Local wood carver Pete Ryan will be featured in a new 10-part television series.
He joins veteran carver Steve Blanchard and several of the world’s top chainsaw sculptors in Saw Dogs. Each episode follows the team as they battle short deadlines, tight budgets and conflicting artistic sensibilities to complete a series of intricate commissioned wood carvings.
“It looked like it would be fun working with other carvers,” said Ryan, who has been carving for 39 years. “I think it’s going to be a big boost for wood carving and it’s going to bring a lot more interest to the business.”
Buck Productions, a Toronto-based entertainment company, chose the Squamish Valley as the setting for Saw Dogs. Carvers spent 13-hour days working on each piece at the “Saw Valley” ranch.
In the premiere episode, an eagle-themed sculpture for the signature hole at Furry Creek golf course presents unexpected challenges. Ryan, a nature specialist, and speed carver Ben Risney each sculpt their own bald eagles, which are joined to a massive stump with a built-in bench. However, a rookie forklift operator nearly destroys the piece when he accidentally decapitates one of the eagles.
Other projects in the series include creating a treehouse for a tycoon’s mansion, a mermaid and massive communal table for a waterfront revitalization project, and putting together a life-sized statue of a Super Bowl punter.
Saw Dogs premiers Jan. 24 at 9 p.m. on OLN.