The Joy of Wood Sculpting

     Putting the finishing touches on a lion that I had started a year and a half ago, reminded me of how much I love sculpting wood, especially tall stumps. When we moved to Barton Street, there were some trees that had to come down; one was even topped into our garage roof by the wind. I didn’t want the trees taken all the way to the ground; I was in hope that I could find a tree sculptor to transform them into something remarkable for me. But there they were, kind of ugly centenals--more than ten-foot tall stumps, almost embarrassed by their toplessness.

     In 2014, Doris and I went to Art Prize in Grand Rapids where I saw some sculpted trees that inspired me to think that I could do that. After all, I had a chainsaw! Besides not knowing any chainsaw artists, I knew if I found one he would be very expensive to commission. Still I asked around, but found no one close by.

      I started on one tree carving; I did another, and another; each was fairly successful. They were all relief, two dimensional cuts into the trunks; they looked good and people were very complimentary. And, I experienced real joy as I worked these. Then I started a sitting lion and I discovered that three-dimensional sculpting was very different from two dimensional carving, even if you used a chainsaw to accomplish both. With the body and most of the head completed, I did not think that I had the skill to do a good job on the face--chainsaws are very unforgiving. So I started another lion, thinking that more experience would give me more confidence to finish the face. But, it was still much the same when it came to the face of the second lion, even though I came a little closer to facing my “Aslan”, as I called him.

      With one lion about 85% completed and the other around 90, I found a sculptor through a friend at church- (thank you Peggy). It only took Bear Claw Jack a couple hours on each, and now, I have two great lion sculptures, one is next to our driveway and the other, after some varnish etc., will be in Darin's office at First Congregational. 

       After watching Jack, I think I could put faces on lions now, however, I have no inkling to do more lions at this point in time; I am very happy with the Aslans. The title of a C. S. Lewis’ book, Till We Have Faces, now makes sense to me. (I have read the book twice.) That was the song my lions were singing! I am amazed at the difference that faces make--I hadn’t understood this. For the last year I have kept the driveway lion covered  and, I haven’t really wanted the other very visible. The face is personality--it is the linchpin of the whole, and the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.The lions now have existence. Before my lions had faces, they were anyones; now they are someones.  (No, that’s not anthropomorphizing.)

        There is great joy in bringing something about that otherwise would not have been, even when someone else has helped you. To bring raw form to refined ignites the spark of being an image bearer of the Creator. It is something like going from two dimensional existence to three dimensional living. I am so grateful for the privilege and the gift of time and ability to help stumps become pleasing replicas of The Lion of Judah. I think this experience makes me appreciate more than I ever have the message of Psalm 139:14, “I am fearfully and wonderfully made…” and Ephesians 2:10, “We are God's workmanship--special creation--created for doing good works.” My cup runneth over.