05/19/2026
Tree Spirit
Carved out of British Columbia Cottonwood Bark
https://dwcarving.com
I first learned to carve the Tree Spirit while stationed in Germany's Black Forest region in the 80s with the Canadian Armed Forces. As I recall, there was an old clockmaker who used large Linden branches, or what we call Basswood, for his clocks. One year, he cut a large branch for a series of custom clocks. But before waxing the cut end of the tree branch stump, he decided to carve an old man's face into it. The Face looked older, with crazy, wild hair and a large, twisted, flowing beard.
After carving, he applied wax to the carving and the stump of the tree branch; doing so helped the tree recover after losing its branch. This large branch would supply enough wood for his clock studio for a couple of years, so he wouldn't need another branch for some time.
Two years later, when he returned for another large branch, he found the tree had grown around the carved face to heal itself.
Now the face seemed to look out from inside the tree, as if the spirit of the tree were gazing back at him, and the tree spirit was born. It was a true collaboration between the artist and the wild
Linden tree.
Soldier Turned Artist
By: (c) Gary A Crosby MMM, CD
https://dwcarving.com
