Page 28 - Sept 2023 Galveston Monthly

and tips and i found his art so inspiring. He was very helpful
to me during the learning process.”
“When he passed away earlier this year, i was surprised
that he left me his chainsaw and chisels and all of his other
sculpting tools. i was touched beyond words that he would
trust me with all of that,” Meredith said.
Meredith started with a small, old electric chainsaw
that she bought at a pawn shop and practiced on scraps
that she found. She followed other chainsaw sculptors
and studied how they created eyes or other features.
Eventually, she graduated to a gas chainsaw.
After meeting with a potential client and deciding on a
design, Meredith shaves the bark off any stump - mostly
dead palms or oaks and sometimes trees that are cut
down by electric companies. “i work on all kinds of stumps.
Clients usually have a general design in mind, leaving me
some room for artistic license. Many of my clients have
incredibly creative and cool ideas.”
She then sketches out a design on the tree, then carves,
grinds, and paints the stump. Most jobs take up to two
in and paint whatever project they were creating. “They days from conception to completion. Prices vary depending
needed someone who could create the finishing, artistic, on the complexity of the job. Maintenance may be
touches the company needed to complete a particular job. required, in the form of touch ups to paint or resealing,
i made a lot of contacts during this time and met several depending on the tree’s proximity to the water and sun.
chainsaw artists.” To view Meredith’s work, visit her facebook page by images courtesy of della meredith
One of those artists was Derek Dame. “i was painting searching Della Meredith Chainsaw Carvings or her website
Derek’s tiki sculptures and he knew i was wanting to learn www.chainsawdella.com. for an estimate, please call her
how to carve stumps. He was generous in his suggestions at 281.884.2163. GM

28 | GALVESTON MONTHLY | SEPTEMBER 2023