THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, February 12, 1995 TAG: 9502100187
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 10 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Janelle La Bouve
LENGTH: Medium: 87 lines
When Alfredo Josue looks at a piece of driftwood, he sees more than a twisted shape full of crooks and crevices.
``Now, that'll be an alligator,'' he decided, turning a slightly crooked 2-foot piece of wood in his hands.
With a little imagination, one can almost see a long turned-up mouth on the lifeless piece of wood.
``I'll chop this out here and put in the eyes,'' Josue explained.
Then, pointing to a 4-inch snag jutting slightly behind the ``mouth,'' he added, ``That'll be the front legs. I'll add some hind legs back there.''
On one wall in the family room of his home, Josue displays numerous ribbons and awards, including five Parks and Recreation Department awards for his driftwood sculpture.
Although he began learning the craft during his childhood in the Philippines, for the past 12 years Josue has been carving driftwood critters to sell.
``I always had a knife,'' he said, ``and we had big mahogany trees to carve.''
But driftwood is his wood of choice for sculpture.
``I prefer natural wood for the kind of animals I create,'' Josue said. ``Natural is what people like.
``So I just burn 'em up a little bit with a torch,'' he said, holding up a walrus with tusks and whiskers. ``Then I wipe them off with a soft-bristle nylon brush. That way you can see the surface of the wood.''
Included in his present inventory are about three dozen sleek, graceful pieces, mostly birds and sea creatures whose forms suggest movement.
His closed-in porch is filled with things like an emu with brown-glass eyes, bamboo legs and spindly toes.
Several of his large sculptures include more than one marine creature, like a 3-foot female dolphin with three or four young dolphins attached to her body. There are smiling dolphins with pearly teeth, pelicans perched on pilings and baby swans carved on a back of a mother bird.
``That's a pretty one there,'' he said. It was a gray swan to which he had applied a gel for luster. He used a dowel to attach the swan to a green, mossy base.
Baby manatees, whiskered seals and a slender-billed ibis with a rose finish had black electrical wire legs.
There is also a 22-inch shark in the collection.
``See how mean he is,'' said Josue baring his teeth.
A load of the driftwood costs about $400, and he doesn't throw anything away.
``I love it,'' he said. ``I stay out here in my workroom until my wife tells me it's time for supper.''
About once a month he loads up his creatures and heads for an art show. ``In two days I'll sell out,'' he said.''
Full name: Alfredo Josue
Grew up: Luzon in the Philippines
Childhood memories: ``At 11 or 12, I ran away from home to join guerrilla forces. That was during WWII. We hid in the mountains during the Japanese occupation. We lived on monkey meat and snakes. After the war, I joined the United States Navy.''
Spouse: Joan
Children: Joe Jr., Larry, Sandra and Susan
Retired from: The Navy and civil service.
Hobbies: ``Making driftwood sculpture, and working in the garden. That's good therapy.''
Favorite song: Country music
Can't resist: ``Long John Silver Seafood Shoppe. I can't pass by that place.''
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? ``I would lose weight.''
Greatest accomplishment: ``Operating a big hi-tech press machine when I was in the Navy.''
Favorite TV program: `` `Discovery' - anything to do with animals or geography.''
Favorite Chesapeake restaurant: Olde Country Buffet
Biggest problem facing Chesapeake: ``I wish they would widen Route 168. That would be a miracle.''
Favorite way to spend a day off: ``Spending time with my wife and grandchildren.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by STEVE EARLEY
About once a month, Alfredo Josue will load up his driftwood
creatures and head for an art show. ``In two days I'll sell out,''
he says.
by CNB