Kalispell couple collaborate on one-of-a-kind Christmas collectibles

Christmas lasts all year for Rick and Jody Smith, thanks to their business, Santas from the Heart.

By hand, the Kalispell couple carve and paint wooden figurines that are collected by Santa enthusiasts across the country. The Smiths, who are both in their 50s, sell their works primarily through a Chicago gallery as well as word of mouth.

What began as a hobby for Rick, combined with a Christmas gift for Jody, has evolved into a year-round business.

Rick, an experienced woodworker, decided to try carving five years ago after seeing an exhibition.

But what design to carve?

Jody collects Santa-themed items, so carving the Christmas icon was an obvious choice. Rick took over the couple's spare bedroom and began carving, learning as he went along. With the exception of looking at a few books, he is self-taught.

"I finally came out of my little hole and said, 'Look, I'm a carver!'" he said.

Jody was pleased with the handmade Santa, and her husband was thrilled with his new hobby. He continued honing his technique and making more detailed and intricate figurines.

In the five years he's been carving, Rick has made just three items that don't involve Santa. He occasionally carves things that go with the Father Christmas figurines, such as a rabbit held by Santa or a sleigh.

Rick says he is happy sticking with Father Christmas because he simply likes the character and so does his wife.

But one thing he didn't like about the wooden Santas was having to finish them, so he appealed to Jody for the final touches.

"I said, 'I love carving them,'" he said, "but I do not like to paint them. And there's only one other person who lives here, so guess what?'"

"I thought, 'Oh good grief,'" Jody admits.

Jody had plenty of experience in crafts, but she didn't think painting was one of her strengths. But she agreed to paint the Santas and now enjoys the task.

The couple usually talk about what kind of color scheme Jody will use, but occasionally she claims artistic license and deviates from the plan.

A Santa she completed in October is a testament to her creative detours. She and her husband decided they would give the Santa a dark-colored cloak, but Jody added a series of white dots to the robe. Rick was surprised, but happy with the finished piece.

"It turned out great," he said. "It was just fantastic."

The Smiths often use traditional Christmas hues such as red and green, but periodically they choose different schemes. One old-fashioned Santa wears a long robe that is a range of blues. Their Victorian Santa wears a cape of mauve and a light mint-colored scarf.

One detail that doesn't vary, though, is the inclusion of a heart on each figurine.

Rick carves one heart, and sometimes more, on every Father Christmas to symbolize the Smiths' love of Santa and their love of creating the figurines, they say.

Another thing they love, the couple agreed, is working together.

The Smiths have been married for more than 30 years. They laugh easily and joke often when they are together, good naturedly teasing one another.

They talk throughout the day, but work in separate spaces. Rick's carving center is compactly and efficiently set up in a spare bedroom, while Jody paints in the living room.

They both say they are prone to distraction when the other is in the same room, and separate spaces means they can each watch their TV networks of choice. Jody watches Home and Garden Television and Rick sticks to ESPN.

The couple eventually started selling their Santas through word of mouth and have since signed on with the FolkWorks Gallery in Chicago. They work on the Santas all year, producing 30 to 50 annually.

The figurines sell from $250 to $5,000. Avid collectors are willing to plunk down quite a bit, Rick said. And the amount of work that goes into the carving, which may be several hundreds of hours' worth, sets the price, the couple said.

Attention to detail is what makes their Santas stand out, they said. Painting on details, such as the threads in a tassel or the hairs in a beard, is easy enough, they said. But Rick carves in those same details and Jody highlights them with her paint jobs.

This fall the Smiths signed on with Carvers Unlimited in Columbia Falls. The group has bought some of the Smiths' designs for production, but they will continue to craft their collectible pieces.

Jody and Rick, who is retired from a career in the United States Air Force, work on the Santas continually, but their focus isn't on how many they sell.

"I really do it because I enjoy it," Rick said.

The Smiths also enter woodcarving competitions ever year. When Rick first started, his skills earned him a spot among intermediate rather than beginning-level competitors, the couple said. He has gone on to win awards for expert-level carvers.

He maintains, though, it's his wife's work that really makes his carvings worthy of attention.

"They are nothing till they're painted," he said. "She paints them and brings them to life."

At any time of the year, a quick look at the shelves in Rick's workroom might lead a visitor to believe it's Christmas. Below a tier of Rick's beloved Minnesota Vikings paraphernalia, including a Santa wearing a purple jersey, are examples of the couple's work.

But during the Yuletide, their home is filled with Jody's Santa collection and holiday decor.

"It actually looks like a Christmas store," she said.

And as for giving Jody more Santas for her collection, the couple say they've moved away from that gift-giving tradition. Jody gets enough of Santa during the year, so now Rick opts for putting jewelry under the Christmas tree.

For more information, call Rick and Jody Smith at 257-6894.

Reporter Camden Easterling can be reached at 758-4429 or by e-mail at ceasterling@dailyinterlake.com