My husband and son - a note from Sue Strauslin

A father and son team of local Eugene artists, Kevin and Tyler Strauslin, work together building a local business with their craft on a shoestring budget.  Their passion for the art form and their love of being able to work together as a team, keep them striving forward, determined to make the business work.  Kevin has been in business at his location at 89970 Hwy 99, Eugene just North of Jerry's for nearly three years now, and his son Tyler, then 17, joined in the business after the first year.   This art form seems to come natural to both of them and the quality of their work continues to get better and better!  They have been told by many pro carvers that they are producing better quality pieces in the first few years than anyone they have seen.  

Kevin began carving while working in his original trade, drywall.  He sculptured and carved using gypsum materials such as drywall and mud.  He pushed it to the limits artistically, but always felt he could not do what he really wanted with the materials.  He started playing around with chainsaw carving in 2004.  He moved to Eugene in 2006 and started carving with chisels.  In 2008 he started working with a local carver and by the end of the year he had taken over the shop and began his own carving business.  Carving comes natural to Kevin.  He feels this is his true calling.

Tyler has been carving side-by-side with his father, Kevin, since the 2009 Reedsport competition, where he helped with the tools.  After watching all of the excitement of the competition and all of the carvers, he began carving with Kevin right after returning home that summer.  As soon has he graduated High School, he started carving full time.  Like his father, he seems to be a natural at this art form and plans on making it his career.  Tyler will be 19 in May 2011, and will have two years of carving experience in June, 2011.

I joined the crew when I began making tie-dyed clothing in 2011.  You can now place orders online for small carving and/or tie-dyes.

The shop on Hwy 99, in Eugene, Oregon, continues to expand and consists of a gallery/show room with a viewing window where you can watch the chainsaw artists at work with reduced sound and dust.  Their hours are Tuesday through Saturday 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.

Every piece they create is hand-crafted with chainsaws, grinders, chisels, routers and sanders and range from cute unique gifts to 10 ft tall sculptures.  The benches, chairs and tables built only out of 1, 2 or 3 separate pieces of wood are incredibly solid structures and they have beds for the rustic cabin look.  They have rocking bears and snails for the little ones to ride, water features, swinging bears and other sculptures for the yard, all sorts of signs and plaques for inside or out, unique affordable gifts such as bears, squirrels, turtles, frogs, fish, dogs, cats, eagles, pigs, etc.  Then there are the elaborate sculptures worthy of a gallery setting or fancy show piece for the home.   The finish they use is suitable for outside as it is the same finish they use for log cabins yet has the sheen of a varnished look.  The pieces will last a long time outside with occasional re-application of the finish.

Kevin has competed in the Reedsport Chainsaw competition for two years now, placing 4^th  in 2009 and 5^th in 2010 in the semi-pro division, and Tyler competed for the first time last year, placing 4^th in 2010.   This year, in 2011, Kevin will be competing as a Pro carver, and Tyler will be competing in the Semi-pro division.   They intend to give it their all, and hope to win this year!

This year, the competition begins Thursday and ends Sunday, Father’s Day Weekend, June 16-19, 2011. Because it's always on Father's Day weekend it’s a special time for a father and son team to compete together.

Whenever I mention to people what my husband and son do for a living, everyone always shows incredible interest, curiosity and intrigue, because of the unique nature of what they do and secretly I think many of them wish they could venture out and do something as creative and fun.  Help show your support for the art of Chainsaw Sculpture by purchasing some of their Chainsaw art and/or furniture.   

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