About Bob
Birthday: September 22
Hometown: Edgewood, WA
ECHO Carving Championship Appearances:
- 2009: 3rd Place
- 2008: 1st Place
- 2007: 1st Place
- 2006: 1st Place
- 2005: 2nd Place
Professional Carver Since: 1998
Most Challenging Carving: A life-size Jesus Christ on the cross for a local church
Favorite Wood to Carve: Western Red Cedar
Non-carving Hobbies: Swimming, other water sports, yard sales
Oddest Job Ever: Working on a crew for the state of Oregon picking up road-kill
Favorite Saw: ECHO CS-530
How long have you been a professional carver?
I taught myself to carve with a chain saw in 1998. Two years later I decided to work at it as a full time job. A huge leap of faith!
How did you get into the business?
My interest was piqued while attending a local fair and watching another local chainsaw artist. I decided I could probably carve a thing or two myself. I didn't really have anything to lose did I? (save for a couple of toes...)
What do you like most about your chosen profession?
What I LOVE about my profession is that I LOVE MY PROFESSION!!! How many people look forward to going to work? It's always exciting to create something as an artist. The speed with which I can accomplish the sculptures works well with my attention span...
About how many hours do you carve weekly?
This can vary since I work mostly outdoors but I try to get 30 hours a week in.
What do you view the biggest challenge when competing?
Definitely my own expectations. I want perfect. What I want and what I get are usually two different things of course but that's what makes it cool. I'll have another chance some other time to get it closer and closer to perfect.
What was the worst thing that happened to you during a competition?
A huge misjudgment on my part and I over cut into the face of a little boy giving him what appeared to be a terribly disfigured mouth and jaw... With the help of my wife Cindy and some prayer and creativity, I re-carved his whole head. It won the competition! Amazing...
What do you consider your best work?
Cindy and I are sometimes at odds on this one. For me it's the Viking warrior holding the severed head of his enemy carved at Horsens, Denmark. Cindy prefers my sculpture "Saved by Grace" depicting a man being lifted up by the hand of God with an Angel guiding him. You decide...
What was your most challenging commission job?
In 2008 I was contracted to carve approximately 76 sculptures starting June and to be all delivered by January of 2009. Not a big deal except for the fact that most of the sculptures were carved from 5' diameter logs and standing 9' tall. A few were 28' long arch shaped sculptures made by "doweling" 4' diameter logs (4 of them) together end to end and cut at angles to form a 8' tall arch and then carved. Each and every sculpture had to then be clear coated several times, crated and loaded into ocean containers to go to Austria, France, New Zealand, California and Vermont. All of this took place while still attending competitions, ECHO promotional events and taking care of regular customers!!!! We processed a lot of logs that year.
Where do you get your inspiration for carving?
I'm a big Norman Rockwell fan so a capture out of everyday life is what works for me. God's creatures are also a great inspiration.
What's your favorite wood to carve?
Well, I now have several... Depends on where I am to tell you the truth. Here on the West Coast, Western Red Cedar. Midwest, Catalpa wood is awesome. Europe, you can't beat their European Oak. Hawaii, Monkey Pod wood is gorgeous. Hope I narrowed it down for ya...
What's your favorite subject to carve?
Anything that makes you feel emotion. If you walk away from my work and will remember it, I've done it right.
What's your favorite ECHO chain saw?
It would have to be the CS-530 (formerly the CS-520) Now with even more goooooooooooo!!!!!!!
What do you like about ECHO chain saws?
I'm a consumer. I want the best bang for my buck. ECHO saws do just that. Professional grade saws, best warranty, fuel efficient and I work them to death but they keep running. I have some of the ugliest ECHO's out there. They won't die. I use them, abuse them and tomorrow they will start again.
What has it been like to be a member of the ECHO Carving Team?
To have a corporation such as ECHO stand behind me and my talents is a humbling experience. Also to carve side by side with my team mates makes it even more perfect. I don't think you will find a more diverse quartet of chain saw artists.
What was your most memorable carving event/experience as a team member?
ECHO Cup championships 2008... Albuquerque, New Mexico, first place for the third year in a row!!! I'm not sure I could ever obtain that euphoric feeling again. Awesome day, awesome year.
What advice would you give to a novice carver?
Carve what interests you. But you have to just do it. You've got nothing to lose, it's only fancy firewood in the end now isn't it? If you don't like what you've made, burn it and start again. You will learn more after each and every attempt. DO NOT OMIT SAFETY FOR ANY REASON. It can shorten your career.
What saw would you recommend to someone just starting out in chain saw carving?
CS-310 for sure. ECHO's latest technology in a nice compact, pro saw. Use it with the stock bar or convert to a carving bar/chain combo, either way it's extremely versatile and has good manners and usability.
What changes have you seen in recent years involving the carving industry?
Soooo much more visibility. Hey, we're almost mainstream! Old Farmer’s Almanac, Jay Leno, Monster Garage, Roadside Chainsaw Carver, and countless other highly visible venues have used us and shown our talents. We've even beat out Wally World and their plastic resin chainsaw carved bear lookalikes. And then there are the countless fairs and festivals that see value in our talents as entertainment. Competitions all around the world are popping up. Can it get any better than this?