Have you ever wondered how sculpture is created? Chain saw carving events, like the recent four day event held in Thomasville, North Carolina, are an opportunity to see carving from start to finish. In most people's hands, chain saws are a quick way to cut up firewood. In fact, one carver told me that everything he does is "designer firewood". At anywhere from $10 for a tiny bear to $4,000 and up, it's a pretty good bet there won't be any fires lighted with chain saw carvings.
Multi-Day Chain Saw Events
To fully appreciate the progression of a carving, it's really best to be there every day of the event, if at all possible. At the Thomasville event, carvers come with the carvings made for their sponsors already completed. Click the pictures below for a larger view, and see the Davidson Airport bear carved by Mark Rice. Almost daily quick carve competitions and auctions keep things lively, while the carvers work to complete a large sculpture by the end of the show.
Subtlety and chain saws do belong together in the hands of experienced carvers. It takes strong muscles, a steady hand, and a sure eye to cut a small slot in an intricate carving with the tip of a chain saw blade. Seeing it being done is even more exciting than just seeing the finished carving.
Chain Saw Carvers Came From as Far Away as Peru
The carvers came not only from North Carolina, but also from Georgia, Pennsylvania, Florida, Washington state, and Peru. One carver with a distinctly southern accent claimed only to be from earth. In my two days at the event, I didn't notice any non-earth beings. The spectators were also from a variety of states.
The spectators were in no hurry here. They lingered, watching the wingtips of a ten foot eagle take shape from a roughed out shape by the careful application of a chain saw. They were fascinated by the train cars being formed across the back of a bench. Even after they moved on from watching one carver, they would spend time watching other carvers, and come back.
Chain saw carvers work like any other artist, pausing with tools in hand to move around the sculpture before deciding the next cut. The fact that the tool is a heavy, noisy chain saw doesn't make it any less art. Smaller chain saw blades are sometimes used for fine details, and for fine finishing, grinders and sanders are used.
Carvings can be left as cut, or finely smoothed and polished. Paint and stains are often used, or the wood left as is, depending on the style of the carver. While it may seem incompatible to leave something as delicate as a hummingbird as cut, without further finishing, it works beautifully.
Sponsors
Sponsoring businesses help pay the costs of the carvers to travel, eat, and stay in Thomasville for the event. Sponsors get their own custom carving for display in their business, among other perks. The 2011 Echo Chain Saw Sculpting Invitational in Thomasville wouldn't have been possible without the support of the sponsors.
With two successful chain saw carving events completed, Thomasville has found a winning way to attract visitors and interest in an area hard hit by the decline of the furniture industry in the U.S. Chain saw carving is an amazing art for everyone involved. See more pictures of the event.
Corinne Shibley - Corinne Shibley studied sculpture in art history and created her own sculpture on the way to a B.A. in Studio Art. "There's something ...
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