Carving the Tree - In Pictures

The following pictures will give you an idea of what went into John Birch's taking a  tree that was hundreds of years old, and using chains saws creating a symbol of our school that will last several hundred more years.

As noted on earlier pages, John Birch was able to sculpt the tree to incorporate a life-sized wheelchair you can sit in, a bookshelf containing books and a voice-output communication device, and an all-knowing owl, the school’s mascot, keeping a watchful eye on top, with “Vines of knowledge” wind their way up the columns supporting the book shelf, symbolizing how knowledge itself “grows on you”. 

John Birch unloads tree at school.	Tree standing up ready for carving.
John Birch making his fist cuts.	John still in the early stages of blocking out the sculpture using his chainsaw.
The sculpture just about at the half-way point.
John Birch burning base of sculpture.	Finished product!

You got to believe that John Birch is one heck of a sculpture if he could see the finished product from the two pictures at the top of this page!  Well done John, and thanks!!!

Page updated: 04/07/2008