Countdown to Christmas: 41 Days Charming Santas by Damian Salinas (DS Carvings)

Obviously, a favorite pastime of mine is looking up Santas on eBay. 

One "face" that keeps popping up is the one carved by self-taught artisan, Damien Salinas.

His price are very reasonable and I would compare the quality of his work to two of my favorites, Anthony Costanza and that of Paul and Camille Bolinger.

I recommend you take a look at DS Carvings current listings on eBay and pick out a few one of a kind Santas for your Christmas gift list, and why not get one for yourself!

31 DAYS of SANTA CLAUS Day 8 Sad Day for One Anthony Costanza Santa

I did an update on my post (Day 3) when an Anthony Costanza Santa that I won on eBay arrived in the mail broken.

I was so excited about receiving this Santa. He was about two inches taller than the tallest on I have already. Most of my Costanzas are about ten inches or less. 

But today, I had to take him to the post office to file a claim. They had to keep him and told me he would be tossed in the trash once the claim and been accepted. This made me terribly sad. I doubt I will ever find this exact one from the same "generation" as the other pieces in my collection that is actually signed by the artist, nor will I be able to find one at that price.

Perhaps the Lord did no mean for me to have him.

Yet still, I have been searching eBay for Costanzas that I can afford and I found this one. 

He was manufactured by Enesco, but I think he will go well with my other Costanza Ded Moroz by Enesco.

The Costanzas I purchased in the 90's (Silvestri) have a different face and artistic style. This one is very similar, but if you compare the other faces, I think you'll notice the difference.

I almost always paint my Santas with blue eyes. Most of the Costanza Santas I have collected have brown eyes, with the exception of Ded Moroz.

This next Costanza Santa in the chimney is from around the same time frame as my original collection and was a product of Silvestri as well.

As you can see, he is also signed by the artist and he will look great with my other traditional Santa by Costanza.

I am still waiting for these to arrive in the mail. Lets hope they make it intact.

I just love the way Anthony Costanza carves his Santa's faces!

And then there is this guy. He's only about 6.5" tall. At first the seller was asking a lot for the opening bid. The seller claimed it was wood, but I sent them a message to explain that since it is marked Silvestri on the bottom, and numbered, then this piece is actually made of resin. 

I also asked them (since the auction ended without a bid) if they would please re-list this Santa with an option to make an offer. They did, and when I made a very reasonable offer, they accepted. So, as of now, I am still expecting him to come in the mail.

All photos from this blog were pulled from their original eBay posts. Once I get all my Santas in, I will add them to my collection for a wonderful group photo to share with you.

I did not get to craft any of my own Santas today because I was substitute teaching art for grades Kindergarten through fifth. Teachers who work multiple grades every day must feel as though they have a split personality due to the way they must adjust their teaching and classroom management skills to every level.

But I just loved meeting all the new Kindergarten students and seeing how much my other students have grown and changed over the summer. The best part of being a substitute is that I get to "spoil" the students, like a grandmother, then give them back.

31 DAYS of SANTA CLAUS Day 6 Bill Evans One of a Kind Woodcarvings

Another day of working on the lake house, so no Santa crafting for me, plus I have to keep this short! I only have until my husband finished his second cup of coffee and his breakfast yogurt to get this post finished before I'm off to work.

However, I do want to tell you a bit about my collection and the amazing woodcarvings by Bill Evans. Without going into a lot of details about Mr. Evans (you can find that on his website at http://christmaswhispers.com), I want to talk about why I began collecting his work.

Santas aren't the only thing I collect. The shelves on each end and the brass candle holder with the red candle are Ross Lindblad originals. He once had a studio in Ruston, LA and created lovely cabinets, furniture, lamps, and decorating accessories. I actually have a collection of his work that includes four table lamps. 

I used to live in San Antonio and Del Rio, TX and in November or December I would visit Wimberley, TX during their Market Days on the first Saturday of the month. This was when the vendors started bringing out their vintage Santas, bottle brush trees, and ornaments. I just love it, and the weather is usually wonderful that time of year.

For a few years, there was an adorable little shop within walking distance of the market. It was a Christmas themed shop that sold Anthony Costanza, Paul Bolinger, Lyn Haney, and other hand crafted originals.

The one to the left is carved
from a cypress knee

Unfortunately, the store didn't make it, but during its heyday, I was able to purchase some pricey pieces by some of the lesser known artist, but I will get to that later. The point to this digression is PRICE. I'm talking hundreds to thousands for original hand carved pieces.

So, in 2000, I found Bill Evans carved Santas on eBay at very reasonable starting bids. Mr. Evans has definitely created his own style and has given his Santas a serious expression. At the time I bought my first pieces, I can't remember if he had a website or not, but now his work can be seen all year long and it is still very affordable (approximately $7/inch) PLUS he does custom orders!

I encourage everyone take a look at his website and add one of his beautiful works of art to your holiday decor or Santa Claus collection.

Happy SANTA CLAUS crafting and collecting!