Carvers 2023

We are excited to welcome a very talented line up Carvers again in 2023.

For further information on each of the Carvers or to enquire about purchasing their carvings or a commission for something personal, please click on the Carvers Name for their website and social media as detailed.

The listing is alphabetically by surname happy scrolling ….

 

 

The Scots

 

Pete Bowsher
Scotland

A well know face at Carve Carrbridge, Chainsaw Pete has competed for the Claymore Trophy since the event began and has won on 8 occasions. Pete competed at Ridgeway Rendevous earlier this year and it is definitely game on against son Sam.

Payment methods accepted  – Cash or same day BACS transfer via mobile banking

 

 

 

 

Sam Bowsher
Scotland

Sam had a secret when he won Carve Carrbridge in 2022 with ‘Utterly Otterly’. He had recently won a televised event called ‘A Cut Above’ made for Discovery Channel  Canada. Since then he has competed at Ridgeway Rendevous in the USA and number of other UK and events over seas. Sam  made his competition debut at Carve Carrbridge in 2019, and will again be competing against dad Pete in 2023. After Carve Carrbridge he will be heading over the pond again with some others who have Carved in the Scottish Open in recent years

Payment Methods accepted –  cash or same day BACS transfer via mobile banking. Facebook Instagram

 

 

 

Alice Buttress
Scotland

Local artist and potter, Alice entered the competition as a Novice Carver for the first time 18 years ago.  This will be her sixteenth time representing the village and one of three women contestant this year. Alice appeared in the BBC Scotland Loggerheads series in 2022 and regularly carves at other events.  She’s pretty nifty with a chainsaw for someone of three score years plus ten and a bit.
Alice is the creator of the Wood Spirit that proudly stands at the Inverness /Grantown road junction and, in conjunction with husband Jeff, delivered the Bridge 300 carving in the village car park.
Alice has had a number of commissions locally and many of her other carvings can be seen in private gardens and in the woodlands around the village on the Carving Trail.
Payment Methods accepted –  cash, card or same day Bank Transfer              Facebook 

 

 

Iain Chalmers

Scotland

Iain has been a consistently placed competitor for many years, his show appearances this year include The Royal Highland Show and the Black Isle Show. Iain is well known for many large local creations including in the Base station on Cairngorm Mountain and in the Landmark Forest Adventure Park. 

A local favourite, we know Iain will please the crowds with his work and the colourful carving in the extended Children’s play area on the field was part funded by the proceeds of Carve Carrbridge.

Payment Methods accepted –  cash or same day BACS transfer via mobile banking or PayPal. Facebook 

 

 

 

James Elliott
Scotland

Pet Portraits, Elephants, Centurions, and Giant Salmon, James specialises in things on a large scale. With a passion for human form as shown by his Carving of Mary of the Moor in 2022, wildlife and historical subjects for public art installations..

With a background in illustration and tree surgery, chainsaw sculpture was a natural progression and fusion of 2 passions for this Glasgow based wood sculptor.

James is arriving via home from the Cheshire Show which is more of an endurance event, carving for 15 hrs over 3 days.

Payment Methods accepted –  cash, card or sameday bank transfer. Facebook Instagram

 

 

 

Roni MacDonald
Scotland

Carve Carrbridge is in its’ 20th year and Roni has been with us from the start. A longstanding friend of the event we look forward to seeing his skilful work again in 2023. Roni ‘s exhibition carving includes Morven Highland Games and other events and shows in beautiful Argyll.

Rumour has it that he is also in the exclusive septuagenarian carvers club.

Payment Methods accepted –  cash . Facebook

 

 

 

Jonny Stableford
Scotland

Well known for wearing the most decorative sporran at the ceilidh and the self proclaimed ‘highest jumper and fastest spinner at the ceilidh’. Jonny first competed in 2010 and  achieved 3rd place in 2012.

‘Jonny Chainsaw’ is a freelance chainsaw operator, dividing his time between carving wood and ice from his workshop in Falkirk and working in forestry and arboriculture all over Scotland.

Jonny will be hotfooting it north with James to join the fun of the 20th Carve Carrbridge.

Payment Methods Accepted – Cash, debit/credit cards (may incur a fee), and bank transfer from some Banking Apps  Instagram

 

 

 

Craig ‘Steeley’ Steel
Scotland

An arborist from the southwest corner of Scotland, Dundonald in South Ayshire, Craig ‘Steeley’ Steele has a lifelong passion for rural pursuits. This is his 9th year at the event he came along for a number of years to watch before picking up his saws to show us what he’s made of.
He loves the features and textures of wood and draws inspiration from the wildlife and natural environment of the woodlands where he works part-time allowing space to practice his Carving craft.
Whilst exploring the island beaches and hidden gems of Scotland, Steeley is always to be found where the party is!

Payment Methods accepted Cash, Same day bank transfer

 

 

 

 

Home Nations

 

Kaspian Askham
Wales

Kaspian is our youngest Carver in 2023 at just 23 years old .
He picked up chainsaw carving at the age of 12 as a hobby, has been sculpting  full time for the last 5 years. Specialising in wildlife sculptures, particularly birds of prey.

The Best of British Carving Competition 2022 was his first carving competition. and he enjoyed taking part and meeting all the artists and seeing a range of different styles and what can be created in 15 hours within that timescale.

How will he fare in 4hrs with an 8 ft log?

Payment Methods accepted – Cash, Card, Same day Bank Transfer Facebook 

 

 

 

Mike Burgess
England

This will be Mike’s 5th appearance at Carve Carrbridge and another family contest.
This time Father and Son instead of  brother vs brother against Jonathan Sherwood in 2022.   The second of the Father and Son teams the Burgesses and the Bowshers are best of friends out of the Arena and are longstanding members of the Carve Carrbridge family.
We are still impressed with Mike’s beer opening technique on FB as well as an awesome range of Carvings in very beautiful woods

Rumour has it there are some new saws coming north too….

Payment Methods accepted –  cash, card or same day BACS transfer via mobile banking. Facebook Instagram

 

 

 

Tim Burgess
UK

Chainsaw carving event pieces are created under pressure of time in front of large audiences.

‘Competitions to create chainsaw carving event pieces vary in length. This can be from four hours (Carve Carrbridge in Scotland) to four days (Australian Open, Melbourne, Australia).’

Tim has taken part in events all over the world. and often places in the top 3 having come second to Pete Bowsher at Carve Carrbridge in 2017.  Tim also prides himself on the accuracy of his carving which return high auction bids for his event piece.

Payment Methods accepted – Cash, Card, Same day Bank Transfer 

 

 

Daniel Cordell
UK

Talking of high prices at Auction, it is great to see Daniel back at Carve Carrbridge.  There was a hot contest at the Auction for his Carving.
From a Fine Art background Daniel first carve in stone before finding his way to chainsaw sculpture. He competed  in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2021 and 2022.

We love the back stories of our competitors and we asked the question this year about measures to reduce the Carbon emissions of their work. Here are a few suggestions from Daniel

  1. Using cooking/sunflower or veg oil for my chain lubrication for some 15 years now. This is biodegradable and reduces fossil fuel use as its plant derived.
  2. All timber for my work is responsibly and locally resourced. from sustainable woodland practices or from windblown, diseased etc.
  3. Battery or mains electric saws and tools are used as much as possible.
  4. Workshop is 100% solar powered.
  5. All off cuts are used for heating to reduce use of fossil fuels.
  6. Sawdust is safe to use in the environment due to bio chain oil. I use it for composting, mulching, pathways, livestock bedding.
  7. Planted 2000+ mixed native hardwood trees in an Agroforestry project.
    One of the aims being to sequester far more soil carbon than standard pasture management.

Payment Methods accepted – Cash, Card, Same day Bank Transfer, PayPal Facebook 

 

 

 

Shane Green
England

Shane returns after his Carve Carrbridge Debut in 2022. He has been an artist for many years but have been specializing in the art of chainsaw-carving the last few years taking me to many country shows both competitive and non-competitive,  he had always wanted to compete at Carve Carrbridge and now he has the bug for a 4 hr speed Carve.

Payment Methods accepted –  cash or same day BACS transfer via mobile banking. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lisa Langley
British

One of 3 women Carvers for the 20th Anniversary and a new event for Lisa having competed earlier in the year at the English Open.  Carving is Lisa’s hobby and escapism and any spare time she has, she will have a chainsaw in her hands. Carving from wood gives her the freedom to bring her art to life and there is nothing she loves more than creating something new.  All the wood she uses is locally sourced around Cambridge and is being repurposed after having been cut or blown down.    

Lisa wants all her customers to enjoy my carvings as much as she enjoyed making them.

Payment Methods accepted –  Cash, Card, Same day Bank Transfer.  Instagram

 

 

 

Dave Roberts
Wales

When a hobby becomes a passion and dreams are enacted.

With a day job as a scientist, David’s hobby has indeed become a passion. Based in Aberdeenshire, this will be David’s 8th time competing at the Scottish Open Chainsaw Carving Competition.  David is known for his Dragons and winged creatures and is one of 3 Welshman competing this year. His Rose Knight at the Cheshire Show is very beautiful and does what it says.

Payment Methods accepted –  cash, card or same day BACS transfer via mobile banking. Facebook  Instagram

 

 

 

Ian Williams
Wales

Attending the event for a 6th year, Ian comes from North Wales and was a Firefighter for 30 yrs, carving a a hobby for 16 years. He decided to finish fire fighting and carve full time and has been carving for 4 years full time, but still learning.

‘I love Carrbridge as it is a massive challenge to carve in 4 hrs, the atmosphere is fantastic and I love being here.’ Ian has competed at Carve Carrbridge since 2016 and won People’s Choice in the Virtual Carve of 2020 with ‘Parliament of Wise Owls’

All his carvings are made from trees which have either fell naturally or need to be felled for woodland management purposes and his aim is to try to ‘make the trees come back to life with all of the beauty of the wood showing through’.

Payment Methods Cash, card or sameday bank transfer  Facebook

 

 

 

International

 

Sylvia Itzen
Germany

It’s great to welcome Sylvia back 4 years on from her debut appearance in 2019. The weather then was not kind !! However we are happy to say the forecast is good for the 20th Carve Carrbridge.

Sylvia appeared with Sam in ‘A Cut Above’ and we are delighted that she has cut through the red tape that has resulted from Brexit.
Our international Carvers are certainly facing challenges to be able to compete in the UK and we value the tenacity which Sylvia has shown to be with us again.

Payment Methods accepted –  cash or PayPal. Facebook  Instagram

 

 

 

Lkhagvadorj Dorjsuren
Mongolia


Lkhagvadorj aka ‘George’ is far travelled and we have followed his journey from Mongolia with interest. It will be interesting to see how his carvings typically of  Big Beasts with craggy faces will translate.

the 4th New Entrant to Carve Carrbridge this year means the Best Newcomer Category will be a hot contest in itself.

Payment Methods accepted –  cash