Bob Morgan, power carver and owner of Man Cave Creations, has been invited to a major logger sports competition — and he’s looking for support from the community to get him there.
The Powell River Logger Sports festival – which Morgan describes as “three days of revved-up chainsaws and crazy logs” — takes place in July and will bring together rival carvers from Canada, the United States and Germany.
The main competition will involve fashioning a cedar log measuring about eight feet by 40 inches into a work of art.
The champion takes home a $3,000 cash prize – but that would scarcely cover the expenses for getting down to what will be Morgan’s first competition.
Morgan’s planning to haul a trailer to Powell River containing his power tools and examples of his work to sell, and the fuel and ferry fares alone will cost an estimated $2,000, he said.
He’s also concerned that his tools won’t keep up with the heat and pressure, and is looking to upgrade his gear. “The last thing I want is to have tools not keeping up with the amount of pressure that I’m putting on it,” he said.
Morgan hopes the festival will raise his profile as a carver, launching him onto the international stage. Next year, he hopes to participate in the Chetwynd International Chainsaw Carving Championship, which takes place in northeastern B.C.
Morgan is well-known for his animal figures and the signs that adorn buildings around Burns Lake. But business has been slow this winter, so he’s looking for sponsors in the Burns Lake community to help get him to Powell River. “Without the community, it’s not happening,” he said.
Morgan, who worked in construction before discovering his knack for carving at the age of 47, uses chainsaws, routers, grinders and other power tools to create his works. He now works full-time as a carver.
