TYLER, Texas — When you think of cutting into trees with a chainsaw, art might not be the first thing that comes to mind. But, one glance at Jimmy Hobbs' work will get you to see timber in a whole new light.
Think of the chainsaw as Hobbs' paintbrush and the logs as his canvas.
"Yeah, when you first start, you know, you show up or have an eagle or whatever," said Hobbs, a chainsaw artist. "And you're like, okay, so you cut and then all of a sudden you see it. Like, it's, it's happening, it's coming alive and you're wanting to do it more and more and more."
Hobbs began carving out a new career 12 years ago, but trees have been his life for more than three decades.
"I've probably climbed over 50,000 trees over 33 years," Hobbs said. "I mean, I've been climbin' way before that, you know, I'd be at the top of a tree and Mom would yell get out of that tree," Hobbs remembers. "So it didn't bother me. I was 21 and I went to work for a tree service. I was watching the guys go up the trees and asked if I can do that and they said, it's pretty dangerous. You don't want to do this? Well, we'll give you an easier tree. So we went down a road and was trimming the power lines and said, 'Here try this,' when I went up there and cut all the limbs off. They said, well, we'll give you a harder tree."
After conquering the tall pines of East Texas, a reality TV show, Saw Dogs, gave Hobbs his next challenge.
"I was like, wow, how did they get from that to that?," said Hobbs. "So I had chainsaws and I come out and just started carving and you know, it turned out kind of kind of close, so I did another one another one and just couldn't stop."
Hobbs spent the first four years just learning to get the shapes close. He says the intricate detail, which is hard to imagine with chainsaws, came later.
"Usually, you'll run about three different saws," Hobbs said. "Depending on the size of the piece, if you got a little one, you just run two saws, a little blocking saw and a little details saw."
Using nature's canvas, Hobbs turns leftover logs and stumps into stunning works of art. From red birds, bears and majestic bald eagles to towering Native American chiefs and even taller Big Foot creations...every piece tells a story.
Hobbs' artistry is gaining attention. He created a sculpture anyone can go see at the Mineola Nature Preserve.
"Eagle on top, two owls, a horned owl and woodpecker, cardinal, alligator, a herring, dear with mom and dad and baby deer," Hobbs said. "I got a snake coming out of the crack. beehive a little video up there just a little bit everything that we got at the Nature Preserve."
Hobbs says that's one of his bigger pieces,.
"I think that one took me five days. It's probably 18' tall," Hobbs said.
His favorite thing to carve, you ask?
"Faces, human faces," said Hobbs. "But they're challenging. Starting out it really is. But once you learn the certain things about it, it becomes really easy. Women's faces are hard. Real hard."
They're so delicate that it takes just the right touch to create and he prefers to embark on a wood with a softer side.
"I really like the catalpa, but it holds up really good and it and it lasts a long time and it's soft," said Hobbs.
You'll also see Hobbs' work come to life in East Texas pines and oak.
"It's challenging enough that your brain shuts everything else off," Hobbs said. "And I'm concentrating on that. It's really is just relaxing."
It's also rewarding.
"When you're out in the open and people see you, they'll stop and take pictures and tell you, 'nice job' and it just makes you feel good," Hobbs said.
As does the watching and waiting for the big reveal. It's equally as impressive as the art itself. It's what makes Hobbs a CBS19 Original.
Hobbs does a number of live shows and carving events across the country, as well as custom pieces. Click here to check out his website.