Carver Corey Chaulk creating art, with a chainsaw

Corey Chaulk's artistic toolkit is a little bit different than the norm: hearing protectors, safety goggles, chainsaw oil.

That's because he's not your average painter or sculptor. 

He's a chainsaw carver.

"Been doing it for four or five years — hopefully, I get better over time," said Chaulk.

His ability is abundantly on display all over his yard, in Rodgers Cove, Gander Bay. 

Eagles, foxes and all other manner of wildlife turn his home into a wooden wilderness. There's even a little dragon among the crowd.

"My first dragon I ever done, turned out pretty good," said Chaulk. "I done that one about two months ago, in the dark."

​Chaulk wields his machine with precision, but when its motor is roaring, his creativity is on the loose.

"Once I stands that wood up, I usually walks around it to see which way it's tipped, and where the knots are to. And it tells you what it wants to be," said Chaulk.

Despite that, Chaulk said he'll accommodate just about any special request.

"Plaques, clocks, you name it," said Chaulk, adding his most intricate piece was "a plaque, which involved a lot of mountains, and trees, and cabins, and moose, and bear. It's about four feet long by three feet wide, took me about a month to do."

He does all his work outdoors, although he dreams of one day having a shed to be able to work during wet or snowy weather.

Booming business

Chaulk said he's sold about a hundred works, with locals and tourists alike snapping up his sculptures.

It's not cheap — a 2.75 metre tall eagle boasts an $800 price tag — but money is tight around his household.

Chaulk ordinarily works half the year out west, but said jobs have dried up this year and he's been living at home full-time, with four children.

One day, Chaulk would like to be able to stay home year-round, and sustain his family on his art.

"I'm hoping so, over the years," said Chaulk. 

"Right now, it's pretty slow. But maybe over the years, as I get better and more people know about it, I'll have the opportunity to stay home."

In the meantime, he'll keep looking for work, and he'll keep challenging himself with his chainsaw — a customer has already ordered a replica of their Shih-Tzu.