BIG BUZZ, LITTLE BUZZ: Local carver takes young Tennessee apprentice under his wing

By Shawn Cunningham
©2015 Telegraph Publishing LLC

Summer school never looked — or sounded —  quite like this. For the past week, Barre Pinske has been teaching a master class for one in chainsaw carving at his Depot Street studio in Chester. That’s nothing out of the ordinary except Pinske’s student is a 14-year-old who traveled more than 1,1oo miles with his grandparents to attend.

As professional carver Barre Pinske stands back, apprentice Presley Thornton, 14, carves into a slab to create a relief of an eagle. Photos by Shawn Cunningham

Presley Thornton of Fayetteville, Tenn., started using a chainsaw to cut firewood for sale when he was 13. But when he saw videos of chainsaw carving, he made a career choice. Using a heavy old saw with a long bar, Presley tried his hand at carving a stool. “It came out all right,” says Presley during a carving session on Thursday, “so I tried carving a chair.” Selling a few carvings, Presley saved up to buy a saw and carving kit with the smaller, more precise carving bar, then started making bears. That was nine months ago.

Looking to improve his work, Presley next sought the advice of professional carvers. “I’d contact them on Facebook and ask questions about oils and finishes or whatever to make my carvings better,“ said Presley. After seeing a video of Pinske making a bear, Presley contacted him and, after some back and forth, was surprised to be invited to Vermont.

While his family may have been skeptical at first, after talking with Pinske, Presley’s grandparents surprised him with an offer to drive him to Chester for a weeklong stay. When he returns home this weekend, Presley will start his freshman year in high school and keep carving. After high school, Presley says he’d like to work as a logger and do carving part time “until I get my reputation established, then I’ll carve full time.”

He’s not ruling out college though. “I’ve thought about art school,” says Presley, who wants to do abstract carvings as well as the usual bears and eagles. “The more I do, the more things I want to try. Maybe painting.”

In addition to its artistic expression, Presley says that carving is an escape from everybody and that the noisy work is “peaceful.”

Pinske agrees, saying that someone with an active mind needs stimulation. “When you’re carving, there’s something happening there in the wood and when you get to it, you find there’s something else waiting to happen. It’s challenging and it’s a better outlet than drugs . …”

“Presley has tapped into something at his young age,” adds Pinske. “He has passion and talent; he’s a really cool kid. I don’t invite everyone to come here.”

Presley says he one day would like to have a place like Pinske’s home-studio. “You’ve got a job here whenever you want it,” Pinske replies.