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Archie Silvrants spent many months working on a horn carving which depicts the 14 stages of Jesus Christ’s life. He finished up the finer details under a month ago, and the piece now sits on display in his home.

Silvrants adds to carving collection

Archie Silvrants has completed yet another carving to add to his collection after putting many months of work into the project.

His newest piece is carved into what Silvrants believes is a longhorn steer’s horn. The carving depicts the 14 stages of Jesus Christ’s life.

Silvrants said he had been wanting to do a carving on that subject for a long time, but he could not find the right reference photos that would fit his vision for the piece.

Finally, his wife Alene found an old children’s bible around the house, and he was able to figure out the design from there.

He started working on the horn at the beginning of the year in January or February, and he was finally able to add the finishing details and finish the project a few weeks ago.

He is still trying to get the lighting on the interior just right, but overall the months-long project is complete.

Silvrants also crafted the wooden base the horn rests on. He originally was going to have a solid brace instead of a cross supporting the horn, but once he came up with the cross idea he had to stick with it.

The carving process itself took many months because of his shaky hands, Silvrants said. He got the bigger parts of the design carved out, but his hands would shake too much to finish the finer details.

One day, he had a feeling something was telling him to finish the piece. His hands didn’t shake for five days, and he was able to complete the artwork. 

There is a brass plate on the base describing each of the 14 stages depicted in the carvings, which he had made in Ogallala.

 

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