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Chainsaw Carvings: Wood Carvings And Carved Bears
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Published: April 2, 2007
It might never be the first thing that comes to mind when anyone thinks of high class sculpture, but chainsaw carvings are an always popular and sometimes quite competitive art form. Woodworking has been a part of human culture for thousands of years, and being able to make amazing sculpture with incredible precision using such a large and unwieldy tool as a chainsaw is a remarkable accomplishment. Something that most art enthusiasts don't realize is what a big and diverse culture chainsaw carvings have.
In the late 1950s, artists began using chainsaws to carve wood sculptures as a sort of cultural oddity. The chainsaw carvings and carving demonstrations were, and still are, big hits at state fairs and festivals. They're seen as a way to be artistic, but still maintain an edgier, more outdoorsman feel. Chainsaw manufacturers over the years have really embraced the concept, setting up the public chainsaw carvings demos and chainsaw carving competitions for their customers to enjoy.
Chainsaw carvings aren't just popular in the U.S. Countries like Canada, England, Germany, Australia, and Japan all have chainsaw carvings industries. In England and Germany especially, chainsaw carvings have been embraced as a link to their cultural pasts, when their ancestors made wood sculptures to celebrate festivals and other events. Chainsaw wood carvings allow them to put a modern spin on a part of their history. In Japan, chainsaw wood carvings really only made a splash when carver Brian Ruth brought his art to the country in 1995. Since then, the art has become very popular, and there are even chainsaw carvings classes being taught in the universities.
The most popular chainsaw carvings are wood animals and people. Chainsaw carved bear, fish, or people are a popular sight at chainsaw carvings shows. Several cities and towns display chainsaw carvings as cultural landmarks, and they can also be found decorating everything from store fronts to national parks. Most carvings not made for specific customers, however, they can be purchased and displayed in or outside a home for a nominal fee from the artist.
If a chainsaw carved bear isn't enough to satisfy the appetite, an alternative can be found in ice sculptures. Chainsaws have been turned to a new medium over the past several years. Elaborate ice sculptures, formerly an arduous and painstaking process, have also been made incredibly easy by chainsaw. Chainsaw ice sculpting has become a very popular winter counterpart to wood, and the carvings are often found at winter carnivals and weddings. It may never be as big an industry as chainsaw wood carvings have become, if only because the ice sculptures melt rather quickly, but it takes just as skilled and steady a hand to carve in ice.
Chainsaw carvings are definitely a bigger industry and a more legitimate art form than is shown in the credit they receive. The chainsaw artists have to have a skilled and steady hand to make their fantastic creations. The art is also growing. Governing bodies for recognizing the sculptures have sprung up, as has an organization, Chainsaw Chicks, getting women more involved with the skill. Whether it's a quickie demonstration at a state fair or a months long project for a customer, chainsaw carvings are a wonderful new expression of an ancient art.
Sources:
“Chainsaw Carving.” Wikipedia. 29 March 2007. 2 April 2007. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chainsaw_carving.
Chainsaw Carving Tips. Chainsaw Sculptors. 2003-2007. 2 April 2007. http://www.chainsawsculptors.com/stepbystep/carvin gtips.htm.
Chainsaw Carvings and Art Sculptures by Chainsaw Jack. Cascade Carvings. 1999-2007. 2 April 2007. http://www.chainsawcarving.net/.
Allyn, Ray. “Learning the Art of Carving Ice.” Xomba. 5 Dec. 2006. 2 April 2007. http://www.xomba.com/learning_the_art_of_carving_i ce.
In the late 1950s, artists began using chainsaws to carve wood sculptures as a sort of cultural oddity. The chainsaw carvings and carving demonstrations were, and still are, big hits at state fairs and festivals. They're seen as a way to be artistic, but still maintain an edgier, more outdoorsman feel. Chainsaw manufacturers over the years have really embraced the concept, setting up the public chainsaw carvings demos and chainsaw carving competitions for their customers to enjoy.
Chainsaw carvings aren't just popular in the U.S. Countries like Canada, England, Germany, Australia, and Japan all have chainsaw carvings industries. In England and Germany especially, chainsaw carvings have been embraced as a link to their cultural pasts, when their ancestors made wood sculptures to celebrate festivals and other events. Chainsaw wood carvings allow them to put a modern spin on a part of their history. In Japan, chainsaw wood carvings really only made a splash when carver Brian Ruth brought his art to the country in 1995. Since then, the art has become very popular, and there are even chainsaw carvings classes being taught in the universities.
The most popular chainsaw carvings are wood animals and people. Chainsaw carved bear, fish, or people are a popular sight at chainsaw carvings shows. Several cities and towns display chainsaw carvings as cultural landmarks, and they can also be found decorating everything from store fronts to national parks. Most carvings not made for specific customers, however, they can be purchased and displayed in or outside a home for a nominal fee from the artist.
If a chainsaw carved bear isn't enough to satisfy the appetite, an alternative can be found in ice sculptures. Chainsaws have been turned to a new medium over the past several years. Elaborate ice sculptures, formerly an arduous and painstaking process, have also been made incredibly easy by chainsaw. Chainsaw ice sculpting has become a very popular winter counterpart to wood, and the carvings are often found at winter carnivals and weddings. It may never be as big an industry as chainsaw wood carvings have become, if only because the ice sculptures melt rather quickly, but it takes just as skilled and steady a hand to carve in ice.
Chainsaw carvings are definitely a bigger industry and a more legitimate art form than is shown in the credit they receive. The chainsaw artists have to have a skilled and steady hand to make their fantastic creations. The art is also growing. Governing bodies for recognizing the sculptures have sprung up, as has an organization, Chainsaw Chicks, getting women more involved with the skill. Whether it's a quickie demonstration at a state fair or a months long project for a customer, chainsaw carvings are a wonderful new expression of an ancient art.
Sources:
“Chainsaw Carving.” Wikipedia. 29 March 2007. 2 April 2007. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chainsaw_carving.
Chainsaw Carving Tips. Chainsaw Sculptors. 2003-2007. 2 April 2007. http://www.chainsawsculptors.com/stepbystep/carvin gtips.htm.
Chainsaw Carvings and Art Sculptures by Chainsaw Jack. Cascade Carvings. 1999-2007. 2 April 2007. http://www.chainsawcarving.net/.
Allyn, Ray. “Learning the Art of Carving Ice.” Xomba. 5 Dec. 2006. 2 April 2007. http://www.xomba.com/learning_the_art_of_carving_i ce.
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