Igor Frolov - woodcarver, creates miniature figures with a single cutter. Author of the woodcarving manner "Technique of a single cutter". Author of several textbooks on woodcarving. Participant of international, all-Russian and regional exhibitions. Chairman of the Professional Union of craftsmen of applied and decorative arts "Artisans Gallery" in the Russian Trade Union of Cultural Workers (2002-2006, N.Novgorod).

 

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Passion since childhood

Igor has been drawn to woodcarving from childhood. Kids did not use to have many toys back then. He was 6, when a man came to visit his parents and suddenly asked: ”Want me to make you a sword?” How can you not want to? And an hour later in front of the boy there was a cold weapon made of warm wood (pine wood and a kitchen knife have rendered service). A toy out of almost nowhere! This event has sunk deep into the soul — and at the age of 8 or 9 Igor began to do something by himself out of wood. At the age of 15 he got really carried away — and since then, for a number of decades, woodcarving has been an integral part of his life. From a young age Igor was attracted by small things and sculptures, but especially struck by the Japanese netsuke. It was then that the idea to combine miniature carving and traditional Russian images appeared. He became engaged in wood carving in 1980 and mastered the profession of a woodcarver on his own. In 1990-1991 he taught wood carving in A. P. Gaidar youth club in Gorky, has been participating in exhibitions since 1991 .

 

Single cutter technique

Then Igor set a goal — to cut a figurine with just one cutter. From ten chisels the master gradually moved to seven, then five, and after 2 years he could talk about his style of carving in the technique of one cutter. In 1993 he developed his own concept of woodcarving, later called "the technique of one cutter." His personal invention is a special cutter for this technique, the drawing of which was first published in 1996. Self-taught, who studied woodcarving from books and museum exhibits, Igor became not just a professional in his field, a Master with a capital letter, he also acted as an innovator in the technology of carving.

Since 1995, the Museum of History and Culture of the Moskovski District (now the Museum and Exhibition Center "Mikula") in Nizhny Novgorod housed his personal art school, where he taught the technique of one cutter.

From 1996 to 1998, four textbooks on the technique of one cutter were published: Frolov I. N. - Woodcarving. Technique of one cutter (basics)- publishing house of UNN, 1996 Frolov I. N. - Woodcarving. Technique of one cutter stage 1 - I- publishing house of UNN, 1997 Frolov I. N. - Woodcarving. Technique of one cutter. Ornament, tier 1 publishing house of NNSU, 1998 Frolov I. N. - Woodcarving. Technique of one cutter. Ornament, stage 2 - publishing house "Specialist", 1998

From 1998 to 1999, classes of Igor Frolov's Art School are held at the Museum of UNN. Lobachevsky, from 2000 to 2001 at the Higher school of Economics (N. Novgorod).

 

Process of manufacturing

The master used to utilise an old method of finishing - hardening with oil: first, the finished sculpture is heated, then the hot figure is covered with a layer of sunflower oil and sent to the oven. Now he uses mastic, which he prepares himself. Its basis is wax and linseed oil.

 

Competitions and festivals

Igor shows the products made in this manner at exhibitions and festivals. Each figure, carved by the hand of the master, symbolizes some good feature, useful property, good initiative. A kind of amulets, as a reminder of something important.

Igor Frolov is the author of the project of the woodcarving festival "Secrets of Wood" in Nizhny Novgorod. During the existence of the festival since 1995, it was attended by carvers from many regions of Russia and abroad. In 2001, he initiated the creation of the Professional Union of masters of arts and crafts "Artisans Gallery", was its Chairman until 2006. Member of the jury of the regional competition of the center of labor training of pupils nominated for "Woodcarving" (2001); regional stage of the all-Russian competition among pupils and workers of primary education "I enter the world of arts" (2003); competition of woodcarvers in the framework of the all-Russian forum "lespromindustria" (2003). Author-coordinator of the project of Nizhny Novgorod festivals of arts and crafts: "Artisans Gallery" (2000-2006); "Bratina" (2002-2006); "Wellsprings" (2003-2005). From 2006 to 2015 – expert of artistic wood processing, Chairman of the Art Council of the Trade Union "Artisans Gallery" . Since 2016, Igor Frolov is the Chairman of the Suzdal trade Union organization of the creative Association of masters of arts and crafts "Wellsprings".

Author of a number of publications in the press on the development of arts and crafts (2002-2004):

Newspaper "School", Feb. 2002 N. Novgorod - "How to teach human labour" Newspaper "Service," N.Novgorod 2002 No. 1 - "Union of Professionals in the Newspaper "Union Tribune"and, N.Novgorod in December. 2002 - "Skill" Newspaper "Service," N.Novgorod №11-12, 2002 - "Ecology of the Soul" Newspaper "Union Tribune" N. Novgorod, Russia 2003 - "Soyuz Masterov" Newspaper "Service," N.Novgorod, APR. 2003 - "Thing - animate concept " Newspaper "Ministry" №11-12 N. Novgorod - "Keepers of Time" Magazine "Nizhny Novgorod Goods" September 2004 - "Back to the gray-haired antiquity"

Personal exhibitions