None with beating hearts, mind you, but each given special life and character by the meticulous hands of one man armed with two chainsaws and an assortment of wood chisels.
Robert Milner is the man behind these wood creations that have been turning heads since his arrival to the pasture more than a week ago.
“Wildlife sculpting is my thing,” Milner says with a wide smile, his arms and pants covered in sawdust after a day of carving. “I like making any kind of wildlife, especially animals that have cultural significance.”
At the request of a local scribe, Milner picks up his chainsaw, cuts a pine log and quickly flips it on top of another. He reaches for a smaller carving saw and begins the process of creating a statue. He attacks the wood with great precision, working on the piece from all angles, at different speeds, with a sharp focus and attention to detail.
A few minutes later, Milner shuts down the saw, takes a step back and asks, “Starting to look like an owl?”
Milner again reaches for the pull cord and fires up the saw to further shape his creation, before picking up a hammer and chisel to work on the finer details.
“The trick for me is trying to make sure that the eyes match,” he says, while using the chisel. “It’s easier said than done.”
Milner, an Amherst native who lives in Truro, carved out a passion for his craft more than 20 years ago almost by accident. While cutting firewood, he quickly realized he was skilled with a chainsaw and had a desire to create. He’s been sculpting ever since and is the owner of Eternity Chainsaw Carvings.
“I love it,” he says. “Just to take a raw block of wood and somehow turn it into something that somebody could possibly want in a matter of minutes … when I see somebody and the smile on their face when they’ve gotten what they wanted or I exceeded their expectations … that’s what kind of keeps me going from day to day.”
The average make-time for Milner’s quick-carve creations, such as an owl, is between two to four hours from start to finish. Other larger requests, however, may take up to eight hours to complete, he says.
Milner, 43, says different carvings call for various types of wood. He prefers working with hardwood, such as maple and birch, but also understands the value in creating a carving from softwood, such as pine.
“Most carvers like pine because it’s so soft and it works so fast, but it doesn’t lend to the level of detail,” he said. “I like working with hardwoods. It gives that extra level of realism.”
Milner is attracting plenty of attention, as most passing motorists shoot a glance toward his worksite, many of whom stop and purchase his creations on the spot. Kids from a campground across the road have also become regular visitors.
“I enjoy kids coming over and kind of brightening my day,” he says. “There’s a couple of young, aspiring wood carvers over there. It’s nice, I like seeing that; they just want to learn and I can’t blame them.”
Milner is currently working as a travelling artist, carving in communities throughout the province for a few weeks at a time. And while business is booming, the true reward, he says, is finding a profession that has become a labour of love.
“Even if somebody doesn’t buy my stuff, I still like doing it. I don’t have to get paid, I’m still going to enjoy what I’m doing.”
Twitter: tdnJoey
