A former millwright at Rochester Products, Clyde Kreckman (left) needed "something to do" when he retired 20 years ago so he began to carve wood. One of his recent works depicts Churchville resident Mike DiMartino pitching horseshoes. DiMartino is a seven-time NYS Horseshoe Pitching champion.

Clyde Kreckman has a way with wood.

Inside his home in North Chili, he spends much of his free time hunched over a small work bench in the corner of his home. With a pair of skillful hands, and a little ingenuity, the 72-year-old man has amassed a proud collection of more than 100 wooden miniature caricatures.

He recently garnered two awards for his works at the annual Genesee Valley Woodcarvers Show held at the Rochester Museum and Science Center.

"I don’t do it for money, I do it for fun," he said. "I give the carvings away but I save the ribbons."

Kreckman, who retired from General Motors Rochester Products about 20 years ago, has been working with wood as a hobby for nearly 10 years. He said he wanted to find a way to spend his free time and keep his hands and mind busy. In wood carving, Kreckman said he found a passionate and prideful means to enjoy his retirement.

"I needed something to do around the house," he explained. "I like working with tools and wood had always fascinated me."

Using an assortment of small knives and a magnifying glass, Kreckman molds small pieces of fine-grain basswood into a wonderful array of characters and objects ranging from people and animals to inanimate objects, like tools. Because most of the pieces stand only six to eight inches high, there’s a lot of fine tuning involved to ensure the detail of the subject, he added.

Two of his more recent pieces, of a chain saw and a man pitching a horseshoe, took first and second honors respectively in miscellaneous categories at the woodcarving exhibition April 7.

"Some of the craftsmanship is terrific," Kreckman said of the show. "They’re fun to go to and get new ideas."

In finding subjects, Kreckman visits various shows around the state, but also calls upon friends to lend motivation.

Mike DiMartino of Churchville proved to be a valuable source of inspiration. DiMartino, a seven-time New York State Horseshoe Pitching champion, was more than happy to strike a pose for the camera and let Kreckman immortalize him in wood.

"When he called I was really surprised," DiMartino said. "I had no idea he was into woodcarving. He is amazing."

Kreckman said it took him a total of about 10 hours to complete his piece in ode to his friend. He said that one of the most enjoyable aspects of his hobby is he can pace himself and not have to confine himself to his work bench.

"You can pick it up before breakfast or leave it for two or three days," he said. "You can do it whenever the feeling strikes you."

Kreckman’s girlfriend, Suzanne Redrick, said she is happy to see him take such joy in his work.

"When you’re retired you need something to keep you busy," she said. "He loves his carvings and it’s unbelievable how much they look like (the subject)."

Aside from the several accolades he has been bestowed by fellow woodcarvers over the years, Kreckman said his greatest joy is seeing the smiles upon the faces of his muses. "I like seeing them laugh when they see the piece for the first time," he said.

DiMartino said he treasures his friend’s wooden rendering, as he said it will serve as inspiration for him as he prepares his throwing arm for the horseshoe pit again.

"I’m going to take it with me to every tournament I travel to," he added. "I want everybody to see it."