And they say those Rendezvous outside of Glacier National Park are just for fun! But they’re more than that. Rick Smith of Kalispell , built himself a new career after one of those woodcarving gatherings back in 1999.

Smith had been a woodworker for years, but, he wrote, “After seeing and being exposed to woodcarving, immediately fell in love with it and knew that was going to capture my interest and fascination from that point on!”

He found that he like carving ‘in the round’ and began concentrating on creating Santas, a subject he and his   wife, Jody, were fond of. Rick carves them, and Jody paints them.

He’s won several “Best of … “ ribbons, ranging from Division on up to Best Advanced and Best of Show. He’s had stories written about him and his carvings in the Daily Interlake and the Hungry Horse News. He has also given carving seminars in Salem , Oregon , the last two years.

Rick and Jody named their new business, Santas From the Heart. Each Santa he sells has a heart carved on it—   somewhere.