Bridgeport, Washington is a small town on the Columbia River, near Chief Joseph Dam. The town’s old sycamore trees, which lined the main street, were in sad shape but instead of being cut down, chainsaw artist Jacob Lucas has transformed them into incredible sculptures.
With a CHAINSAW!
(And by the way he does custom orders if you have a tree stump in need of being transformed.)
Salmon, quail, wolves, cougars, bear, the logging industry, deer, farming, pelicans, beavers, dragonfly, bees and honeycomb, eagles and other native species are a few of the themes of the tree sculptures.
See an owl swoop down to catch jackrabbit below.
To get an idea of the scale
I would like to watch someone working with their chainsaw. Clear idea to repurpose these trees into something folks can enjoy.
Yes they are just amazing.
I am speechless – those are amazing!
They are something to see
Great skill…I just hope those trees were dead when he took the saw to them.
They had to be cut down but he repurposed them.
That’s great!
Awesome repurposing lived in Bridgeport as a teen.
These trees are Sycamores, and they were diseased and dying. So, instead of just removing them, the decision was made to transform the trunks into art. It is breathtaking to drive down the street and see these beautiful works of art, each one unique, down a long stretch that is the main street of Bridgeport, Washington.
It is a sunny, dry part of the state, so these trees won’t rot away as fast as a wetter climate would do to them. It was the right thing to do to them. The town is largely Hispanic, out in fruit orchard country.
Driving around out in that part of the state when you have no time constraints is a pleasant, relaxing thing to do, and the traffic is very light almost all the time. Spring, summer or fall, start with a full tank of gas, a cooler filled with beverages and a fully charged camera with plenty of memory, and that should make it a fun, memorable meander.
Also, never miss an opportunity to use a rest-room, because at times, they are scarce. If you must use TP out in nature, be SURE to bury your stuff completely. Keep it all natural looking. People who litter are no friends of mine.
Be sure to pack a fire extinguisher, a couple gallons of water, a first aid kit, and a camp shovel. The camp shovel can be used for burying human waste and TP, or putting dirt on a small fire. The water may never be needed, but is good to have on hand, for rinsing, drinking, washing hands, the radiator, or fire extinguishing.
Wandering around the Eastern Washington area, should you take back roads or dirt farming roads that are often identified by just one letter, you might sometimes think you are completely lost. But eventually, they all will lead back to a more traveled road, and civilization. I’ve had many a fun wander that lasted up to an hour or more, just taking roads less traveled out there. 4WD is handy, too, just in case.
Garmin and a paper street map of the state are good to take along. And summers are never TOO hot to go for a drive out there, IMHO. You just have to keep a breeze going and refreshments nearby. Windows down and do the speed limit.
Here’s a fun shadow I captured on one of the seldom-traveled roads out along the farm fields, near sunset, as I meandered back toward home after a fun weekend out in Chelan, WA. The SUV’s shadow was dancing near and far, and it was pretty funny to watch it change shape as the sun, low on the western horizon, played with the shadows as I drove.
https://youtu.be/F0vWSEStqe0
I’ve seen something like it but not on this scale, wonderful work and so good to see the trees continuing.
Even better in person. Thanks Gilly
Unbelievably beautiful! Wow!
It is fairly unbelievable. Hope you are recovering from the hurricane
Jacob is really talented
Yes, he is a chainsaw master artist.
Incredibly impressive. Such precision for such a blunt tool!
Wouldn’t it be cool to watch him carve?
Yes!
What wonderful sculptures. Thanks for sharing, Ruth.
Thank you Ruth, they were wonderful indeed.
Incredible! He needs to be invited to Shadyside / East Liberty where the Sycamores are reshaped by the Electric Co. for THEIR “Purpose” —
not re-purposed!!!
I do applaud artists of this type and the skill requited to create the art. It’s not that they just use a chainsaw to create a figure, Ruth, but it’s the detail that they add to the piece. Whether it’s the feathers on a crane or the fur on a bear, their talent is really unbelievable.
It is incredible. You’re right!