CHAINSAW CREATIONS:Tim Muscetta turns trees into art

By CHARLES W. JOHNSON / News Editor for the Southern Standard

Local artist Tim Muscetta may start out with a log, but once he takes out his chainsaw and goes to work there’s no telling how it might end up, as this distinctively stylized life-size bear demonstrates. (Charles W. Johnson photos)

Tim Muscetta started out building houses, but somewhere along the line the art bug bit him, and almost before he knew it, he found himself carving bears with a chainsaw. From there he moved into intricate small- and medium-scale items carved from wood, stone and ivory.

The artist still has a contractor’s license in several states, but these days he calls himself a “retired” contractor. While living in California, Muscetta began building log homes.

“I started specializing in that,” Muscetta said, “and from there I got into chainsaw carving, which kind of fit the motif.”

Muscetta actually carved his first bear because he had always wanted one, but couldn’t afford the price.

“I decided if I was ever going to have a bear, I was going to have carve my own,” Muscetta recalled. “So I bought a $99 chainsaw from Kmart. My first bear took me two weeks, and it looked more like a pig than a bear, but I got better and it started from there.”

Since then, Muscetta says he has carved hundreds, maybe thousands, of the bears and other large chainsaw carvings.

Muscetta grew up in the Catskill Mountains of New York state, but after he moved to California, his parents decided to move out there as well when they decided to retire. As his large woodcarvings began to sell, he found himself becoming more and more involved in that career and less involved in contracting.

Eventually, Muscetta decided he didn’t really miss the contracting business and the everyday stress of running that kind of enterprise.

“I found that I really just loved doing this,” he said. “It’s more lucrative being a contractor, but you sleep better at night doing this kind of thing.”

Muscetta creates a wide variety of items.

“I do custom carving on gunstocks,” he said. “I carve keyrings out of antler or ivory. I can do stone carvings, mostly wildlife. I carve soapstone, marble, chlorite, limestone and alabaster.”

The artist also makes knives with intricately carved handles and even has some with obsidian and glass blades along with metal. He makes beautifully finished wooden boxes, and various large and small pieces carved from antlers and animal tusk ivory.

Bears can run from $50 to $2,000 depending on the size. Antler keychains run around $20, while those made of ivory cost $30 due to the more expensive material. Muscetta also makes walking sticks with distinct carved accents.

Muscetta also does custom work, making pretty much anything a customer wants. He has carved everything from a full-sized angel to a throne with Labrador retrievers at either side. But one of the most unusual has to be a carving that looked like a cooked turkey for a vegetarian who got tired of Thanksgiving guests asking where the turkey was.

“So that year she gave them turkey that was make out of wood with removable drumsticks,” Muscetta said with a laugh.

Muscetta says he finds his mid-life career change rewarding.

“I’ve always had the desire to create,” he said. “Bringing something to life. Taking a log and finding the bear that’s inside. Taking my vision and bringing it out. It’s relaxing to me.”

Muscetta’s business, Wood-Stone Custom Carvings, is located at 356 Shady Rest Road in McMinnville. Those interested in seeing his work or commissioning a custom carving should call him for an appointment since he travels to various gun, craft and art shows during the year. He can be reached at 668-9675 or on his cell phone at 808-7115.