In his first year with Whittle the Wood Rendezvous, Fernando Dulnuan was looking to learn a lot while also expressing his faith. Mission accomplished on both counts.

Dulnuan’s entry in the 20th annual event was the biblical “Lion of Judah,” depicting an angel above a lion and lamb, an effort he said was to show his devotion to the source of his ability to carve wood creatively.

“Honestly, this is a God-given talent for me, so hopefully this is the purpose God wants for me. Without that, I’m useless,” he said.

Dulnuan, originally from the Philippines, came to Craig from Norman, Oklahoma, for the sake of competing but more importantly picking up tips of the trade from seasoned artists.

“I can’t stay in one job for a long time, but with this, every carving’s different, so you grow,” he said. “Not a lot of money here, but I like what I do and you’re on your own time and you’re proving yourself.”

Dulnuan noted that he’s been working full-time in the endeavor of wood-carving for about three years, enjoying the variety that comes with it.

Dulnuan said he was overwhelmed by the amount of support from city staff and spectators at the festival, which he felt exemplified the Christian love he’s tried to convey.

“I’ll be putting a lot more stuff like this into my carvings if they’ll have me back next year,” he said.