HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2006-10-18, Page 10Page 10 October 18, 2006 • The Huron Expositor
News
Wo a dcarving much more than a
hobby. for Seaforth business owners
Jeff Heuchert
{ Even as a young boy David. Houle
loved playing and working with
'{ f
wood, building tree forts, repairing
his broken hockey stick - even once
constructing a go kart out of an old
1
wooden buggy.
Today, some 30 -plus years later,
with the help of his wife Elizabeth,
Houle runs his own woodcarving
business out of his Sills Street home
in Seaforth, where he's resided with
his wife for the past five years.
"If you could see all of the work
I've done in my life it would fill up
to the roof of this home," says
Houle, standing in the upper room
of his workshop, where he is
.equipped with five carving
machines, two drill presses, and one
IT'LL HAPPEN
IN WHE
PIGS FLYS
'BRANDING...
for Recognition and Buzz
The 62006 Huron Small Business Summit: Focus on Branding'
on October 26th at the Holmesville Community Centre.
A small business SUMMIT just for YOU!
Featuring a panel of local entrepreneurs who have
successfully developed their own unique brands, this event is
a must -attend for all small business owners. It starts at
3:OOpm and the afternoon session is 100% FREE!
If not your then who? It's YOUR business!
Competitive threats abound. From big -box stores to
commercial developments in close -by cities. You can compete
but you need to learn how.
We're giving you the tools, will you take the time?
The evening starts with a hot buffet at 6:30pm followed by
featured speaker and brandexpert Kevin Stewart. Kevin will
discuss his own successful brand: AGVISION TV, which airs
on 30 CTV, CBC and CHUM television stations. At $25 per
person for the evening session, this is a fantastic opportunity
to gain access to one of rural Ontario's top branders.
Take the next step and register TODAY! -
Contact the Huron Business Centre at (519) 527-0305 or
www.smallbusinesshuron.ca to register for this crucial event.
i� Bruges to Better thisiess Evc,it
•
table saw, band saw, planer, joiner
and shaper.
Most ofthe equipment Houle
learned touse over the six years he
worked at Hallman Woodcarving in
Kitchener.
He also spent one year working at
Stairco in Waterloo, before he made
the decision to, start his own busi-
ness.
And, with the right connections
and by making appearances at_
trade shows, Houle has been able to
consistently find work.
His most significant job, at least
in terms of exposure, came during
the early 90's when he carved the
designs into 400 chairs for the
House of Commons in Ottawa com-
pleting another 100 chairs in 2005.
'If you could see
all of the work
I've done in my
life it would fill
up to the roof of
this house, '--
Seaforth woodcarver
Dave Houle
Houle's work can also be seen on
decorative corbels at Osgoode Hall
in Toronto and a relief panel he
carved for the regional cancer cen-
tre in Kitchener -Waterloo.
Houle also makes hand-crafted
funeral urns, finials and duck
decoys, which his wife paints.
Elizabeth also runs the business
side of things for her husband.
Houle also does custom carved fur-
niture and architectural detailing,
even travelling to Calgary this past
summer to help install custom rail-
ings into five homes.
Houle says he . has seen an
increase in work ever since he creat-
ed a website for his business, noting
that most orders through the 'site
have come from the U.S.
Houle 'is also considering expand-
ing his business to include custom-
carved cabinets.
See WITH , Page 11