Coming off a People's Choice award first place win at the Transformations on the Shore competition in Campbell River, carver Clinton Bleaney is ready to power up his chainsaw once more at the Powell River Logger Sports carver competition.
Chainsaw carving begins July 10, well before Powell River Logger Sports weekend on July 13 and 14, and will continue for multiple days. Folks wandering the path along the upper Willingdon Beach area will be able to witness carvers transform huge logs into works of art using chainsaws and other tools.
In Campbell River, Bleaney masterfully sculpted a logging truck stacked with logs, carved with detailed stump spirals that impressed onlookers.
"I like carving machines and that was on my hit list for machines to carve," said Bleaney. "I don't like to be like everybody else and so I got into carving machinery."
Bleaney said his sculptures are very technical and quite difficult to pull off as the shapes he carves have to be perfectly straight and symmetrical.
"I'm planning to carve an old Toyota Land Cruiser jeep with sasquatches inside drinking Kokanee [beer], hanging out the side of the door, one hand on the steering-wheel going crazy," said Bleaney. "If I am going to set a precedent for carving, I'd like to have people follow what I'm doing, not me following what other people are doing."
Last year's carving competition did produce an overwhelming majority of carvings that were animal and nature themed. Alberta-based carver Marina Cole sculpted a Gaia/face-inspired piece and Shea Larking carved two realistic baboons out of wood that now reside outside of Canadian Tire on Joyce Avenue.
Bleaney is a tree faller by trade but took up carving in 2009, when the industry changed.
"Somebody suggested that I try chainsaw carving, because they knew that I was artistic, and I thought that was a great idea," said Bleaney.
His carving from last year can be seen across the street from Powell River Airport.
"I carved myself and my dog that had passed away," said Bleaney. "He's scratching his neck and looking up at me. His name was Aero."
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