A 12-foot-tall sculpture of a northern pike leaping out of the water and another of a beaver chewing on a white paper birch tree while a raccoon and woodpecker survey the area are on display at Dwight Beach.
They were created by Jake Rhodes of Northern Rhodes Artistry in Wood, which is based in Burk’s Falls.
“We live in such a beautiful part of Canada and part of the world,” he says in a video posted on the Township of Lake of Bays’ YouTube channel. “It just really appealed to me to carve mainly wildlife.”
Rhodes explains the pair of sculptures were made using wood from a eastern white pine trees that were cut down a year ago. He says they had died so rather than leaving the wood to rot, he decided to use it to create the carvings.
“I haven’t had a better job than this,” he continues, adding he’s been carving – mostly with a chainsaw – for eight years.
Rhodes’ passion had led him to win the U.S. Open Chainsaw Sculpture Championship two years in a row. This year’s competition was held earlier this month in Wisconsin.
“What I really enjoy about carving is seeing how far I can take things with just the chainsaw,” says Rhodes. He explains he uses a chisel and other tools for the finer details, like the eyes, and uses a burning technique and paint to add colour to the piece.
