Youngblut Timber Art
Adam Youngblut of Youngblut Timber Art knew that since his studio and gallery doesn’t look like a traditional storefront, he’d need something eye-catching to let people know about the veritable menagerie of chainsaw carvings contained within his workshop just outside of downtown Lucknow. He settled on carving a life sized black bear to install outside the door of the shop, next to a bright yellow banner that simply reads ‘Chainsaw Carvings’. “The bear is like my business card,” he explained. “I make a lot of bears!”
Other recently carved creations are mostly fauna and flora that can be found across Canada - beyond bears, there are deer, moose, fish and various birds of prey, all captured in moments ranging from glorious battle to quiet contemplation. On this particular afternoon, Youngblut was mid-way through work on the figure of a fox, its individual personality just beginning to take shape. He may make a lot of bears, but no two are ever exactly the same - each one takes on some of the character of the piece of wood it comes from. He works with a lot of scrap wood from a wide variety of sources, like construction projects. The completed works in the store come in all shapes, sizes, and price points, from huge eagles with wild wingspans to tiny tree wizards peering out of little logs. Wall hanging pieces are popular with customers lacking the required space for statues.
While chainsaws themselves were first created in Europe as a surgical tool, chainsaw carving art is thought to be a North America invention. The first documented chainsaw carving artists in America date back to the 1950’s, when carvers like Ken Kaiser worked on public art projects like the Trees of Mystery in Klamath, California. The form has since grown in popularity, spawning instructional books and videos, as well as televised carving competitions.
Native creatures may be his main focus, but there’s also a number of more exotic beasts in the store, including a lionfish, a live-edged gorilla, and an octopus. Among the many pine trees, there is also a cactus or two. “I just make what people like,” he explained simply. There are also a few older pieces in the shop awaiting minor repairs, including a large Chinese dragon in need of tail reinforcements. It’s a fitting project to take on in 2024, which, according to Chinese astrology, is a Wood Dragon year.
Anybody looking for a custom carving should make their request well in advance - depending on the complexity of the piece and the business of the season, it can sometimes take a number of months to bring a highly detailed project to fruition. There’s also an interesting seasonality to customer requests that mirrors nature. Currently, his shop contains a single wall hanging morel for sale, but he’ll be making more as the morel foraging season ramps up.
Whenever he’s not busy doing custom carvings, Youngblut just carves whatever happens to inspire him that day. He does a lot of on-location carving and chainsaw demonstrations, which means his storefront tends to keep fairly erratic hours, especially during the busy summer months. Calling or texting (519-386-9262) in advance to set up an appointment is an option, or you can take your chances and just pop by - if the open sign is on, that means Youngblut is inside, probably working on something interesting. Beside the Esso Station, Hwy 86, Lucknow