Howling wolf, owls sprout from old tree in Coeur d'Alene

COEUR d’ALENE — Debbie Healey was excited to share her yard’s new artistic fruit with her neighbors on Boyd Avenue.  

After five days of work, A.J. Hartman put the finishing touches on a sculpture carved out of an old tree on Healey’s property Thursday. 

The tree gradually became two smaller trees, a mother owl, her two owlets and a howling wolf. 

Although his artwork is intricate, his tools are not known for their subtlety. 

Hartman calls himself a chain saw carver and takes much of his inspiration from nature for many of his designs. 

This isn’t the first tree that he’s carved into a new design using a chain saw. He feels the rooted quality of creating art from an old tree makes for an interesting challenge. 

“It's not going anywhere, so it gives it life again,” Hartman said. 

Hartman has been creating art pieces out of wood for about 10 years and also works as a custom furniture builder. 

Healey and Hartman became friends while working together at Wild West Rustic Furniture. As with any good piece of art, Hartman’s newest piece leaves some things open to interpretation. 

Hartman believes the sculpture represents Debbie’s family through the owl babies and the spirit of the wolf. 

Healey had a slightly different interpretation of the piece. 

“I can represent the wolf or the owl,” Healey said. 

The most important thing in creating chain saw sculptures is to pay close attention, Hartman said. 

Using this style of wood artistry, he has made a giant candle, a hummingbird, exaggerated faces and tiki logs.   

This particular sculpture is about 13 feet tall.  

“I like the challenge,” Hartman said. “You just dig in with different angles.” 

A.J. Hartman created a sculpture using a chain saw out of an old tree on Debbie Healey's lawn in Coeur d'Alene.

A.J. Hartman works on airbrushing final touches on a chain saw sculpture on Boyd Avenue in Coeur d'Alene.

    A hummingbird sculpture created by A.J. Hartman.