To the general masses, carving a pumpkin is as simple as a basic jack-o-lantern made the week before Halloween and left to rot the following week. One may carve an offcanter nose or asymmetrical eyes, feel in spirit, and call it a day. However, these pumpkins lack many things that experts partaking in the sport of pumpkin carving believe to be crucial to a good carving. Adam Bierton, a professional pumpkin carver and the winner of the 2015 Food Network’s “Halloween Wars”, has uncovered many of the secrets to creating a perfect pumpkin.
The most important part of the carving is selecting the perfect canvas. Bierton had some tips on what to search for, explaining, “Usually the stem is the indicator of a healthy pumpkin, so if you can find one with a green stem, it means it was recently picked. The fresher the pumpkin means the longer it’s gonna last.”
Upon picking the perfect pumpkin, it’s crucial to gather the right tools for the job. “Clay tools are pretty much primarily all I use for sculpture.” Bierton explained, “Maybe some wood carving tools to get thrown in there, but definitely an Exacto blade.” Bierton also recommends an avocado scooper, paring knife, and speedball linoleum cutter for prepping and carving.
Finally, it’s time to transform your beautiful orange gourd into a macabre masterpiece. Bierton literally approaches carving from a different angle, saying, “I don’t cut holes in the top of my pumpkin. I either go through the back or through the bottom.” He added, “You’ve got to figure out which parts are going to be pumpkin and which parts are going to be lit.” After creating your masterpiece, “You’re going to want to light your pumpkin with something better than a candle. And you would either use a real light bulb or you could use a rechargeable LED.” Bierton said. The final step, of course, is to sit back and admire your creation.
While Bierton’s tips sounded great in words, it’s easy to question if this “professional pumpkin carving thing” could be applicable to any average Joe, or if it really is the skill it’s said to be. In an attempt to put Bierton’s tips to the test, the Messenger busted out an avocado scooper and rechargeable LED light, and got ready to carve.
So, it began. The art of carving a pumpkin is not for the faint of heart, frankly, it’s a tedious endeavor. To successfully carve an exemplary pumpkin requires as much patience, precision, and preparedness as does conducting an open-heart surgery.
While Bierton likely picks his canvas fresh from the vine, the Messenger opted for the second best option, Grocery Outlet. After trekking through pounds of malicious hail, the optimal juicy pumpkin was found, one that satisfied the desired dimensions, a true diamond in the rough. Now, the competition commenced, turning a simple pumpkin and knife into a true work of art. From here on, it was merely a test of skill; pumpkin chunks were flying, seeds littered the floor, tensions were rising. After what felt to be days of hard work and craftsmanship, the masterpiece was ready for presentation. All Messenger-carvers took a step back and admired their work in all of its beauty. While there is something to be said about beauty being in the eye of the beholder, something was deeply disturbed about these pumpkins. So, yes, pumpkin carving is a real, skillful, professional sport. And yes, the Messenger suggests sticking to a Jack-O-Lantern style, asymmetrical eyes, pumpkin this year.
