Monday, June 22, 2009

Wood Chips

Oh dear bloggees, I am falling behind. I still owe you a Talk Thursday, but today…yes, the Monday after it’s time for the Oregon Chainsaw Sculpting Championships in Reedsport. An annual Father’s Day weekend event that Ducky and I never miss.

Officially one hundred and fifty years old on February 14th, Oregon celebrates her 150th birthday all year long. This year’s extreme art extravaganza focused on that sesquicentennial milestone.

The Oregon Chainsaw Sculpting Championships features around 20 chainsaw artist who travel the world competing in the Echo Cup Challenge. Chainsaw artist from not only across the States, but also Australia, England, Japan, Germany, and Sweden vie for the first leg’s points.

This year there were fewer moose, a lot of bears, and a few nautical themed pieces, like Oregon’s Cape Blanco (pronounced Blank-0) Lighthouse.

The majority of main event pieces in the competition drew from a series of Oregon’s historical points

A few whimsical pieces

And I think this is my favorite main event piece.

Each morning the carvers are challenged to a quick carve at 10:30. For forty five minutes they carve what ever the wood blank has told their artist eye is captured in side.

Each evening at 5:30 the pieces are auctioned off. It’s a win, win, win situation for the chainsaw artist, the buyers, and the Reedsport / Winchester Bay Chamber of Commerce.
Father’s Day Weekend, next year, be there. Ducky and I will be.

Sith,
Cele

3 comments:

Maya said...

Interesting. It must be awefully hard to do detail work like this with a chainsaw!

Steven said...

It's amazing what they're able to do with chainsaws. I bet some of these sculptors carve ice in the winter, too.

Cele said...

Maya, it isn't just chainsaws, but three or four sizes of chainsaws and assorted bars. Disk sanders, this pointy type drill/chisel/saw thingies that they use for some of the details. And propane torches to singe and burn. It's mesmerizing to watch art develop from flying chips and big hunks of logs.

Steve, thank you for the segue.