Wood Carving Art By Randall D. Boni

Randy Boni is the son of Mr. & Mrs. Eugene Boni, of Ridgway Pennsylvania. Growing up near the Allegheny National Forest, the wildlife such as deer, bear, red tailed hawks, palliated wood peckers, and elk, have offered realistic references for the wildlife reflections found in Randy's work today. "I'm fussy about realism, proper proportion, and I try to bring life into the creatures that I carve," stated Boni.
Boni denies attributing his three dimensional skills, to his blindness that he endured for over 30 years of his young life. "My twin brother and I were born with a hereditary condition known as cataracts. We were legally blind, and could not see well enough to play ball, or fit in all that well with sport endeavors, although, we sure tried. All of us kids went to Catholic school until ninth grade, then we attended public school. Gym, art, and woodshop were my favorite classes." Boni continued to say he enjoyed drawing, spinning clay, carving soap, and using his hands to create dimensional form. Surgery on both eyes, allowed Randy to see for the first time when he was in his late 30s. "The very first thing I did, was run out to East Branch Dam to see the thick cable draped across it. People used to ask me (astonished), 'you mean you can't see that cable' I couldn't even see that a leaf had veins, or flowers had individual peddles. . I can see now, and I know how fortunate I really am," stated Boni.