Streamside spirits

This slight tale has its beginnings last week at the Salvation Army store, where, out of the blue, a nice gent behind the counter decided that the Granddotter was the right fit for a pair of shiny black tap shoes. Only two bucks. Who could resist. We got to talking. He mentioned that he had carved a dragon and another sculpt to be found by the side of Granite Creek just behind Coffee Roasters.

Next thing you know, even before I managed to get over to the site, Warren of Touch Wind was up from Tucson and had posted some excellent pictures, especially considering how difficult the lighting is creekside. There was the impressively tall dragon, carved (chain saw, Dremel tools) from a big cottonwood stump still rooted in place.

To give you an idea of the size, the Granddotter posed between the creature and the remainder of the stump.

She explained to me that both of the claws (above, below) were at the end of the dragon's wings. I especially like the claws digging into the earth; former roots, I would venture.

I noticed this former stump nearby had been carved out, tho why, I do not know. Perhaps to provide wood for the dragon's teeth and fangs.

The Tree of Life is on the upper bank, looking out over the parking area behind the arty McCormick Street cottages. The entire piece is carved from a big stump that still supports a smaller living tree.

The woman is holding a masculine mask overhead. You can see the remaining part of the tree behind the mask (below).

Below the woman's belly button, which is a sun symbol, are all sorts of critters, with those that fly at the top. Next come a variety of land animals (below).

At the very bottom are sea creatures. Jeff Grabish is the artist who saw the possibilities in these two stumps and turned them into a remarkable pair of streamside spirits.

Cigar store Indian -- finished!

Came a knocking at my door late one recent afternoon. To my great surprise, there stood Scott McCormick, the neighborhood wood carver. He had stopped by to show me the current state of the cigar store Indian he was working on.

Shortly thereafter, the Indian was painted and on display at the Ian Russell Gallery. I didn't make it to the gallery in time to catch a final picture. All too soon he was delivered to the individual who had commissioned him in the first place. Fortunately, Rich featured a post about the gallery and I borrowed one of his pictures (above). Thanks, Rich!

But there's more to the story. I got my courage up and asked Scott if he ever had big logs that he didn't want. If so, might I have one or two as plant stands? Lo and behold, he showed up one afternoon with the prospective birdhouse (above)...

...this great big, naked stump...
...and that lovely big log now holding my largest strawberry pot high above the reach of the local javelinas who would otherwise chew up my strawberry plants. Thanks, Scott.

I meet the wood carver

I have mentioned before the nearby house with a supply of logs out front for what is obviously a chain saw sculpture operation. I've even occasionally spied signs of a project underway.

I'm happy to report that I finally met the sculptor (though he calls himself a carver) just this past weekend. Name, Scott McCormick; he's had the urge to carve wood since he was a youngster in second grade, though he also works in bronze. His first piece was a traditional cigar store Indian.

He explained that he uses the chain saw primarily for roughing out his sculptures, working primarily with the kit of tools above. McCormick's current Indian will be colored, finished smooth in some places, rough where appropriate. Several of his recent pieces are on display at the Ian Russell Gallery.

One surprise: he doesn't like to work on logs that are too seasoned. This Indian, for example, is made from a downed log he recently found in the forest and continues to give off a fair amount of moisture. Because of the heavy grain in the face (below), the wood will be stained dark where it is not painted.

In addition to big diameter logs, Scott has small straight branches he carves into walking sticks, while the hollow aspen logs above and below are destined to become birdhouses.

Doesn't this log look as though it will make a perfect birdhouse? But then I'd enjoy having it just for the shape and the grain.

Wow! I finally meet the chainsaw artist!

We whizzed past this Viking on our way up to the Little Susitna River overlook in the afternoon; Dotter promised faithfully that we would stop on our return trip. As you know by now, I've a weakness for chainsaw art. Besides, I promised a post for the inner he-man & what, I ask, could be more studly than creating statuary with a chain saw!

Though I do admire Viking stalwarts, a closer look told me that this fellow was definitely a follower, not a leader of men. All muscle, he looks to be.

Here's the Big Picture of what closer inspection revealed -- an outdoor studio for the sculptor and his partner, with several works in progress:

...a sturdy chair for the Round Table, hollowed from a large log...

...a large Welcome sign, held by two standard Alaskan chain saw bears, plus several other bears in various stages of emergence from spruce logs.

Jimmy Kitchen is the chain saw man, here with two of his smaller bears. He was interested to know that there are carvers, as they style themselves, back in Prescott in Arizona and we also compared notes on our mutual bark beetle problems. In Alaska, it is the spruce tree that is under attack and apparently a great many trees have died. In fact, I've seen a number of dead spruce, which are quite black, unlike the pale needles on our dying Ponderosa pines.

Jimmy has won ribbons for his work in competitions around the state. Featured in the cafe is the unusual whale (below), complete to barnacles on its flippers and tail.

Among the finished carvings on display near the highway were the wildlife totem (above) and the toadstool (below).

Also a bright red flower, courtesy of Jimmy's sculpting partner who's also his girlfriend.

Chainsaw Sculpture: Crude & Refined

Do you, by any chance, recall a 1982 pop book, Real Men Don't Eat Quiche. It was one of those overnight sensations that disappeared just as fast as it appeared. I've always remembered this item: one of the most important historic dates for Real Men was the day the chainsaw was invented. Today, it is an implement of a most manly art form.

These 3-4 foot pine logs have been sitting at a neighboring house for several months; I lust after one or more. But it turns out the the occupant is into chainsaw sculpture. Garden gnomes, I'm told. All by way of introduction to one of my favorite art forms.

Chainsaw sculpture can be simple, like the cat over at Miss Kitty's...

...more detailed, like this bear I photographed in Ponderosa Park...

or crude like the four or five critters sitting up on poles overlooking the pond at the late lamented Young's farm. Above, one of two eagles and, below, a dog.


I'll admit that this sasquatch isn't a local item -- SIL photographed him up on the Al-Can highway on the way to Alaska. While I tend to think of chainsaw artistry as a very American thing, it actually is a world wide phenomenon. One article I read credited the boom in chainsaw carving to the internet, believe it or not!

Since the medium is a tree trunk, a totem pole of one variety or another is an obvious use. This is another sculpture from Ponderosa Park.

Three bears are climbing the pole...

...which is topped off by an eagle. Local critters and themes are typical subjects -- Paul Bunyan at the Minnesota State Fair, moose in northern states, frogs, eagles and toadstools everywhere and, I presume, trolls in Norway. Browsing a few of The Google's 14,000+ chainsaw sculpture entries, I even saw a beautifully carved giant snail.

One of the more elegant local examples of chainsaw artistry is the totem pole in Prescott College's library.

Incorporating several local animals, the sculpture even has a white stripe down its back side. Symbol of the skunk, perhaps, or maybe snakes.

I'd hate to run into this intimidating mountain lion that tops the carving; if you look more closely, a raven is just below the cat.

The first time I saw the totem pole, I did not see all the animals that were present, such as these deer.

Here is another raven. There are probably other critters that I will discover on my next visit!

However, my absolutely most favorite sculpt is the Viking a couple of streets over. Whenever I have a new visitor, he or she is taken on a walk to gawk at my heroic friend. Today being a holiday, he had a flag in his fist. I'm sure he is meant to hold a spear but I guess that it is stashed in the closet.