The Albany Carousel

Carving and Painting Studio

   Albany's Brass Ring carousel studio is a non-profit, volunteer organization dedicated to building a traditional Victorian carousel in  Albany's downtown historical district.  This project is funded through donations, grants and fund-raising activities.  All animals, carousel parts and various other items are available for "adoption", which is the main source of funding for the carousel.

   This carousel project began in 2002.  Carving officially started on June 7, 2003.  This project is estimated to take 7 to 10 years to complete.  All work is being done by hand with volunteers of all skill levels.  No experience is necessary and all volunteers are welcomed.  Volunteers are needed for all phases of the project, including carvers, painters, sanders, fundraising organizers and people willing to help with restoring the mechanism.

   The carousel mechanism is a 1909 Dentzel machine, possibly the last made by Gustav Dentzel.  The National Carousel Association and the William Dentzel family of Santa Barbara, California donated the mechanism to The Brass Ring in Albany, Oregon with the dream of seeing it restored to its glory.  There will be a menagerie of animals, totaling more than 54, (check our photo gallery to see the progress of the bear, cat, salmon and others)  all hand carved and hand painted in the traditional style of Dentzel and Muller.  The animals and carousel decorative pieces are being carved from basswood.

  The carving studio is located at 530 First Avenue W. in downtown Albany.    It is open Monday through Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm (And Wednesday nights until 9 PM) or by appointment. 

    Volunteers and visitors are always welcome.  We even have a volunteer carver (Barb) who comes from Montana several times a year to share her carving skills with us.  So come in and meet the carvers and check out their progress.  Lead carver Jack Giles can get you started carving or stop by and make use of the carving skills you already have. 

    Catch the community spirit and become a part of Albany's heritage.  Visit, call or send an email to become a carousel volunteer. 

    Click on the Photo Gallery  button to view our progress and check back often for updated photos as these animals approach completion.

          These are the colorized drawings of some of our carousel animals.

< 1 2 >  Cheyene Cricket Hope Neal Rose Vincent Lightning Little Sheba Patch Munchie Tuesday Honey Bear < 1 2 >  Click image to see a larger version

 

    Terryl Whitlatch (who was our first artist for the carousel, drawing approximately 25 of our animals) recently moved from  our community and is no longer able to work with us.  But with her expertise and attention to detail, our carvers and painters are turning this  carousel into a work of art.   We have since found another great artist and graphic designer named Kurt Christensen.  He says he is primarily  self taught with a life long love of drawing.  His body of work includes working on various TV programs, such as Iron Man, Dragon Tales, Jumanji and GeeKeR.  He has experience with illustration, graphic design, animation and claymation.   Please refer to the first six drawings above to see Kurts work.  They are Cheyene, Cricket, Hope, Neal, Rose and Vincent.  We can't wait to begin carving on his designs.