Alec LaCasse, a local man revered for his wood sculptures, made an appearance at Addison Township Library last Wednesday evening to give folks a glimpse into the workings of an artist during a live demonstration.

LaCasse, who lives in Addison, has been honing his craft since he was 12 years old. His wood-sculpting journey began after he created a soap carving for a history project.

His teacher was so impressed by his natural talent, she advised his parents to get him a woodcarving kit.

Throughout the years, LaCasse has made a name for himself in creating life-like faces out of wood, a fascination which was inspired by the words of a fellow wood-sculpting mentor years ago.

“He told me, ‘Faces are the hardest thing and you’ll never figure them out as long as you live,’ and so I set out to do just that.”

And figure them out, he did.

LaCasse’s award-winning body of work includes the faces of American Indians, old sailors, Norse warriors, historical and religious figures, and everyday people.

According to LaCasse, wood sculpting has given him a deeper appreciation, both for the arts and for life itself.

“For me, wood sculpting became a way for me to think about life and its mistakes. You approach carving the same way that you approach life. Mistakes are inevitable. They are going to happen. What you do with them is the real key,” LaCasse said. “How do you work with the things that fall off? The nose might fall off and I’m like ‘I guess that’s the way the nose looks.’ I’m a control freak so it’s nice to have that levity about life.”

LaCasse also uses his talents to serve as a one-on-one private instructor to others.

“The best part of teaching is when you have a student in your class who is very conflicted,” LaCasse said.

“They don’t think they’re doing well on a project and by the end of it, they (have that) realization that they can create something beautiful.”

A number of LaCasse’s creations can be found hanging on the walls of the Addison Township Library. Sculptures of a lighthouse, an ancient Spartan warrior, and the mythological Green Man are just a few of his carvings found there.

To learn more about LaCasse and his work, please visit www.aleclacasse.com.