Carving out a story

May 7—OLD LYME — Marge Sitler's story is being told not in spoken word or on paper, but through the resonant rip of a chainsaw as sculptor Josh Landry carves out the remnants of an oak tree on the banks of Rogers Lake.

Sitler watched Tuesday as Landry put the finishing touches on the stump it had taken him more than a week to carve almost exclusively with a chainsaw. Under bright skies, but with rain predicted, he used an airbrush to emphasize the etched details with a stain darker than the reddish-hued wood.

The Maine-based artist, whose popularity has been growing steadily since he was commissioned by authors Stephen and Tabitha King in 2020 to immortalize a dead ash, makes his living primarily by leaving sculptures where trees once thrived.

He calls them "stories from the wood."

The minimum cost for one of his on-site sculptures is $10,000.

The roughly 15-foot stump in Sitler's backyard is now a totem to the homeowner's decades as a daughter, wife, mother and aunt. A globe represents her immigrant parents and Sitler's own sense of adventure, while an intricately carved squirrel and bear evoke her daughter and a late nephew. An eagle with outstretched wings and reaching hands form the centerpiece.

Landry recounted spending the past 11 days sawing, pondering the old tree and enjoying wildlife on the serene lakefront property, where he was staying with his wife and 6-year-old son in a camper.

He also used the time to bounce ideas off Sitler as he made sure her self-described "brain dump" of ideas would translate into a piece of art she'd cherish, whether from her back deck with a cup of coffee or from a hammock strung between two remaining trees.

"I'm not an artist that's like 'this is what it has to be, this is where it goes, and this is what the tree is telling me,' " he said.

But that's not to say the trees don't speak to him.

When he gets into what he calls the flow state, he'll lose track of time as he focuses only on each successive swipe of the chainsaw.

"I start seeing my next cuts," he said, gesturing to a section of sculpture with Sitler's fingers. "And I really see how the hand is shaping up."

Other times, the next step isn't so clear.

"Sometimes I get stumped," he said, then laughed when he realized what he'd said.

Landry in March was in Lyme for three sculptures on a private Route 156 property not far from the Town Hall. The one most visible from the road features an owl, two bears and a beaver.

He said his immersive family lifestyle allows them to get to know people and places they wouldn't otherwise have a chance to explore, including Easter egg hunts in Lyme and a circus activity for kids.

"We get to experience a lot," he said. "We're pretty blessed."

For Sitler, a five-year resident of Old Lyme, the opportunity has allowed her to get to know her own neighbors better. She said the sound of the chainsaw draws their attention and has lured some casual walkers to stretch their traditional route.

"Come in, come sit!" she recalled telling them from the recessed patio with plenty of seating. "Come meet Josh!"

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