Solid oak artwork

It appears the number of practical uses for solid oak keeps on growing. First used for worship then ship and home building, oak has been used for centuries. Oak is best known for its use as furniture, in the forms of solid oak desks, oak tables and chairs. But recently it seems the creative's of this world are getting their paws on it. Due to its hardwood characteristics many are using it for sculpturing.
A recent example reported in the tabloids occurred in the U.S.A. A 150-year-old white oak in Mark and Judy Monroe's yard was transformed into a 12-foot work of art by Chainsaw artist Curtis Ingvoldstad. The Monroes had a dead oak in their garden, but instead of cutting it down and taking it away they had a better idea. They called in the artist and he set to work on sculpturing a giant flower from the oak. Prior to this creation Ingvoldstad had been a chainsaw artist for the past 10 years, working full-time for the past five. He has carved on-site sculptures in numerous places throughout the United States, and has competed in chainsaw sculpture carving contests in the United States and Japan.
Ingvoldstad says that solid oak is the perfect material for sculpture as it is a hardwood. The lack of oxygen and acidity prevent the decay of many materials including solid oak wood. Furthermore, once a sculpture is finished the solid oak will withstand adverse conditions lasting for generations.
Perhaps a more wondrous example of solid oak craftsmanship and shire dedications can be seen in this next example. Using an old oak beam from HMS Victory, sculptor Ian Brennan spent 17 years of his life carving a wooden replica of the ship itself. Taking a total of 5000 hours to complete the ship, it is a true work of genius. The oak, taken from Victory's lower gun deck, was so hard that Mr. Brennan said it felt like carving concrete, and the project took much longer to complete than he imagined. During its creation, he has worn out four sets of over-alls. Mr. Brennan, who hopes to ultimately sell the replica, only became a full-time sculptor at 34. Within five years he was working for the Royal Household.