Artist Details
Dan Steadman
Pender Island, B.C.
Dan Steadman has always loved trees. From southern Saskatchewan, Dan made his way west to Pender Island, British Columbia, where he began carving simple wood forms with a chainsaw. A move farther west to Ucluelet landed him in the workshop of local wood carver Terry McKinnon. Encouraged by Terry, Dan began carving bigger and more dramatic pieces.
Today, Dan doesn't call himself a chainsaw carver. He does use a chainsaw to form and shape the wood into his vision, along with as much detail as the chainsaw will afford. For finer detail he uses smaller power tools and hand tools. Dan finishes his work with a water-based, non-toxic varathane. This protects the wood and provides a low-maintenance finish.
Dan's workshop is the great outdoors, about 20 feet from the beach on Pender Island. He gathers his carving wood from the beaches and also utilizes blowdown on his own property. All the wood is native to the west coast including maple, red and yellow cedar, and Garry oak.
A simple, organic lifestyle suits Dan best, beach-combing for wood, loving the nature that surrounds him.
