Artist Uses Chainsaw to Carve Giant Octopus into a Fallen Redwood Tree

American chainsaw artist Jeffrey Michael Samudosky recently transformed a redwood snag into a magnificent giant octopus. Carved to perfection, its giant tentacles stretch out, tapering off in refined detail.

Working out of Gig Harbor, Washington, Samudosky is a self-taught carver who started his company, JMS Wood Sculpture, in 1998. Since starting his career, Samudosky has appeared on the Discovery Channel and participated in competitions around the world.

The massive sea creature, which has influenced art from large-scale octopus installations to sculptural candies, gives off an impressive air, as it looks to almost be swimming through water. The trunk, which was provided by Redwood Burl, dwarves Samudosky, who painstakingly worked to chisel out the animal’s final form.

Interestingly, Samudosky began his journey with chainsaw art after a snowboarding accident left him without feeling in his legs for eight months. After regaining his mobility, he decided to conquer his fears and begin snowboarding again. It was during a trip to the mountains in Vermont that he spied wood carvings on the side of the road, and from there he taught himself the artistic skill.

Now, carving is his full-time career. Focusing on animals and Native American motifs, some pieces have taken up to four years in order to reach his desired level of perfection.

Expert chainsaw carver Jeffrey Michael Samudosky used part of a dead redwood tree to create his incredible octopus sculpture.

Images of the sculpture in progress show us the wood carver’s creative process.

Samudosky puts an incredible amount of detail into the octopus sculpture, from the long tentacles to rounded suckers.

The result is a mindblowing piece of art.

JMS Wood Sculpture: Website | Facebook 
h/t: [reddit]

Related Articles:

Estonian Artist Uses a Chainsaw to Carve a Fantastical Dragon Bench

Raw Tree Stump Seamlessly Extends into a Polished Wooden Table

Remarkably Lifelike Wooden Animals Sculpted Using a Chainsaw

Unbelievably Mysterious Tree Sculptures