Notes and a photo album.
Some early work, up in Maine.
“Endless Column II”, in cedar, showing negative space.
De-barking a spruce log with an antique adze (from a typical Maine yard sale…).
Finishing the debarking of the spruce with a grinder.
I spend a lot of time in Maine and get spruce and cedar logs from forester neighbors and from friends, though I started with trees from my own property. I have also harvested standing dead or dying cedar trees in the area.
The rougher, simple, angular shapes are made from spruce logs, while the smoothly finished pieces that feature beautiful grain are of Eastern White Cedar from Deer Isle or nearby. Some smaller items are cut from old building beams from a building at the corner of Bergen Street and Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn, New York—the urban equivalent of my own trees. These are probably 100 to 150 year-old Southern Yellow Pine.
I make dozens of casual sketches, and when I've chosen one to carve, I scale it up and mark the log (after de-barking) with chalk or masking tape. I’m into rapid material removal, so I love starting with a chainsaw or Sawzall (demolition saw) and then moving on to a grinder with a special woodworking bit (it makes an incredible and lovely mess). Once the rough shape is made, I sand with all the grits possible (36 to 2500) on an orbital sander and of course go over details and the absolute final touches by hand. This seems to be endless sometimes….
At midpoint in the carving process I fill large “checks” (cracks) with either a mixture of sawdust, sanding dust, slivers of wood, and glue or marine epoxy. This can take several days as it generally requires multiple applications at set times and cooperative weather.
The work is finished with some kind of tung oil, depending on the effect desired. The glass-smooth surfaces of the cedar pieces are expressly made to be fun to touch, or better, caress.
Most of my pieces have natural bases in that a bottom section is left with its "loggishness" intact. The large pieces can be displayed on custom-made steel sheet bases with a welded central spike or perched on a metal stake in the ground. While some are treated for exterior use, no wooden object endures winters without effect.
Putting glue and sawdust into a big crack on “Jenga Tower Tribeca”. Note “next” logs on the left…..great potential!
Working on “Jenga Tower Tribeca” in my barn on a rainy day.
Preparing to cut “Triple Arc” 1 or 2 with an electric chainsaw — electric because this in a woodworking shop in Brooklyn (Makeville). Note the Kevlar chaps and chainsaw helmet….
Preparing to use epoxy on the big check in “Three Ellipses,” on the workbench in Maine.
Preparing for hours of sanding of “Little Fish 2” at Makeville Studio, Brooklyn. Note the vacuum attachment for dust collection.
Working with a grinder requires lots of protection from clouds of sawdust and woodchips.
The owner of this dead cedar offered it to me, but I only cut two logs due to logistics.
The first log was short.
The big tree, down. The bottom end became “Helix”.
Homeowner Wally Carter offered us many cedar logs that were already cut down.
Partial trailer load of cedar logs
The largest cedar log got its own home.
Debarking cedar log using a drawknife, 2021
Notice the “noodles” of bark removed from this cedar log with the tip of the chainsaw.
Portrait of me by Steve Chen, 2021
Working on Deer Isle has some really nice benefits, like a full rainbow.
Using grinder with Turboplane on “Three Ellipses” in Maine. Note thick carpet of wood chips, which is permanent.
Starting work with electric chainsaw on “Flat Column 5” (Sixteen feet long). Note chalk markings, an attempt at exactitude.
Working on “Three Ellipses” in Brooklyn, with a sidewalk audience. (This clearly is not Maine).
Starting on my first piece, “Endless Column I,” with the cheapest electric chainsaw available. 2013.
Cutting this cedar on Little Deer Isle was problematic because its branches were locked in with all the others, and it would not fall without our help. 2021.
Later, on Little Deer Isle, we cut the fallen trees into 80” lengths.
The second tree was about 40 feet tall. And yes, I cut it without incident. Using a brand-new cordless electric chain saw here. Those are Kevlar chaps I’m wearing.
Many branches to drag away.
Helper, Brian, loading (tossing!) logs onto the trailer.
My helper, Brian, was determined to balance the huge, heavy log we found on the ground.
A day’s work, several year’s supply.
Cedar logs bark strips
Working on “Big ZZ” on a sunny day
Using the gas chainsaw on the platform I built around “Big ZZ”
Neighbor Lance inspired me by making this tree person years ago.