* The author is part of the community of readers of La Vanguardia
It might seem to us that the chainsaw, a machine made up of a set of saw teeth attached to a chain driven by a motor that makes it rotate at high speed, is a tool for non-artistic work, such as felling trees.
But, as this series of photographs in La Vanguardia’s Readers’ Photos demonstrate, captured in the last exhibition held at the Fira de Reis de Casserres (Berguedà), they can also be used to sculpt authentic works of art.
There is a word that defines it, whittling, that is, the art of carving shapes in raw wood using a knife (in this case, a chainsaw).
While any type of wood can be used for carving, there are woods that are easier to work with than others. Softer trees, such as linden, which have a smaller grain, are easier to carve and relatively inexpensive. Hardwoods (broadleaf) are generally more difficult to carve than softwoods (conifers).
Very soft and easy to carve with a fine grain, basswood also has a creamy stain, making it an excellent choice for beginners.
Balsa wood is another soft wood with a fine grain. And the pine, although it has a slightly coarser grain, is also very soft.
