other shows.

-Awarded Woodcarving Illustrated Magazine's Woodcarver of the Year Award in 2017.

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