It's a strange thing to be driving down a country road in Northern Michigan and suddenly see large sculptures on display in the woods. Well, that's what you'd see if you happened to pass by Leslie Scruggs' workspace, a house in the countryside that he refers to as Artdeck. While serving in the Peace Corps in Belize, Scruggs worked with a boat builder and became interested in woodworking. Most sculptors today work indirectly, carving in clay and then creating a mold to cast their designs in metal or plastic; or they construct sculpture using metal or other materials. Scruggs works as a "direct" carver, which is unusual in itself.
First, Scruggs chooses the type of wood that he wants to work with, such as elm, black walnut or mahogany. Then he creates a design to fit the size, shape and grain pattern of the piece of wood by creating a miniature version of the design he has in his mind on a small piece of wood before carving the actual full-scale sculpture. Next, he prepares the wood for carving by removing all bark and drawing the design's outline on the log's surface. Leslie cuts away any excess wood with an electric band saw or chain saw, using the outline as his guide. Gouges (curved chisels) are then used to remove chips of wood and work toward the design he has in mind. He continues carving using rasps, rifflers and files to smooth the gouged surface. Then he scrapes and sands the sculpture. Finally, he uses a high-speed rotary tool to sign the piece and applies a finish using tung oil, linseed oil, polyurethane or varnish to seal the wood and protect it from the elements.
Scruggs sees sculpture as a visual art that cannot translate directly into literal expression. But on a whole, his sculptures are meant to be an alternative to the restrictions of the cityscape and city grid that dulls our senses. The warmth of wood makes a perfect medium for these intentions, with designs of organic and twisting shapes.
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