Standing more than six feet high is a 48 hour clock entirely handmade by Bill Deming.  Over 20 years ago, Bill purchased the paper plan with the actual sized parts.  After starting the project, a difficult section convinced him to set aside the wooden clock until he gathered more skill in his real vocation as a fine cabinetmaker.  Over the years he fashioned corporate reception desks and created high end cabinetry for developments like Black Hawk.  One of the highlights of his career was designing cabinets for Carlos Santana.

When time allowed, Bill removed the partially made clock to spend more than 100 hours of patience and skill to complete the work of art.  The most challenging part was fashioning the intricate gears.  The fine sprockets needed to be cut accurately with a band saw.  His artistic eye chose precious woods to highlight each part.  Incorporated in the clock are familiar woods such as cherry, fiddle back maple and ebony.  Exotic colors and grains of unfamiliar woods were included:  babinga, pad auk, wedge, norra, lace wood and zebra wood. A 50 pound fishing line holds a 15 pound wooden weight.  A single pendulum glides back and forth with a soft, deep thumping sound. Hours of patient sanding revealed the various grains and wood tones.  His magical touch on wood is rewarded as he enjoys the sight and sounds of his hallway clock.

The magic touch continues as Bill pursues another passion: magic. Eight years ago while on vacation in Disney’s Magic Kingdom, he wandered into a magic shop and purchased a few tricks.  Bill discovered his talent for sleight of hand card tricks and began to perform before small and large groups.  Bill is always practicing his craft and has discovered his most insatiable hobby yet.  Because he is so personable and respectful of those he entertains, he is prompt to capture the audience’s imagination with the astounding illusions he creates.  It is not unusual to hear them say “How did he do that?”

Friday evenings between 6:00 pm and 9:00 pm, he can be found at a Paradise restaurant, La Posada.  He strolls around the dining room performing close-up magic.  One of his most requested tricks requires audience participation.  Bill asks for a person to sign a playing card which he shuffles into an ordinary deck.  One card is thrown to the ceiling, revealing it is the signed card.  There are now more than two hundred cards covering the ceiling in the bar area of La Posada.  In Chico he performs Tuesdays between 6:00 pm and 8:00 pm at Applebee’s.

Recently he was part of a guest talent show on a cruise ship performing before more than 900 people.  Later he was asked to do table tricks during the dinner hours, demonstrating two or three tricks at each table.

Generously sharing magic is normal for Bill.  He enjoys performing at parties with a clean, family show.  Children are especially in wonder as he performs eye popping feats:  swallowing a four foot balloon; a signed card emerges on top of a gold fish bowl; a signed $1 bill appears in a glass of water.  On occasion he offers magic classes through the Paradise Parks and Recreation Department.  Bill is extremely proud to have been named 2008 “Volunteer of the Year” for his generous work with the Boys and Girls Club in Paradise. His love of magic shows no signs of stopping.

Bill has created a DVD that shows how to do seven tricks.  It is priced at $15.  For more information contact him at billdeming@yahoo.com

By Carolyn Melf