Those holding a Peabody Award crafted by Adamson include Maria Shriver , Ladybird Johnson , John Stewart , and Daniel Schorr . Additionally , Adamson constructed a medal given to John Glenn .
Casting bronze is time consuming due to the number of steps involved . An original art piece must be molded first . Adamson rarely works with clay . “ It is quicker to stay in a familiar medium .” Instead , he carves his art in wood . “ This allows for finer details in the finished product . It is stronger and holds up better , though clay has the benefit of twisting and fixing the mold .” The outer mold is pulled off , usually in two pieces , and then put back together before wax is poured into it . Finally , the piece is ready for bronze casting . Adamson has only mixed mediums once , for an unusual combination piece , creating the statue of a white bull made from both bronze and wood .
Requests for bronze slowed as companies shifted toward cheaper plastics . But , Adamson ’ s chainsaw carving business took off around the same time . Working from scaffolding , Adamson ’ s largest chainsaw piece is at a private estate in Colorado . A 40 ’ tall , 6 ’ wide tree was brought to the site where no native trees grew and was set in cement . It is not the size of the artwork that matters . “ You have to figure out the twist , because you have to support the sculpture .”
He claims to “ figure out something new with each and every sculpture .” His chainsaw art includes varied wildlife subjects . Once he completes a carving with power tools , he goes over the sculpture with his hand carving tools for greater detail . Adamson ’ s art pieces are natural , stained , burned , or painted .
When asked if he has a favorite wood , Adamson says , “ It depends on what you want to achieve . Some are more brittle than others .”
He does not stain cedar , juniper , or black walnut and he almost always paints pine .
Adamson ’ s Brazilian stone sculpture “ requires different tools , but the procedures are the same .” He has sculpted soapstone , alabaster and marble , and would like to try his hand at granite . Most pieces are mounted on a black walnut base , though others stand alone .
A discussion about the many materials Adamson can fashion would not be complete if we did not mention his ice sculpture , though ice is not his favorite medium . “ It ’ s cold , your hands freeze , and your art eventually melts .” Using a chainsaw , Adamson has carved a 3 ’ block of ice that was 18 ” deep .
You can see Ron Adamson in action at the upcoming The Great Western Living & Design Exhibition in Great Falls , MT March 15-18 , 2018 .
Adamson has a six-lesson DVD series available for sale , instructing from basic set-up to carving facial features . “ Both the novice and the experienced wood carver can benefit .” The series discusses carving a medicine man , carving a female face , carving a Viking , and some tricks of the trade .
You can follow Adamson ’ s work in progress on Facebook https :// www . facebook . com / ron . adamson . 98 and see the natural space he calls his office or purchase your own Adamson sculpture , at www . ronadamson . com
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