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Transcript/Script((PLAYBOOK SLUG: TVR - CHAINSAW-WOODCARVING
HEADLINE: Chainsaw Artists Show Their Skills at Live Carving Event
TEASER:
PUBLISHED: 02/08/2024 at 11:40AM
BYLINE: Natasha Mozgovaya
CONTRIBUTOR:
DATELINE: Arlington, Washington
VIDEOGRAPHER:
VIDEO EDITOR:
ASSIGNING EDITOR: Scott Stearns
SCRIPT EDITORS: Sharon Shahid, Pete Cobus
VIDEO SOURCE (S):
PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV _X_ RADIO _X_
TRT: 2:50
VID APPROVED BY: mia
TYPE: TVR
EDITOR NOTES: ))
((INTRO)) [[Participants of the Extreme Chainsaw Carving Show have just a few hours to turn a cedar block of wood into a beautiful work of art. VOA’s Natasha Mozgovaya reports from Arlington, Washington, in the Pacific Northwest.]]
((NATS chainsaw revving))
((NARRATION))
Two things strike visitors to the Extreme Chainsaw Carving Show — the sound of multiple chainsaws of various sizes hard at work, and the strong scent of fresh-cut cedar. Twenty chainsaw artists taking part in a three-day marathon carving event in Arlington, in the state of Washington, showcase their work. Lane Worden says being able to improvise is a crucial part of the process.
((Lane Worden, Chainsaw Artist) (Male, English))
“Sometimes you start doing a bear, and you might end up with a bird. You know, if you mess up on a cut, it doesn't necessarily mean you messed up the whole carve. It just means ... you got to change direction. So, you know, my mind's going 100 miles per hour every single time I'm carving.”
((NARRATION)
Eagles, bears, wolves, owls are quite popular with the artists. Worden is carving an alligator, not something you’d normally see in the Pacific Northwest.
((Lane Worden, Chainsaw Artist))
“I get bored doing the same thing over and over again. So, when I come to these shows, I just like people to see that there's, you know, other carvers out there that try new things all the time.”
((NARRATION))
He says picking up the wood is the most challenging part.
The wood gets pretty heavy, like that Groot over there — that Groot probably weighs 300 pounds, so that's always the challenge, just picking it up.
((NARRATION))
Chainsaw carving was seen as a predominantly male domain. In recent years, a growing number of women carvers have taken part in live shows.
((Leigh Woody, Chainsaw Artist)) (female, English)
“For me, it's not so much about the competition. It's actually about the company and all the amazing people that participate in this event.”
((NARRATION)
Leigh Woody, with a day job at a software company, got into chainsaw carving seven years ago, following an attempt to build a house for a squirrel. She says, beyond craftsman’s satisfaction, this art has additional benefits.
((Leigh Woody, Chainsaw Artist))
“It is a full-body workout. ... Doing these types of shows, I will have walked basically 10 miles around the carving. And then, it's also for your arms and your upper body. ... You do this for eight, nine hours a day for three days straight — you definitely get tired.”
((NARRATION))
Using sharp power tools and fire requires gearing up.
((Leigh Woody, Chainsaw Artist))
“Safety is always on your mind. ... These pants, for example — they're chainsaw carving pants. So, they have Kevlar in the front and wrapped around all around the back. I always, you know, wear ear protection, eye protection.”
((NARRATION))
Some artists are part of the tight-knit local carvers’ community. Lkhagvadorj Dorjsuren [pronounced HaoogdOrdzh DOrdzhsooren], called George by his peers, came all the way from Mongolia, where he carved sculptures from ice.
((Lkhagvadorj Dorjsuren, Chainsaw Artist)) (Male, English)
“I want to learn. The chainsaw carving is to me, to my country, is very new. ... Ice carving is more hard. It's cold, and more clothes and more tools. I like more chainsaw carving.”
((NARRATION))
Veteran artists swear that it’s not as hard as it looks — one just needs to see what’s hiding in that bulky block of wood.
((Natasha Mozgovaya, VOA News, Arlington, Washington))
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
NetworkVOA
Embargo DateFebruary 8, 2024 12:08 EST
BylineNatasha Mozgovaya
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English, US Agency for Global Media
