Saturday, July 11, 2009

Dangerous Dancing

One of my favorite sites is Extreme Craft (see link to the right).
Yesterday I saw a link about half way down their page to an art form I've been interested in for awhile, but never really looked into.
Chain saw sculpting. (link is to "Masters of the Chainsaw")
I think what I love most about it is not the finished sculptures (although they are in fact way cool) but watching the artists at work. One of the elements of chain saw sculpting contests is speed.
I am mesmerized by the three-partnered dance of artist, wood and chain saw, the changing song of the engine as the precise bites of wood fly off the log, bringing into reality the sculptor's vision.
If you want an idea of how difficult it can be, grab yourself a jug of water and do a few jumping jacks (and try not to hit yourself in the head with it).
The chainsaw preferred by many competitors weighs 7.5 pounds. And it's got a lot more teeth than a jug of water.

1 comment:

Karen said...

Hi Diana!
Yes, chainsaw sculpting must be really hard. I see around here that people can have their trees (ones that must be cut down) made into a sculpture--something to remember the tree by. Much nicer than simply tearing out the roots.
Thanks for your blog!