Chainsaw Sculpture in the Peruvian Amazon
Many Yanesha artisans are highly accomplished adze carvers, and a few have already been using a chainsaw to speed production and reduce upper body stress from repetitive motion. GreenWood recruited accomplished chainsaw sculptor Brad Sells to push the envelope. Brad conducted hands-on workshops for a dozen Yanesha artisans in the villages of Raya and Villa America, along with a field workshop in a recently harvested forest site. In addition to Brad’s demonstrations, we conducted side-by-side comparisons of different tools and artisan production methods—from a traditional combination of axe and adze to multiple variations involving the chainsaw.
The most exciting opportunity represented by the application of Brad’s chainsawing technique lies in its potential to unlock larger, more complex—and more valuable—functional and decorative forms by sculpting them directly from abandoned logs, roots, crotches and stumps. The ability to produce bowls and free-form sculpture directly from the tree will open up new sources of more accessible material, as well as dramatically expanding design options and markets. What’s more, a greater percentage of the wood waste will remain on the forest floor, thus improving efficiency, reducing handling costs and depositing organic material at the harvest site.
