I completed carving the above brain hemisphere out of Mahogany in September 2015. The piece “Mind Over Matter,” is now displayed permanently at the Cushing Center, Whitney Medical Library, Yale University, New Haven, CT.
You can see the image of the piece with title and photo credit here:
woodcarved-brain-hemisphere-image-correct-spelling-sep-2016
The image was taken by photographer Jason R. Campbell: Website
Website: The Cushing Center
Eilon Caspi at Yale University Cushing [Brain] Center on the day he donated his woodcarved brain hemisphere to the center in late 2015. Photo credit: Terry Dagradi, Cushing Center Coordinator
“Mind Over Matter” – Description of the wood carved brain hemisphere for the Cushing Center (including what inspired me to carve it) as well as the practical value for family and professional care partners:
Mind Over Matter 1page & Practical value for caregivers 1-page
Collage with the five brain hemispheres I carved to date:
A hard-cover booklet including over 60 images depicting the process of carving the brain hemisphere is now part of the display of the piece at the Cushing Center.
A poster of the wood carved brain hemisphere was on display at the 2017 Keeping the Spirit Alive conference for family care partners of people with dementia. The conference was held at Adath Jeshurun Congregation on April 30, 2017. The conference, which was organized by Rita Kelner and Judy Witebsky, brought close to 350 attendees.
The relief carving is completed on July 19 2017
Rita & Judy receiving the piece
On May 27, 2016, I gave the following video recorded interview:
“Mind Over Matter” – Wood Carved Brain Hemisphere and Its Potential Practical Value for Family and Professional Care Partners. Video Recorded Interview with Lori La Bey, founder, Alzheimer’s Speaks. May 27, 2016.
You Tube – Conscious Caring Resources – Dementia & Woodcarving:
Wood carved piece ELDERS’ LIVES MATTER made out of Black walnut. I’ve given this woodcarver piece to Kris Sundberg, Executive Director, Elder Voice Family Advocates, in honor of her leadership and advocacy in improving the care and safety of vulnerable elders in assisted living residences across MN. I gave it to her when she received the Janet Tullocj Memorial Advocacy Award from the National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care in October 2018 in Alexandria, Virginia.
In May 2020, I competed carving another ELDERS’ LIVES MATTER plaque out of basswood.
In August 2020, I gave Jean Peters, president, Elder Voice Family Advocates, this plaque which I hand carved out of butternut wood:
On June 21st 2016 I gave a presentation for preschoolers at University of Minnesota’s Child Development Center. The talk focused on carving a brain hemisphere and included numerous images depicting the process. One of the teachers wrote me after the event: “Thank you again for coming! Our children were so impressed and we have continued to discuss how you can train yourself to become really good at something if you practice enough.”
During the Fall of 2016, I made a simple chair and donated it to the University of Minnesota Child Development Center (Toddlers bungalow). It is made out of a piece of a Silver Maple tree that fell during a storm in Minneapolis a year earlier. You can see a few pictures of the chair here:
On September 20th 2017, I gave UMCDC (University of Minnesota Child Development Center) a woodcarved piece of Goldy Gopher (the mascot of the university) for their permanent display at the center. You can see a few images of the piece here:
At Konstantions’s shop after I completed carving the piece.
“Thank you so much for the beautiful wood carving of Goldy Gopher. It’s detail is just incredible! UMCDC will treasure it for years to come. Thank you.” Bungalow C staff
A framed professional image of the brain hemisphere (see below) is available for purchase for $39.95 + Shipping.
To order, email me at: eiloncaspi@gmail.com
A 20×30 high-quality beautiful poster of the professional image of the brain hemisphere is also available for sell. The cost of a poster (not framed) is $29.50 + Shipping.
A framed 36×26 poster of the brain hemisphere was on display for a few years at the American Academy of Neurology (Across the street from the Guthrie Theatre).
The above picture was taken by photographer Siu Lee
A poster of the wood carved brain hemisphere is now on permanent display at Lark Toys Store, Kellogg, Minnesota (rated Top 10 Best Toy Stores in the world).
An image of the wood carved brain hemisphere has been published in Woodcarving Illustrated Summer 2016 Issue.
My 1st brain hemisphere made out of Elm:
My 2nd brain hemisphere made out of Basswood:
My 4th wood carved brain hemisphere made out of Mahogany. Commissioned as a retirement gift for a professor of neuroscience at NYU:
“I’d like to declare, for anyone interested, how thrilled I was with the wood carved brain hemisphere provided by Eilon Caspi. This work was the centerpiece of an event honoring one of our distinguished faculty members, Charles Nicholson. How fitting that the brain was carved from a block of mahogany (see Eilon’s website), a porous material not all that different from the brain itself, whose winding canyons and crevices are critical for interchange of substances between brain cells and the space outside them. Eilon has a special touch with the material, based on a deep appreciation of the importance of the proper workings of the brain for everything that makes us who we are as sentient individuals. Memories, emotions and thoughts — all conjured up by something beautiful and lasting. I highly recommend Eilon’s work for education and enjoyment.” — Professor Richard Tsien
My dream is to carve a large-scale (a few feet) brain hemisphere and place it at the entrance to a museum of science or neurology/neuroscience center. Please let me know if you and/or your colleagues would like to explore this possibility with me.
A relief educational sign SEE ME Not My Dementia made out of Butternut:
“Age is a question of Mind Over Matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.” — Baseball Player Satchel Paige
With my colleague Lori La Bey (founder, Alzheimer’s Speaks) and her daughter with friends and colleagues during her AARP of MN 2018 50 Over 50 Award event (Disruptors category) held on October 10th 2018 at University of Minnesota.
Hand made baseball bats made out of Ash (without turning it on a lathe):
Before:
After:
Another baseball bat made out of Ash with my nephew’s name engraved on it (professional photographer Limor Weinberg Caspi):
Wood carved coffee table (using a segment of basswood tree one of hundreds of trees that fell during a big storm in the summer of 2013 in Minneapolis):
A bread and cheese board made out of cherry wood (used here with challah):
A chalah bread board with wheat stalks – “Commissioned” by my wife:
A decorative plate made out of basswood with the names of my wife, daughter, and mine carved on it:
A woodcarved owl made out of basswood made for my daughter’s 2nd birthday:
My daughter shows the wood carved owl to her classmates
West Hartford Dad Carves a 7-foot Pencil for Daughter’s School. Hartford Courant:
West Hartford dad carves a 7-foot pencil for daughter’s school
Contact Information
For questions, more information or to commission a woodcarved piece related to people living with dementia or other woodcarved items, please contact Eilon at:
eiloncaspi@gmail.com
Acknowledgement: Thanks to my old world woodcarving master Konstantinos Papadakis for teaching me woodcarving: Konstantinos Papadakis
Konstantions Papadakis – Artistic Woodcarving Studio, Minneapolis, MN
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