| "Violent Art Yields Beautiful Sculptures" BY PATRICIA BEEGLE
Chainsaw Rage is not a recent release horror movie or a hot heavy metal rock group. It is the company name for two new Upper Keys sculptors who carve with chain saws. "Carving with chainsaws is a violent art. It allows me to channel all my negative energy into carving something beautiful," said Brandon Lee Messex, who has "rage" tattooed on the back of his neck. Chainsaw, a.k.a. Travis Benfield, is the other half of Chainsaw Rage. "The Chainsaw is a male ego medium, it's loud, powerful - a guy thing," he said. "Every tooth of the chainsaw is like a little man with a chisel taking a tiny rip out of the wood. With a 'chainsaw, there are thousands of little rips in a minute." At MM 100.7, the two sculptors work and exhibit their graceful renditions of fish, birds, shells and crabs carved of recycled trees. Chainsaw Rage has arranged with the city dump and Tropical Trash to reclaim trees that would otherwise become landfill or be burned. "We are working with ironwood, tropical mahogany, Lignum vitae, ficus, and even gumbo limbo sent by the dump," Messex said. "Each of the woods offers a different grain and feel as it is carved." Messex has just completed a six-foot sculpture of a tarpon and swordfish carved from a single strangler fig log. "Another way we recycle is to carve unwanted trees where they stand," Messex said. "Instead of removing a stump from your yard, we can carve it in place so you'd have a permanent piece of art." They make the art permanent by pressure washing the wood then sealing the wood pores with urethane to prevent rotting and insect destruction. "We can carve anything," Messex said. "The largest piece I've carved in place is a 13-foot replica of a 1937 aviation trophy. It had columns, plaques, an aviator, the globe, two female figures and a biplane. It was carved out of a willow tree for the owner of Willow Aircraft." Both artists say they prefer custom work creating a design to a specific request. "We do pets, totem poles, boats, people, symbols. Actually if someone can describe it we will carve it," Benfield said. Chainsaw Rage was born about three years ago. Messex, just out of the Marine Corps, and Benfield, working for a tree service, saw a chainsaw artist work in North Carolina. Both were taken with the discipline. "The next day I quit my job,borrowed a chainsaw, and started experimenting with carving animals," Messex said.Benfield had learned to use a chainsaw working for the tree service. "When I saw the chainsaw art, I thought it looked like fun." Neither had formal art training. Benfield's grandfather tried to teach him hand carving. As Benfield describes it "I kept cutting myself, so I quit. I also flunked eighth-grade art. I couldn't draw an orange the way the teacher wanted it." When asked about the dangers of working with chainsaws, Benfield explained that they wear special vibration gloves to prevent carpal tunnel damage to the wrist."Through practice and experience, chain stress and a break can be felt in the hands and injury avoided. I've never cut myself with a chainsaw. "Once a chain broke and embedded itself in the base of another piece of sculpture. I left it there and someone bought the piece because they found the chain an interesting part of the sculpture." The open-air studio gallery draws about 50 people per day who stop to see what it is going on. The roar of the chainsaws and finishing sander is mixed with the strains of music from Beethoven to rap. "My art reflects the dynamics in my life," Messex said. "And I am really happy where I am now. It's great drawing the positive energy of people who are relaxed and on vacation. I have found my niche in life. All I want to do is carve and sleep." As both artists said separately, "This is what the noise is all about." |
