• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About Us
  • Videos
    • Featured Video
    • Foodie Friday
    • Monthly ReCap
  • Online E-Editions
    • This Week’s E-Editions
    • 2023
    • 2022
    • 2021
    • 2020
    • 2019
    • 2018
    • 2017
    • 2016
    • 2015
    • 2014
  • Social Media
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
  • Advertising
  • Local Jobs
  • Puzzles & Games
  • Circulation Request

The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

       

Click to join our weekly e-newsletter

  • Home
  • News
    • Land O’ Lakes
    • Lutz
    • Wesley Chapel/New Tampa
    • Zephyrhills/East Pasco
    • Business Digest
    • Senior Parks
    • Nature Notes
    • Featured Stories
    • Photos of the Week
    • Reasons To Smile
  • Sports
    • Land O’ Lakes
    • Lutz
    • Wesley Chapel/New Tampa
    • Zephyrhills and East Pasco
    • Check This Out
  • Education
  • Pets/Wildlife
  • Health
    • Health Events
    • Health News
  • What’s Happening
  • Sponsored Content
    • Closer Look
  • Homes
  • Obits
  • Public Notices
    • Browse Notices
    • Place Notices

Woodcarver sculpts with chainsaw

November 25, 2009 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

By Ashley Reams Dunn

News Editor

WESLEY CHAPEL — When James Kelske looks at a piece of firewood, he doesn’t see a chunk of timber. He sees possibilities.

James Kelske, of Zephyrhills, uses a chainsaw to sculpt a giraffe out of a large piece of firewood. Kelske, who has been a chainsaw artist for about two years, sells his creations at The Tree Feller in Wesley Chapel. Photo by Ashley Reams Dunn.
James Kelske, of Zephyrhills, sculpts a piece of firewood with a chainsaw to create a giraffe on Nov. 19. Kelske sells his artwork at The Tree Feller, a tree removal and land clearing business on SR 54 in Wesley Chapel. Photo by Ashley Reams Dunn

Kelske uses a chainsaw to turn logs into art. Dolphins, flamingos, pelicans, penguins, bears, turtles and tiki gods dot the lawn in front of The Tree Feller, a tree removal and land clearing business on SR 54 in Wesley Chapel where Kelske has been selling his creations for the past three weeks.

“If you can see what you want to make in a piece of wood, you can make it, I reckon,” he says.

Kelske, of Zephyrhills, has worked with wood all his life, which he claims has been quite long. When asked his age, he responded: “I am 443.” He’s only been carving for the past couple years though.

What got him into it?

“Hunger,” he says, as his dry sense of humor becomes even more obvious.

He saw someone carve a flamingo out of a log with a chainsaw about two years ago.

“I said, ‘I can do that,’” he recalls.

He picked up his saw, found a log, and made his own flamingo on the first try. Now, he says he can carve anything as long as he has a picture to look at.

“If you’ve got an idea of something that you want, I can pretty much make it,” he says.

Kelske — also known at the Tiki Man — first sold his artwork on SR 54 closer to Zephyrhills near the New River Library. He stopped about six months ago and began taking his creations on the road, setting up at locations in Brandon (where he grew up) and Tampa. But loading and unloading the heavy wooden pieces made traveling difficult.

So, about a month ago, he got in touch with The Tree Feller’s Dave Morrissette and Owner Walt French, to ask about setting up at their location at the corner of Ellerbee Road and SR 54 in Wesley Chapel. For Morrissette and French, it was a win-win situation.

James Kelske, of Zephyrhills, uses a chainsaw to sculpt a giraffe out of a large piece of firewood. Kelske, who has been a chainsaw artist for about two years, sells his creations at The Tree Feller in Wesley Chapel. Photo by Ashley Reams Dunn.
James Kelske, of Zephyrhills, uses a chainsaw to sculpt a giraffe out of a large piece of firewood. Kelske, who has been a chainsaw artist for about two years, sells his creations at The Tree Feller in Wesley Chapel. Photo by Ashley Reams Dunn.

Firewood is piled up outside, and sometimes it has to be thrown out.

“Instead of wasting it, we’re recycling it,” Morrissette says.

They say they’re also hoping Kelske will bring in more business for their tree care business, which offers free mulch, tree removal, tree recycling, land clearing and senior discounts. Business has been waning lately because of the economy, and the holiday season isn’t going to make it any better.

“This is our slowest time of the year,” Morrissette says.

The set up is also nice for Kelske, who now has a seemingly limitless supply of wood for his artwork.

On Nov. 19, he was carving a giraffe, a project he had started the day before.

“Some pieces take longer than others, but I like to get a couple made in a day,” he says as he looks out over the sea of parrots, gnomes and other chainsaw art he’s created. “This stuff goes in spurts. Sometimes I can keep up. Other times I can’t.”

Dolphins, pelicans, penguins, bears, turtles and tiki gods dot the lawn in front of The Tree Feller, a tree removal and land clearing business on SR 54 in Wesley Chapel where artist James Kelske has been selling his wooden sculptures for the past three weeks. Photo by Ashley Reams Dunn.
Dolphins, pelicans, penguins, bears, turtles and tiki gods dot the lawn in front of The Tree Feller, a tree removal and land clearing business on SR 54 in Wesley Chapel where artist James Kelske has been selling his wooden sculptures for the past three weeks. Photo by Ashley Reams Dunn.

Kelske admits that he’s always been creative — he also likes playing guitar, for example — but he approaches his woodwork in a down-to-earth way.

“People think this is special,” he says. “I think it’s basic, really.”

Pieces range in price from $20 to $1,000 depending on the size and how much time they take to make. Kelske can usually start and finish a big piece in two days, but he gives himself a week for special orders. He has to be in the right frame of mind before he begins.

“I can’t just come out here and force stuff to come out,” he says. “It’s gotta come out on it’s own.”ZFlamingos

James Kelske sells his artwork at The Tree Feller, 5835 Ellerbee Road in Wesley Chapel. Call him at (352) 206-2872 or (813) 312-0710. For more information about The Tree Feller, call (813) 909-2002.

Share this:

  • Tweet
  • Share on Tumblr
  • Email
  • Print

Like this:

Like Loading...

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. June M Griffin says

    September 21, 2022 at 2:38 pm

    Just a curiosity do you carve a tree that is in someone’s yard that is still in the ground? I want an eagle with the American flag. I’m in Zephyrhills

    Log in to Reply
    • Mary Rathman says

      September 22, 2022 at 8:39 am

      Hi June,
      This is an older story, but has the contact information at the end of it: James Kelske sells his artwork at The Tree Feller, 5835 Ellerbee Road in Wesley Chapel. Call him at (352) 206-2872 or (813) 312-0710. For more information about The Tree Feller, call (813) 909-2002.
      Good luck,
      Mary Rathman
      Editorial Assistant

      Log in to Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Primary Sidebar

Search

Sponsored Content

6 Reasons to Consider Remodeling your Bathroom with CMK Construction

March 21, 2023 By Kelli Carmack

Have you wanted to remodel your bathroom for a while now, but need that little extra push to make your decision? Check … [Read More...] about 6 Reasons to Consider Remodeling your Bathroom with CMK Construction

Avalon Applauds African American Club of Pasco

March 7, 2023 By Kelli Carmack

One of Avalon Park Wesley Chapel’s main missions is being a champion for culture. “Celebrating culture is a vital … [Read More...] about Avalon Applauds African American Club of Pasco

More Posts from this Category

What’s Happening

03/27/2023 – Easter Bunny & Pets

The Easter Bunny has arrived at the Westfield Brandon mall, 459 Brandon Town Centre in Brandon. Four-legged family members are invited for a photo op with the Easter Bunny on March 27 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Visitors can walk up or make an online reservation to bring their furry friends (leashed or in a carrier) to Center Court. Guests with pets will enter and exit through the Restaurant Courtyard near Red Robin. For information and to RSVP, visit https://whereisbunny.com/mall/0069. … [Read More...] about 03/27/2023 – Easter Bunny & Pets

03/27/2023 – Humpty Dumpty

The Starkey Ranch Theatre Library Cultural Center, 12118 Lake Blanche Drive in Odessa, will present “Once Upon a STEM: Humpty Dumpty” on  March 27 at 4 p.m., for kindergarten through third grade. Participants can learn to build contraptions that will save their ‘eggs’ (environmentally safe, no real eggs) from their fall. Registration is required online at PascoLibraries.org. … [Read More...] about 03/27/2023 – Humpty Dumpty

03/27/2023 – Republican Club

The Republican Club of Central Pasco will meet on March 27, at Copperstone Executive Suites, 3632 Land O’ Lakes Blvd. The guest speaker will be retired USAF Col. E J Otero. The colonel is an operational, diplomatic, and intelligence expert and has expertise as a military planner and diplomatic player worldwide in Middle East, European, South American, and Asian military efforts. There will be a social at 6 p.m., followed by the meeting at 6:30 p.m. The meeting is open to the public and the club encourages anyone that seeks to be involved in the political process to attend. For information, call 813-996-3011 … [Read More...] about 03/27/2023 – Republican Club

03/29/2023 – Adult Tabletop Games

The Starkey Ranch Theatre Library Cultural Center, 12118 Lake Blanche Drive in Odessa, will host an Adult Tabletop Game Night on March 29 from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., for ages 18 and older. Games will include: big Jenga, life-sized connect four, dominoes, playing cards, assorted board games, and more. For information, call 727-815-7126. … [Read More...] about 03/29/2023 – Adult Tabletop Games

03/30/2023 – Watercolor painting

The Starkey Ranch Theatre Library Cultural Center, 12118 Lake Blanche Drive in Odessa, will host “Tween Hangout: Watercolor Painting” on March 30 from 3:30 p.m. to 4:15 p.m., for free after-school painting in the courtyard. For information, call 727-815-7126. … [Read More...] about 03/30/2023 – Watercolor painting

04/01/2023 – Bunny Hop Eggstravaganza

The Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex, 3032 Collier Parkway, will host a Bunny Hop Eggstravaganza on April 1 from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. There will be bounce houses, games, music, food trucks, and scheduled egg scrambles. The event will be at the outside football fields and basketball court. Registration is required to participate in the egg scrambles. The cost is $3 per child. Children ages 2 to 10 can register with their age division and time frame at Secure.rec1.com/FL/pasco-county-fl/catalog. For questions, call 813-929-1220. … [Read More...] about 04/01/2023 – Bunny Hop Eggstravaganza

More of What's Happening

Archives

 

 

Where to pick up The Laker and Lutz News

Copyright © 2023 Community News Publications Inc.

   
%d bloggers like this: