Chainsaw Sculpture School
School Teaches the Fine Art of Carving a Bear from a Tree

Listen to Scott Simon's conversation with Brian Johnson.

Some samples of work from the Wisconsin School of Chainsaw Carving. Fine details are achieved through the use of a special attachment. Photos: courtesy Wisconsin School of Chainsaw Carving

Sept. 27, 2002 -- Creating art with a chainsaw may seem counterintuitive, but that's just what students do at the Wisconsin School of Chainsaw Carving.

Brian Johnson, the school's chief administrator, demurs a bit from the term "art."

It is art, he tells Scott Simon for Weekend Edition Saturday, but it's art "from a utilitarian standpoint."

The school, he says, teaches the basics of sculpture, just like any other art class.

But here, students are taught "with a different tool and a different medium than you would use in college."

What may be surprising, at least to outsiders, is the level of detail that can be achieved with a chainsaw. This is done through a special attachment bar with a tip about the size of a dime, making it possible to render the hairs of a bear, the fibers on an Indian's headdress, or the fine curves on an eagle's wing.

The school, located in a town called Hayward in the northern reaches of Wisconsin, has held only one session so far -- with a grand total of four students.

Three were city-slickers from Chicago. "They got so tired doing this they went to Wal-Mart to get some chairs," says Johnson.

Safety is emphasized. The students wear protective gear " from the bottom of their toes to the top of their head," Johnson says.

The teacher follows his own safety guidelines as well. He never upbraids a student who is in the middle of working with a chainsaw. "I make sure he shuts it off before I use my tact."


Other Resources

The Wisconsin School of Chainsaw Carving. Note: the site is rather persistent in asking users to download a program that changes their cursor into a maple leaf while visiting.

What does research into multiple births, ADHD and schizophrenia have in common with the art of chainsaw sculpting? This Australian professor apparently has the answer.

E-mail this Page

 

Recipient's e-mail address:	» Up to twelve addresses, separated by commas.
Your e-mail address:
Your name:
Personal message (optional, 600 characters max):
Your NPR member station:
Are you a member of your local NPR station?	Yes    No
Would you like to receive information from your local NPR member station? (see NPR's privacy policy)	Yes    No
Please send me updates from NPR.	Yes    No
(Information collected by NPR will be used solely for internal NPR or NPR member station purposes and only if you selected 'yes' above. See NPR's privacy policy for more information.)