It started out as a steamroller-sized chunk of white pine hauled to the front walk of Clarkston Junior High School in a trailer.
But the chainsaw roared all day, and as incoming eighth and ninth graders arrived to pick up their schedules for the Sept. 2 start of classes, the wood began to take shape.
When the sawdust finally settled’and there was plenty’a menacing six-foot-tall wolf had emerged, freed from his lumber slumber by chainsaw sculpture artist Steph Collin.
‘I’ve been doing this about six years,? said Collin, whose business, Cut-n-Carve, is based in Rochester. ‘I’ve always been an artist, but chainsaw carving is my favorite.?
Collin’s carvings range from tiny birds to giant grizzlies. Although he uses different types of wood for his project, cherry is his preferred carving medium.
‘I would have like to use cherry for this piece,? he said, motioning to the wolf-in-progress Thursday afternoon. ‘I just couldn’t find a piece big enough.?
Collin’s project at CJHS came to life last year when the class of 2012’along with their faculty sponsors’decided to start a new tradition and leave the school with a gift, much like the long-standing practice of high school seniors.
In order to fund a gift, the school’s eighth grade class planned and held a semi-formal dance last spring.
After pondering how to spend the money they raised at the dance, the class came up with the idea of a mascot for the courtyard.
‘We wanted to have it here at the start of school so they could see it throughout the year,? said science and student leadership teacher Jon Paddock, who sponsors the class of 2012 along with foreign language teacher Emily Jackson. ‘I think it turned out really cool.?
Paddock said he and the students talked to several chainsaw artists, but ultimately decided to commission the project with Collin.
‘He had quite a bit of experience with wolves and dogs that look more realistic and true to life,? Paddock said, noting the project cost about $1,000. ‘If we were doing this at the elementary level, we might go with a more cartoon-like wolf, but for the older kids we wanted it to be as realistic and as big as possible.?
Collin will return to the school, probably next week, to put finishing touches on the project with some help from the students.
Interested? Check out Collin’s website at stephsstuff.com.