Autumn is a season when we have wood on our minds. We live in a cabin in the woods. We have a working wood splitter and this is the time of year we make sure there is enough firewood stacked and available for our wood stove where the dog likes to stay warm.
Not everyone heats with wood but may turn to wood for artist endeavors: carving, making furniture, or building household items. Once the wintry winds howl and the storms rage, indoor shops are a nice place to hold up with protected activities. I met a Carolina woman last month whose family designed furniture. They import different types of wood from all over the world for their projects.
The appearance and durability of wood attracts many people. My parents were partial to oak. They built one house trimmed with oak railings, door frames, cabinets, and floorboards. They invested in a large bedroom wall unit with oak shelves that matched their oak dresser and chest of drawers. I summoned some members of the local high school football team to help move it when they left that house.
Some of the hardest wood in the world is found in South America.Using a Janka score, the hardest wood in the world is the Quebracho found in Paraguay and Argentina. Most of the hardest woods are from tropical or subtropical zones close to the equator. Some of the softest woods, such as pine and hemlock grow in cold climates. Balsa, however, is a weird outlier because it is one of the softest woods and it grows in the tropics. What’s the Hardest Wood in the World? – Atlas Obscura
In our area, it is not uncommon to find chainsaw artists who will fashion a bear or eagle out of stumps or chunks or wood. We even received one as a housewarming gift when we moved into our current home. (You can see he is getting a bit weathered.) My husband ad son-in-law took a class on chainsaw sculpting and I’m afraid they did not bring home anything recognizable.
There are competitions for master chainsaw artist however. The dragon bench below was designed by Estonian artist Loskutow. He is part of the Husqvarna chainsaw sculpture team based in Germany. The team travels to events across Europe. What beautiful work. Chainsaw Art Master Igor Loskutow Creates Incredible Dragon Bench (mymodernmet.com)
Whether you wood is functional, decorative, or both, I hope you enjoy the season.
German American Schatz 