Unique art, rocking music on display at Whittle the Wood
Festival’s final day takes place Saturday at Loudy-Simpson
Faces are taking form, bodies taking shape and the rest of Whittle the Wood Rendezvous moving into its final stages.
The big finale is Saturday for Craig’s premier event, complete with the voting for the top woodcarvings, festive events throughout the day and multiple musical performances at Loudy-Simpson Park.
The 11 chainsaw artists who are the stars of the event have been working since Wednesday on this year’s entries, a mixture of nature depictions, pop culture nods and other imaginative displays.
Stump 1 — Ken Braun, Chimpanzee from “Planet of the Apes”
Stump 2 — Bongo Love, African river god and giraffe
Stump 3 — Matt Ounsworth, Animal totem
Stump 4 — Joe Srholez, Snake and apple
Stump 5 — Joe Wenal, Lizard eating a fly
Stump 6 — Robert Lyon, Animal totem
Stump 7 — Damon Gorecki, Bench with Native American faces
Stump 8 — Chad Stratton, Snoopy and Woodstock in doghouse airplane
Stump 9 — Jim Valentine, Soaring eagle
Stump 10 — Doug Moreland, “Buffalo” Bill Cody
Stump 11 — Robert Waits, Foxes and bluebirds
Among this year’s artists is first-year competitor Doug Moreland, from Manchaca Texas, who has spent the week crafting the likeness of frontiersman and showman “Buffalo” Bill Cody, taking his inspiration from Colorado itself, which serves as the legend’s final resting place.
“Just being out here, I figured I should do something Western,” he chuckled.
A longtime carver but a newbie in the contest, Moreland said he was looking to get away from the humidity of Texas and enjoy the atmosphere out west.
In addition to getting to know his fellow carvers, meeting the many residents who roam the park for the attraction has been great.
“Everybody’s been very polite,” he said. “They’ve really fed us well, great food out here.”
Back in town for the 10th time, Lafayette’s Bongo Love, originally from Zimbabwe, reflected the heritage of his homeland in his entry. A dragon-like creature protecting a giraffe is Nyaminyami, a deity celebrated as the guardian of the Zambezi River.
“I had a small log to begin with, and I realized I could make something unique, something I’ve never done,” he said.
Though he had to change his original carving plans, he’s happy with the result, a feeling he said he always experiences during the event.
“Craig has changed my life,” he said.
While carvers have either finished their work entirely or will be putting the finishing touches on pieces Saturday — as well as joining the Quick Carve Competition — the action of Whittle the Wood is far from done. Friday saw performances by Denver’s Buckstein entertain the crowd, with Craig’s own Black Mountain Riot as the opening act.
Performances by Four 2 Play, Jeffrey Alan Band and The Samples will make up the Saturday setlist.
Katelyn Goad was busy taking in the sounds of BMR, who performed covers of such songs as “Everlong,” “Crazy Little Thing Called Love,” “Born to Be Wild,” “Eye of the Tiger” and other rock hits in the afternoon sun.
Simultaneously, she strolled along the avenue of carvings set up in the park, one of which was a vividly green lizard carved by Joe Wenal, snatching a fly with its tongue.
“I like the detail on it, it’s really creative,” she said.
Originally from Rifle, Goad has made it a point to catch Whittle the Wood each year.
“It’s in a park, it’s in beautiful Colorado, all the artists and all their creativity in their sculptures, I love it, it’s such a unique place and a unique festival,” she said.
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