Above: Tim Hutchins, a member of the Hawkeye Wood Carvers group, stands in front of a tree he carved into a figure of Buddha, using a chainsaw.
By Andy Schneider
Tim Hutchins has been carving things out of wood most of his life.
A military man for 23 years, Hutchins put his time in at Murray Iron Works and the Army Reserve, which were noisy jobs.
So, Hutchins was seeking a quiet, relaxing way to escape the noise of his everyday life. He found peace and quiet when he joined the Hawkeye Wood Carvers group in 1973.
The group was 50 members strong then and full of projects for anyone interested.
The sense of community and unity that the group provided was the icing on the cake for Hutchins. The challenge of the carving and the sense of togetherness the carvers share is what has kept the group going all these years.
The ability to look at a piece of wood and see the object trapped inside was a skill Hutchins has learned to develop over time.
That same skill is what Hutchins would like to pass down to the next generation of wood carvers.
“Everyone is so busy tapping away on their phones,” Hutchins said.
Hutchins has carved different kinds of wood.
Everything from walnut, oak, and willow, to tree stumps using a chainsaw, have been carved by Hutchins. Each type of wood has its own unique properties that the carver has to adjust his skills to create his work.
“Some woods are much easier to work with,” he said.
Hutchins even carved a sign for the Icarian Living History Museum, which was unfortunately stolen from the camp after the land owner sold the property. Hutchins has worked on projects of every kind imaginable.
Hutchins has repaired 100-year-old wooden dolls, carved a guitar body out of wood, and even repaired antique furniture for the Des Moines County Historical Society.
One of the pieces that Hutchins is most proud of is a jewelry box that he made for a doctor in Iowa City. The box consists of 23 different types of wood and has no metal parts. On the lid of the jewelry box is an inset relief of the doctor’s wife.
“His wife looked at it and said ‘That’s me,’” Hutchins said.
This year will mark his 30th consecutive year displaying at the Des Moines County Fair. Hutchins has displayed his works at the Iowa State Fair and has received multiple blue ribbons for his displays there. In addition, Hutchins took part in a carousel horse reconstruction that was displayed at the Iowa State Fair.
The Hawkeye Wood Carvers meet the first Tuesday of every month at the Burlington Public Library. The Carvers meet 10 months of the year, taking June and July off. Hutchins is hoping to renew their interest in the group and add some new members. COVID closed down most public gatherings and it has been challenging to get people to come back to public gatherings.
“I’d like to see 10, or 110 people at our next meeting,” Hutchins said.
There are a lot of ways to spend your time relaxing. Carving may be a newfound way of expressing yourself. Finding the object trapped in a piece of wood with your knife could be something that a younger generation had never considered before. Hutchins enjoys teaching others and looks forward to seeing new faces in the group.
“We had a grandmother bring her grandson in one time. I helped them figure out carving a little. I guess it was on a piece of tree bark,” Hutchins said.
That kind of togetherness and family activity is exactly why Hutchins joined the Hawkeye Carvers. The items the club has created are beautiful works of art, but the bonds formed are just as important. While COVID has stymied the club for a while, Hutchins aims to whittle out a future for the group.