WINTERSET, Iowa — As communities across Iowa and Illinois continue to grapple with the damage caused by the emerald ash borer, one Iowa artist is transforming the destruction into something lasting.
Gary Keenan, a chainsaw sculptor based in Iowa, has spent the past decade carving intricate works of art from ash tree stumps left behind by the invasive beetle. The emerald ash borer, one of the most prevalent invasive species in the Quad-Cities region, can kill ash trees within one to three years and has devastated tree canopies across the Midwest.
Keenan has been commissioned by several Iowa cities, including Winterset, Iowa Falls, Dallas Center and Adel, to turn dead and dying ash trees in public parks and along trails into sculptures. He has also completed private commissions across the state. You can check out his work or contact him here…