INDUSTRY — When William Zachar moved here from Connecticut, he planned to have a tree carved into a totem pole.

That was three years ago.

As a birthday surprise for his wife, Lori, he spent Monday watching Josh Landry of North Anson cut an eagle, a bear and a raccoon with a chain saw into what’s left of a 65-foot tree at the end of Zachar’s driveway.

He always wanted one and while his wife was away for the week, he decided to go ahead and do it, he said, watching the work from his house at 1564 Industry Road.

After about eight hours of wielding the chain saw, Landry had most of the basic carving done. He planned to add a walking bear at the bottom of the totem pole, he said. Also, he planned to add “fur” to the bear and to sand and color parts of the animals, bringing the statue to life.

While living in Connecticut, the Zachars saw a chain-saw carver working at a craft fair and were enchanted by the process.

“We just stood there and watched,” he said.

Regular visitors to Maine, they decided to move here after retiring. Zachar saw Landry’s work at a Kingfield showing and took his card in preparation for the time he was ready to do the work.

Landry, 25, pretty much self-taught, works full-time as a chain-saw carver. He watched another carver when he was about 16 and found he had a knack for working wood and stumps into statues, he said.

From hummingbirds about 4 inches high to larger pieces like the Zachars’, all of his sculptures are created with a chain saw.

Landry competed in an international chain-saw carving competition held in Japan in 2007. He was named 11th of 56 competitors.

He visualizes what he wants to carve and then does it, he said. It took practice to acquire the skill of chipping away at the wood with the tip of the saw. If his hand slips and he makes a mistake, he finds a way to work it into the overall project.

The Zachars’ totem pole will look completely different once the colors and sealer is applied, he said.

Zachar said he had met more local people Monday than he had in the past three years. People kept stopping all day to discuss the project, he said. He imagines other people will enjoy the statue at the end of his driveway.

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