19 minute read
Meet the Carvers
from Loggerodeo 2022
The 2022 Chainsaw Carving Championship is thrilled to welcome 14 world-class pro carvers to compete against each other in this exciting weekend event. Meet the carvers in their bios.
Adrian Bois
Web: http://adrianbois.blogspot.com.ar Facebook: /adrianboisart/ E-mail: bois@live.com.ar
Adrian Bois is a professional chainsaw carver from Villa Elisa, Entre Ríos, Argentina. He studied electronics, engineering, administration, and international trade at di erent universities as he searched for the right direction. During this time, he was introduced to carving by making wooden toys, which led him to meeting chainsaw carving colleagues. He had found his calling. Today, he conducts wood carving demonstrations and workshops and participates in chainsaw carving events. He has created custom chainsaw art for companies, public entities, and individuals.
We are thrilled to welcome Adrian back to the Chainsaw Carving Championship now that Covid travel restrictions have eased.
Alexandru Pricob
E-mail: Alexdoesart82@gmail.com
Alex was born and raised in a small village in the Eastern European country of Moldova. He was an artist from an early age, starting with a love of drawing cartoon characters. In later years he expanded into oil painting on canvas. In 2007, he moved his family to the United States in search of a better life. ey settled in Renton, Washington.
“In the summer of 2009, I went to a wood carving show in Ocean Shores and fell in love with what I saw. I went home and tried to do some wood carvings myself, and I thought they turned out very good. Since then, I have been carving sculptures out of lumber, using the chainsaw”, he said. Alex went on to win second place in the semi-pro division in Ocean Shores; rst place for the most money maker; and rst place for the quick carve. In 2015, Alexandru won second place for carvings bringing in the most money at the carving festival in Arlington, Washington. He has participated in many street fairs, wood carving shows, and competitions.
In December, 2016, Alex and business partner Don Benson opened a shop in McKenna, WA, east of Yelm, to carve and sell their art. ey are slowly turning it into a carving studio.
Anthony Robinson
Facebook: /NativeBeachArt Phone: 360-269-2536 E-mail: Robinson72t@gmail.com
Robinson grew up on a farm in Ohio and later built custom homes, a er relocating to the Grays Harbor area of
Washington State. A er 20 years in the industry and some life-changing events, he found his artistic side calling to him. He began his artistic pursuits by collecting sea glass and making hand-made art items but he found himself drawn to carving. Robinson’s rst sculpting project was carving the gures of a wolf and a heron into a piece of dri wood he had originally planned to use for displaying his jewelry.
Living in Copalis Crossing, Tony may be found carving at his home studio. Look for the Native Beach Accessories sign and ever-changing display of chainsaw carvings on display as you drive on Ocean Beach Road. His favorite subjects are magni cent creatures from the natural environment such as whales, wolves, salmon, bear, eagles, and the ever-popular Big Foot.
Tony receives support from many of his friends from every walk of life. His work now graces homes and businesses all over Washington State. “I have never had trouble getting wood,” says Tony, “I know the right people and o en trade sculpture for wood.”
Bob King
Web: www.chainsawking.com Facebook: /ChainsawKing Phone: 253-686-8983
Bob started carving in the fall of 1998 a er seeing a local carver at the fair. He worked at Boeing and carved on the side until he was laid o in 2000, which prompted his move into full-time carving. He is now the owner of Bear Necessities Sculpture, LLC where he keeps busy lling orders for both private and corporate customers. King entered his rst competition a er carving only three bears and has been competing ever since. Bob was one of the original members of the Echo-USA Carving Team; having been asked to join in 2005. King is the main carver for Burton Snow Boards, handling their custom jumps for snow board runs. He has traveled to Daytona for Bike Week, carved at the Pocono 500 in Pennsylvania, participated in Harley Davidson’s 105th anniversary celebration in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and worked in conjunction with Lucas Films and Disney.
In 2010, Bob was honored with a star in the Carvers Walk of Fame in Mulda, Germany for winning more competitions than anyone in the world! Bob was honored with a fourth-place award for Best Overall Carver in the 2014 Loggerodeo™ carving competition. His winning carving was then purchased by Loggerodeo™ and donated as a memorial to the town of Oso for the mudslide. With the help of Patricia Dwelley of Reedsport, King created the Oregon Divisional Chainsaw Sculpture Championships in 2000. He has been invited to represent the United States in competitions in Germany, England, Scotland, Denmark, Holland, and Canada. He lives in Edgewood, Washington and carves all around the United States while not at home or traveling abroad. You can follow his travels on both his website and Facebook page.
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Basically a self-taught carver, Bob continues to grow in this art form by learning from other artists and pushing himself to try new things. Bob carves anything from realistic wildlife sculptures to scenes from life as he sees them. Every year brings new adventures in wood sculpture and connecting with friends and family along the way.
Chris Foltz
Web: https://chrisfoltzsculptures. wordpress.com/ Facebook: /chris.foltz.14
Chris Foltz grew up in Hagerstown, Maryland but now lives in North Bend, Oregon with his wife and four sons. In the 2014 Chainsaw Carving Championships he was honored with the People’s Choice and Best Overall Carver award. He is a competitive wood and ice power sculptor and a Chef instructor at OCCI.
Foltz began working at the age of 14 in butcher shops cleaning the kill oors. He started his rst kitchen position at the age of 15. Foltz paid his own way through post-secondary, graduating with dual degrees in baking and cooking from Baltimore International Culinary College.
Chris started out making ice sculptures through his work as a chef about 14 years ago. In April, 2005 Chris took three days of formal wood sculpting instruction from Mike Vosburg in Richmond, VA. ree months later he entered his rst competition, the Oregon Divisional Chainsaw Sculpting Championship in Reedsport OR., where he won “rookie” of the year. Now, Chris is the only professional sculptor that is competing in both wood and ice at a world-class level, averaging twelve competitions a year and regularly placing in the top ranks. He has also been in uenced by iconic individuals including Bob and Cindy King who were the rst and most important to in uence Chris as a sculptor.
Foltz is best known for designs of original characters, comic book heroes, large animals of imagination, re-creations of strange animals and sculptures of children. Said Chris, “We always completely enjoy our time in Sedro-Woolley! My family has been lucky enough to be part of the show for years. e best artists and a great organization for the show. e town is fantastic as well.”
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Sedro-Woolley 300FerryStreet 360-855-2141
Facebook: /pg/constantincarving/posts/ E-mail: costel.morari@gmail.com Phone: 530-551-6343
Born in Moldova, Constantin is now a custom wood carver from Sacramento, California. Constantin won rst place in the semi-pro division of the 19th annual Oregon Divisional Chainsaw Carving Championship.
Said Constantin, “I had a passion for the arts since I was a young child, so I attended an art school in my home country. My second passion has always been animals and a er I moved to the U.S., I was able to combine these two passions into wood carving. My good friend Alexandru Pricop mentored me and I have been carving for several years now. I am now happy to be able to provide carving lessons through my business. As a fulltime pro-carver I work in at wood and 3D and I also try to combine sculpture and painting as much as possible. I like to represent nature and its beauty, animals, and moments from their daily life: movement, moods, and their ordinary behaviors. Carving inspires me to want more from life; helps me express my feelings. I carve wood and wood carves me into a better person. I look forward to carving new works full of inspiration at this year’s championships. I am excited to participate!”
Jacob Lucas
Web: jacoblucascarving.com Facebook: / Jacoblucascarving-103495724355118/ Phone: 253-223-1432 E-mail: carveandburn@yahoo.com
A resident of Bonney Lake, Washington; Jacob Lucas has been carving since 2004. roughout the years he has worked in many mediums such as drawing, clay sculpture, digital design, glass blowing, and chainsaw art.
Carving became a dream of Jacob’s when his grandmother bought some cute carved bears at the local fair. “At age 13 I thought it was something I could do so I saved my money from working in a lawn mower repair shop and purchased a small saw.” His dreams were soon cut short when two weeks later the new saw was stolen from the garage. Being only 13, Lucas pretty much wrote o becoming a carver.
Eleven years later his grandmother read an article in the paper about a carver and reminded Jacob of his dream so long ago. She o ered to buy him a new saw and from then on, he has been hooked. A few years in, Jacob decided to try competitive carving; he entered the Reed Sport Divisional in Oregon, taking second place in the semi-pro category. He returned the next year and
entered as a professional, taking eighth place among 30 of the best carvers in the world. In 2015, Lucas was invited by Bob King to go to Mulda, Germany as his partner to represent the U.S.A. in the Huskycup Worldcup Championship Invitational chainsaw carving competition against teams from ve other countries. e assignment was to create a hunting scene from each group’s country of origin before the age of rearms; they carved a Native American rearing up on a horse and spearing a full-sized bison, which took second place overall. Jacob also won second place in the 2015 People’s Choice award at the 3rd annual McKenzie River Chainsaw & Arts Festival.
Lucas has been featured in many carving articles. He spent three summers sculpting 16 trees over 12 feet tall for the City of Bridgeport next to the Chief Joseph Dam in Eastern Washington, 30 miles south of Omak; he now has 30 sculptures in the town. Jacob also has a few sculptures on display in the City of Chelan and carved a 10-foot-tall nutcracker for the City of Leavenworth that is located in the center of town across from the Leavenworth Nutcracker Museum.
Jacob carves full time and takes custom orders. He says “I love to make people smile with my art”.
Jarrod Flowers
Phone: 707-349-3677 E-mail: jflowers777@gmail.com
Based out of Lakeport, California, Jarrod has been carving since 2018. Flowers grew up in Arkansas, but moved to California where he luckily decided to stop at Mark Colp’s shop looking for mill scraps for a garden box. e rest is history. Said Jarrod, “Mark became my mentor and carving my meditation. is will be my fourth-year carving and my favorite themes to carve are nautical and wildlife, however, the ultimate goal with any creation is to make it beautiful and lively.” Last year he competed in Yreka, Reedsport, Ocean Shores, and Sedro-Wooley. Said Flowers, “Sedro was an awesome experience last year and I am looking forward to returning to this highlighted event!”
Website:www.JMSWoodSculpture.com E-mail:JMSwoodsculpture@yahoo.com Online Store:https://www. jmswoodsculpturelocalstore.com/
Je was born and raised in Shelton, Connecticut, and studied art and photography in high school. A er graduating, Je traveled the continent as an Outward Bound instructor, ice climber and whitewater ra ing guide. In Jackson Hole, Wyoming he trained as an Alpine mountaineering guide and became certi ed as a wilderness emergency medical technician. at was also the place where his life changed drastically. A crash while snowboarding le Je with a broken back and no feeling in his legs but a er eight months of painful recovery, he was back on his feet.
While visiting Vermont in the late 1990s, he noticed some wood carvings
along the side of a road. He thought, “I could do that” and opened J.M.S. Wood Sculpture in 1998. With over 20 years-experience, the business has allowed Je to live around the country and travel all over the world participating in competitions and becoming involved in the carving community. When he isn’t traveling, he loves living and creating art in Washington.
Je was featured as an animal anatomy specialist in two episodes of the rst chainsaw reality show, SAW DOGS, which aired on the Discovery Channel in 2012 (“Race to the Finish” and “First Breath”). More recently his sculptures were in National Geographic Kids UK magazine issue 145, Wood Carving Illustrated issue 82, Odd is Art, published by Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, and Who’s Who in Visual Art – 100 Artisans, Cra speople & Designers – Vol. 20182019.
At the Loggerodeo™, Je was honored with a second-place award for Best Overall Carver in the 2016 carving competition. His sculptures are viewable throughout the year and available for purchase online at www. JMS Wood Sculpture Local Store .com. During Loggerodeo™ however, they will only be available for purchase in person, so if you have time, head on over to his booth and check them out. ere may even be some new carvings that haven’t made it to the online store yet.
Facebook: /mark.colp E-mail: markcolp@hotmail.com
Mark Colp was born in Alberta, Canada and is proud to make chainsaw wood sculpting his life. He became a professional chainsaw sculptor right out of high school; 2020 marks 39 years in the business. Mark has a long list of accomplishments and is an award-winning wood sculptor with a shop in Lakeport, California. His many awards include winning the chainsaw carving invitational grand championship in New Mexico in 2013; winning the Redwood Regional in Ukiah, California in 2014; and rst place at Reedsport Oregon 2015 Albuquerque Fiesta Cup.
Mark was featured on seven out of 10 episodes of the reality show “Saw Dogs” that aired in Canada, the USA, Latin America, and Mexico. He also worked on a TV reality series for Carver Kings that began airing in 2015. Mark’s satisfaction in carving comes from the happiness that he is able to bring his customers through his art. His favorite sculptures are nautical themes and marine animals. Said Mark, “It’s my passion to create beautiful sculptures from wood that everyone enjoys. I love competing with some of my best buds and watching their awesome ability to create.”
Nick Bielby
Facebook: /nicklbywoodcarving Phone: 360-477-7229
Nick Bielby has been carving for six years and 2022 will be his third year at the Sedro-Woolley chainsaw carving championships. Nick has carved at several other competitions on the West Coast. In 2019 he placed rst in the semi-pro division in Reedsport, which got him invited to Sedro-Woolley. Said Bielby, “I love to carve mostly wildlife and also enjoy competing in the carving world. I look forward to where carving will take me. Some people see a log laying on the ground. I see a bear or dragon. I’ve discovered that a chainsaw can work much like a paintbrush, and wood is canvas.”
Ryan Anderson
IG: /sculpturesinmotion Phone: 541-361-0122 E-mail: sculpturesinmotion@live.com
Growing up in Reedsport, Oregon, Ryan displayed artistic abilities. He was introduced to chainsaw carving just shortly a er turning 16 and became hooked on the art. Ryan started his chainsaw carving career in June of 2005 a er being apprenticed by Tracie
Britten eld of Packwood, Washington. A er graduating from Reedsport High School in 2007, Ryan began carving full time and attending more competitions. Ryan worked under Mark Colp during the winters of 2007 through 2011 learning more of the trade, which was hugely bene cial to Ryan’s sculpting career.
Ryan began as one of the youngest amongst his competitors, quickly becoming a force to be reckoned with. During his pro career, Ryan has earned many awards. Some of his most recent include 1st place and the People’s Choice award at the 2021 Sedro-Woolley Chainsaw Carving Championships. In 2021 he also earned 1st place, People’s Choice, and Carver’s Choice awards at the Reedsport Chainsaw Carving Championships. In 2021, he was named champion of the Food Network’s “Outrageous Pumpkins” carving competition. He has competed in many international events including the English Open where he took second place.
Anderson is the performing artist for Sculptures In Motion and has been sculpting professionally since 2006. He was a highlighted carver on the reality show “Saw-Dogs.” In 2009 at the age of just 20, Ryan was invited to represent top of the line power equipment manufacturer Husqvarna. To this day Ryan creates “one-of-a-kind experiences” with inspiring sculptures using Husqvarna’s power tools.
Anderson enjoys a good challenge and using his imagination to come up with some very unique pieces of art. He also enjoys inspiring his fellow artists with his skills and techniques to help others learn the cra .
Ryan credits his success to the sel ess dedication of his family, friends, and many of his fellow carvers that were willing to inspire him and help guide him along the way.
E-mail:bigshot@whidbey.com Phone:360-579-3574
Steve Backus has been carving for more than 40 years. For the rst 30 years he carved hundreds of stumps in people’s yards. He has set up shop at the Puyallup Fair since the beginning of his carving career and did that show for 41 years. Generally, buyers nowadays must schedule an appointment to purchase Steve’s work.
Steve was born on a dark and stormy night from the union of a beautiful Celtic princess and a wild young logger. He was raised by a friendly tribe of Sasquatch on the west side of the dark and forested land of the Olympic Peninsula. With access to some of the largest trees on earth, he was introduced to chainsaw carving by his mother’s family. His mom, Judy McVay, is a chainsaw artist and so are his brothers, sister, uncles, cousins, sons and daughter.
A er migrating to the isle of Whidbey in the center of the Salish Sea in 1975, the tribe helped found the humble beginnings of the new American folk art known as chainsaw carving; indigenous to the Paci c Northwest. A devastating re burnt the business to the ground but out of the ashes each individual rebounded and developed their own carving style; going on to educate the world about the then infant art form of carving. In 1981 the Puyallup Fair asked Steve’s uncle if he could help them put on a carving contest. He agreed and so the fair hosted the very rst chainsaw carving competition in the world. Four of Steve’s relatives were in that event, which had 17 total competitors. ere was a Backus family member involved in every chainsaw carving contest in the Paci c Northwest until 1990. at’s when Pat McVay and Steve Backus started the Westport competition, also known as the Big One. Rocky McArthur participated in 1994 before returning to Sedro-Woolley to start the Loggerodeo™ Chainsaw Carving Championship in 1996.
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ese days Steve lives in a gated four-acre compound along a woodsy road in Clinton on Whidbey Island. An eclectic mix of carved faces, gures and signs line about 300 feet of fence on his property. He began hanging carvings on his fence more than 20 years ago.
Steve has carved in well over two hundred competitions and has appeared in a few reality TV shows as well as being featured in the 2008 Roadside Chainsaw Carver TV commercial for PEMCO Insurance called “We’re A Lot Like You. A Little Di erent.” Said Backus, “Chainsaw contests are much loved in the Paci c Northwest these days and the Sedro- Woolley competition is one of the most respected and well-run contests in the world at this time. I am honored to attend as a competitor against some of the most steely-eyed professionals in the business today!”
Backus organizes competitions around the region and invites visiting carvers to stay at his compound. He generously shares carving equipment with his guests. He has traveled as far as England and Germany to participate in events. He considers his luck to be very good: “to have worked at this independent art form, both as a living and a passion for a lifetime, and I ain’t done yet.”
Wayne Lyon
E-mail: bearsbearsbears4u@gmail.com
Wayne studied under Mark Colp and has been carving for 25 years. Originally from northern California, Lyon now resides in Ocean City, Washington. His specialties are bears and trees but he’s also known for his water fountains and benches.
Said Wayne, “I love carving. Mark Colp is my teacher and good friend. I have three daughters, one son and ve grand-children; they make my life the best. e kids love going to my shows. I truly love to see people pass me and see me carving and when I turn around, they are smiling. I’m a people person and love to see people laugh. My biggest goal at a competition is to have fun and beat the big dogs. My parents have always followed me to shows and supported me. We lost my Mom but my Dad will still show up in Reedsport to support me. Love my close family.”
