Travis Reed of the High Country Carvers transforms logs into impressive works of art. At the Stock Show, he does it all in less than 30 minutes.
Reed grew up in a family of loggers in northern New York. Instead of selling firewood like his father and grandfather, Reed wanted to create art.
Reed says his neighbors growing up used to brag that chainsaw art started near his hometown in the Adirondack Mountains region. And when Reed was 16, he started sculpting logs with chainsaws.
For Reed, chainsaw art is a perfect fit because he doesn’t have a lot of patience but he needs a creative outlet. He can carve an intricate sculpture of a bald eagle, black bear or jumping catfish in less than an hour.
Reed sells about 2,000 pieces a year and hopes to sell a few to the crowds that gather almost daily at the National Western Stock Show. Reed will perform several more times before the event ends on January 26th.
