An eagle, an owl, and a bear usually aren’t the best of friends, but on this particular day, all three animals manage to co-exist peacefully while hanging out in a tree.
The reason the three critters are getting along so well is because they have been carved into an ash tree located behind a house on High Street East. Besides the animals, the face of an ash tree god and a fairy house have also been carved into the trunk.
The stump of the tree is supposed to tell a story, wood carver Doug Lingelbach explained on June 18.
“Ashes to ashes with a brand new stump, where all nature co-exists,” he said. “The bear is trying to get away from the eagle. The bear was curious about the baby owls and the mother owl was woken to see what is really going on. It’s a battle, but they co-exist.
“The moral of the story is it’s just one moment in time.”
Lingelbach carved the tree — it took him 55 hours — because the owner of the property wanted the 120-year-old ash tree repurposed instead of being cut down. Furthermore, she wanted the tree preserved since the adjacent house is a heritage building that dates to the early 1900s.
The carver noted black ash is similar to oak: it has longevity and can draw nearly 227 litres of water per day.
Lingelbach is perhaps better known as one of two carvers who carved burrowing owls and a train into trees near the library to help celebrate Canada 150. He has appeared on the TV show “Carver Kings,” is a professional power carver, has 29 years of experience, and is an arbourist by trade.
“So that’s why I’m in the trees,” he smiled.
The Regina-born, Saskatoon-based carver is also the reigning Saskatchewan chainsaw-carving champion. He’ll be competing at Manitou Lake on the August long weekend against other competitors, including “heavy hitters” from the United States.
Lingelbach is in the top 10 in Canada among wood carvers, while he is in the top 50 in the world.
Lingelbach enjoys repurposing existing trees and putting smiles on people’s faces with his carvings. While his main tool is a chainsaw, he also uses smaller equipment such as grinders, buffers, knives and chisels. About 90 per cent of his work is with the chainsaw, while the other 10 per cent is with the smaller detailer tools.
“I try to create negative space through burning (to create) shadows,” he said.
Before he begins carving, Lingelbach looks at images to get a sense of realism. However, once he starts working, his images take on a more stylized tone. The realism is there, he remarked, but it’s nowhere near where it should be.
“(It’s to) get as much impact,” he said. “Wow factor is what we go for. When we’re judged, that’s what we’re judged on, is like, does it take your breath away? Or is it boring and stagnant? It’s supposed to make you think.”
After finishing the tree on High Street, Lingelbach’s next project will be in northern Saskatchewan, where he is to carve a seven-foot-long bear inside a giant tree trunk.
“I do it,” he added, “because I love it.”
