RONAN — The town of Ronan is hosting its third annual Chainsaw Carvers Rendezvous this week with nine carvers in attendance to showcase their art no matter rain or shine.
The roar of chainsaws filled the area around the Ronan Event Center Saturday as carvers hard at work made sculptures for sale and auction, while also showing off their passion.
"Just the fact that I needed something more exciting in life," said Anthony Robinson of Hoquiam, Washington about picking up chainsaw carving. "Every job bored me to death. Now I'm no longer bored."
Of the carvers, five were from Montana, and each carver worked on their own large project to be auctioned off Sunday.
Each design was unique, but most were made with the goal of representing Montana in some way, as Robinson did with his project.
"We have horse manes, turning into water, so the water comes back around and flows down and crashes at the bottom," Robinson explained while showing off his project. "There's mountains on the back. There's a small horse on the side. It's just kind of a native Montana piece. Something that's native to Montana, the horses, the rivers, the mountains."
Hosted by the Ronan Chamber of Commerce, local vendors were also in attendance as the carvers worked.
Each carver also brought completed projects for sale to show off their work, and also held quick carves for smaller items to auction off.
Julie Zimmerman of Missoula has been to the event twice, saying the supportive community makes the event special.
"It's awesome to be a woman and be invited back for a second year and compete with all of the men. Everyone's very nice," Zimmerman said. "The community is really supportive of this event. Everyone's very nice. They're very helpful, we help each other, it's like a big family, carving family."
Jacob Lucas of Bonney Lake, Washington echoed those thoughts, saying the scenery and culture of Montana provide plenty of inspiration and joy whenever he visits the state.
"I wanted to just kind of incorporate as much as I could of the local area," Lucas said. "This is my third time coming to a new place in Montana but I love it here. And the setting. We're right down in a valley surrounded by mountains, doesn't get more beautiful."
