Construction to Woodworking, Chainsaw Artistry

There is no shortage of trees in the Mt. Hood National Forest and all of its neighborhoods. Residents continue to remain vigilant when it is time for damaged, dead or dying trees that need to be removed. With plenty of tree removal services throughout the area, many trees come down and are sectioned off for firewood, scraps and burn piles. For many Mt. Hood Villages residents that is typically the case, but for Mt. Hood local Cynthia Ward, her dead tree coming down was just the beginning of its new life.
After noticing that a large tree near her home was dead, and seeing the potential hazard, Ward notified Portland General Electric and a crew was dispatched to remove the dead tree. An avid art enthusiast, Ward became invested in salvaging what she could of the tree. “I’ve always been interested in artwork,” Ward said. “I asked PGE to leave part of the tree because I was thinking of maybe doing a tree house or using what we could of the remains,” Ward added. With a clear goal of making something unique out of the dead tree, Ward began putting out word she was interested in using the stump for art. As an example of the power of community, Ward was quickly connected to long-time local and wood carving specialist Johnny Kimble.
A Mt. Hood Villages resident for over ten years, Kimble has been focusing his creativity and passion into wood carving for the last two. Beginning with an eight foot carved eagle, Kimble restored the piece and found wood carving not only a creative outlet for his ideas, but a profitable profession. “I was in construction work for many years,” Kimble said. “I began getting into chainsaw carvings and found woodworking and the art that it can be to be my true passion,” Kimble added.
Inspired by the trees and environment in which he works, Kimble acknowledges and pays tribute to the forest. With five commissioned wood carving jobs under his belt, Kimble finds his work with this recent stump of Ward’s to be his most challenging and rewarding piece yet. Collaborating on images, ideas and the overall theme of the stump, Ward and Kimble worked hand in hand to bring life to their combined inspiration. Incorporating images of her grandchildren and favorite animals, Kimble’s creative vision came to life. The intricate chainsaw carving began a few years ago and has been a work in progress ever since. Using different sized chainsaws, Kimble’s attention to detail became evident with each chip of the wood and each paint stroke on the three dimensional images carved into the stump.
Incorporating a sketch, creative innovation, patience and skill, Kimble has given new life to Ward’s dead tree. “When we first started I didn’t expect it to be so elaborate,” Ward said. “I find magic in my mountain cabin and Kimble’s work is now the cherry on top,” Ward added. Kimble’s work can be seen in many public and private locations throughout the Mt. Hood Villages and can be commissioned for onsite work by visiting stumptowncarving.com.