OREGON OPEN CHAINSAW CARVING COMPETITION
The Oregon Open Chainsaw Carving Competition started in 2024 in an effort to increase awareness and honor the timber industry's long history in Philomath. The three-day carving event takes place during the Philomath Frolic and Rodeo, the community's annual celebration which started in 1953. The rodeo grounds host the event, right beside the Lumberjack Competition, under the twin climbing poles.
Come to Philomath and enjoy our newly established downtown with its "Timber Town" charm, rich in history with the Benton County Historical Society Museum and great restaurants, and small shops to explore.
The carvers come from all over and begin with eight foot sections of a large cedar log and a chainsaw. The rest is loud and amazing…as they sculpt their vision using block and tip cutting and carving. To see what these skilled artists can do with a chainsaw over 3 days is nothing short of amazing.
The Quick Carve competition is a crowd favorite with carvers donating their work to an auction that is used to support the event. Each quick carve is just 60 or 45 minutes start to finish, versus the main event which allows carvers 20 hours to complete their sculptures. Carvers are allowed to use different tools such as grinders to refine their cuts, but the chainsaw is the main tool being used. Blow torches, stains, and paints are often used to add color and interest to the carvings and make them really come to life.
The Oregon Open Chainsaw Carving Competition started in 2024 in an effort to increase awareness and honor the timber industry's long history in Philomath. The three-day carving event takes place during the Philomath Frolic and Rodeo, the community's annual celebration which started in 1953. The rodeo grounds host the event, right beside the Lumberjack Competition, under the twin climbing poles.
Come to Philomath and enjoy our newly established downtown with its "Timber Town" charm, rich in history with the Benton County Historical Society Museum and great restaurants, and small shops to explore.
The carvers come from all over and begin with eight foot sections of a large cedar log and a chainsaw. The rest is loud and amazing…as they sculpt their vision using block and tip cutting and carving. To see what these skilled artists can do with a chainsaw over 3 days is nothing short of amazing.
The Quick Carve competition is a crowd favorite with carvers donating their work to an auction that is used to support the event. Each quick carve is just 60 or 45 minutes start to finish, versus the main event which allows carvers 20 hours to complete their sculptures. Carvers are allowed to use different tools such as grinders to refine their cuts, but the chainsaw is the main tool being used. Blow torches, stains, and paints are often used to add color and interest to the carvings and make them really come to life.
Live Auction
Satuday, July 13, 12:30 p.m.
Take home your own, one-of-a-kind piece of artwork. Great for front porches, business entries, and anywhere you want to welcome guests with custom artwork. Can't wait until Saturday, check the quick carve pieces on display that have a "Buy It Now!" option. All carvings will be sold Frolic weekend.
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Carvers
Register before July 1st is required.
Register below to receive the full event information packet emailed to you, including competition rules, disclosures, selling opportunities, and more. Registration does not guarantee you a space at the event. While we encourage early registration, acceptance is not first come, first served. Completed registration, photo's of previous work, bio’s, previous experience, body of work, etc...Ultimately your acceptance is at the discretion of the 2024 Chainsaw Committee and you will receive a letter once a decision has been made.
Register before July 1st is required.
Register below to receive the full event information packet emailed to you, including competition rules, disclosures, selling opportunities, and more. Registration does not guarantee you a space at the event. While we encourage early registration, acceptance is not first come, first served. Completed registration, photo's of previous work, bio’s, previous experience, body of work, etc...Ultimately your acceptance is at the discretion of the 2024 Chainsaw Committee and you will receive a letter once a decision has been made.
Meet SOME OF THE 2024 Carvers
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Mark Colp was born in Alberta, Canada and is proud to make chainsaw wood sculpting his life. He became a professional chainsaw sculptor right out of high school and has over 40 years’ experience in the business. Mark has a long list of accomplishments and is an award-winning wood sculptor with a shop in Lakeport, California. His many awards include winning the chainsaw carving invitational grand championship in New Mexico in 2013; winning the Redwood Regional in Ukiah, California in 2014; and first place at Reedsport Oregon 2015 Albuquerque Fiesta Cup.Mark was featured on seven out of 10 episodes of the reality show “Saw Dogs” that aired in Canada, the USA, Latin America, and Mexico. He also worked on a TV reality series for Carver Kings that began airing in 2015. Mark’s satisfaction in carving comes from the happiness that he is able to bring his customers through his art. His favorite sculptures are nautical themes and marine animals. Said Mark, “It’s my passion to create beautiful sculptures from wood that everyone enjoys. I love competing with some of my best buds and watching their awesome ability to create.”
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Nick Bielby has been carving for six years and 2023 will be his fourth year at the Sedro-Woolley chainsaw carving championships. Nick has carved at several other competitions on the West Coast. In 2019 he placed first in the semi-pro division in Reedsport, which got him invited to Sedro-Woolley. Nick now has his own carving store in Port Angeles where his works are on display. Said Bielby, “I love to carve mostly wildlife and also enjoy competing in the carving world. I look forward to where carving will take me. Some people see a log laying on the ground. I see a bear or dragon. I’ve discovered that a chainsaw can work much like a paintbrush, and wood is canvas.”
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Born in Moldova, Constantin is now a custom wood carver from Sacramento, California. Constantin won first place in the semi-pro division of the 19th annual Oregon Divisional Chainsaw Carving Championship.Constantin says, “I had a passion for the arts since I was a young child, so I attended an art school in my home country. My second passion has always been animals and after I moved to the U.S., I was able to combine these two passions into wood carving. My good friend Alexandru Pricob mentored me and I have been carving for several years now. I am now happy to be able to provide carving lessons through my business. As a full-time pro-carver I work in flat wood and 3D, I also try to combine sculptures and painting as much as possible. I like to represent nature and its beauty, animals, and moments from their daily life: movement, moods, and there ordinary behaviors. Carving inspires me to want more from life; help me express my feelings. I carve wood and wood carves me into a better person. I look forward to carving new works full of inspiration at this year’s championships. I am excited to participate!”
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Chris Foltz grew up in Hagerstown, Maryland but now lives in North Bend, Oregon with his wife and four sons. In the 2014 Chainsaw Carving Championships he was honored with the People’s Choice and Best overall Carver award. He is a competitive wood and ice power sculptor and a Chef Instructor at OCCI.
Chris started out making ice sculptures through his work as s chef about 14 years ago. In April, 2005 Chris took three days of formal ice sculpting instruction form Mike Vosburg in Richmond, VA. Three months later he entered his first competition, the Oregon Divisional Chainsaw Sculpting in Reedsport OR. Where he won “Rookie” of the year. Now Chris is the only professional sculptor that is competing in both wood and ice at a world-class level, averaging twelve competitions a year and regularly placing in the top ranks. He has also been influenced by iconic individuals including Bob and Cindy King who were the first and most important to influence Chris as a sculptor. Foltz is best known for designs of original characters, comic book heroes, large animals of imagination, re-creations of strange animals and sculptures of children. |
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Joey Wallace is a pro carver known for doing
custom sculptures on private property and large projects for public entities. He is the owner and CEO at Wallace Woodworking. He went to Hidden Valley High School in Grants Pass. He's taken big public projects, like the custom benches at the Rough and Ready Botanical Wayside trail in Illinois River Forks State Park, Valley of the Rogue State Park, and many more. |
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Wade Lapp has been a professional multimedia artist since 2012. He carves in multiple mediums, including wood, pumpkins, and ice, and sculpts in sand and clay. Lapp is from Kelso, Washington. He started competing in chainsaw carving at the Oregon Divisional Chainsaw Championship as a semi-pro and placed 3rd. Soon after, he competed in the Sedro-Woolley Loggerodeo and placed 5th in 2022. He also earned 2nd place at the World Ice Art Championship Multiblock in Fairbanks, Alaska in 2021 and won People’s Choice in Multiblock in 2022. He took 1st place at Texas Sandfest in Port Aransas in the semi-pro division in 2021 and 2022. He moved up to Masters in 2023 and won People’s Choice. Lapp likes to carve mythical/whimsical creatures, faces, wildlife and sea creatures. He will have many wood sculptures displayed at Spirit of Halloweentown in 2023, a 6-week event that takes place in Saint Helens, Oregon in September and October. His two walk-through attractions/exhibits are called Whispers in the Woods, which showcases a lot of his tree spirits carvings and the Pumpkins and Sasquatch Walk, which features his wood carved pumpkins with faces and sasquatches, giant snails, mushrooms, and other creatures in the woods.
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Adrian Bois is Professional Chainsaw carver from Villa Elisa, Entre Rios, Argentina. He studied electronics, engineering, administration, and international trade at different universities as he searched for the right direction. During this time, he was introduced to carving by making wooden toys, which lead him to meeting chainsaw carving colleagues. He had found his calling. Today, he creates custom chainsaw art art for companies, public entities, and individuals. He also conducts wood carving demonstrations and workshops. He also participates in chainsaw carving events and tours around the world. On his 2023 carving tour he will visit several locations in Argentina, Germany, and the USA.
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Hello my name is Tristin Lemmons, I've been competing in the semi-pro division for the past five or six years and recently jumped my way up to the professional division this past year. Chainsaw carving has been some of the biggest highlights of my life, and I look forward to seeing how far I can take it in the competition world. 72217 Highway 101 in Lakeside is where a shop is located where I do most of my custom work for people. Katina Gordon is the name of the owner and we specialize in creative custom chainsaw carving and leather work for people.
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