Eupora Chainsaw Art Festival dazzles locals with live wood carving
The Eupora Chainsaws and Art Festival showcased chainsaw artists from near and far, including one who came all the way from Mongolia.
EUPORA, Miss. (WCBI) – Buzzing saws wielded by masters of their craft chiseled away at logs to create works of art.
The second annual Chainsaws and Art Festival in Eupora was a four-day event that allowed chainsaw artists to showcase their talents, sell their work, and even compete with each other.
Over four days, artists carved out masterpieces to be voted on at the end of the event.
Logan Rico of Eupora Economic Development was particularly excited about how the winning piece will be displayed.
“We bring in people from all around the United States, and we even have a carver from Mongolia,” Rico said. “And so they get a piece of wood and they carve it. And what’s interesting about our event is that the main masterpiece stays with Eupora. And it will be placed in different locations around town and it will be listed in Art in Public Places.”
Creating an art piece in an hour or less was another way the carvers showcased their talents during the daily “quick carve”.
The works produced during this quick carve were auctioned off and went to benefit Eupora Economic Development.
Alex Ward, a professional chainsaw artist of Cedar Valley Carvings, said how he started carving.
“The first time I picked up a chainsaw was just 5 or 6 years ago, and I never used it before,” Ward said. “Art happens sometimes randomly. It always happens when you need it to. And that’s what I think art is. Art is life.”
Lkhagvadorj “George” Dorjsuren, an international carving artist from Mongolia, shares how he began carving.
“(When I was) a child. You know, carving and drawing something,” Dorjsuren said. “And my parents (said). You need to be Carver. I like (to be a) carver.”
These woodcarvers aren’t just chopping up wood, they’re creating works of art that could last a lifetime.
The Summers family shared what they feel art is.
“I think art is an expression, of who we are on the inside,” One family member said. “Solid material reflection of the human soul and the human experience. Everybody has different art, It’s all given by God. I think it’s pretty cool. I love seeing carvings for sale in, like, Walmart and stuff, but not in person.”
Ward said having art in a small town in Mississippi is impactful.
“People will be able to come here like you and like me and be able to connect with people from all over the world in the middle of Mississippi, who would have thought?” Ward said.
Dorjsuren shares how he found this event.
“Facebook page they have, I noticed that we have the carving show. Oh, I like that (the carving show), and I write (them). (They) accept me, invited (me). I’m really happy (to be invited by) the guys here.”
Rico said what he hoped people would take away from the event.
“So I really hope that people will just take away that what our community is all about,” Rico said. “You know, with coming here and being together and just seeing what we can make possible.”
Woodcarving is one of the oldest art forms still practiced today.
