Transformations on the Shore celebrates 30 years of chainsaw artistry<\/p>\n
Published 10:30 am Friday, June 26, 2026<\/p>\n
The Campbell River Shoreline Arts Society marked the 30th anniversary of Transformations on the Shore, its annual chainsaw carving event, at Frank James Park in Willow Point.<\/p>\n
The event\u2019s origins traced back to Canada Day 1996, when well-known local artist Max Chickite spent 10 hours carving a remarkable octopus from an old beach stump. The sculpture, affectionately named \u201cOcty,\u201d was Chickite\u2019s gift to the city. Days later, vandals severed the octopus\u2019s head and made off with it, but it was recovered 11 days later on a logging road. Chickite repaired the charred and damaged head and restored it to the body.<\/p>\n
The act of vandalism sparked outrage across the community and, in a roundabout way, gave birth to the competition. Organizers reasoned that if a city could be so shaken by damage to a single carving, it would surely embrace a city filled with them. Transformations on the Shore launched the following year and went on to be witnessed by thousands of visitors and residents alike over the decades that followed.<\/p>\n
The competition itself was dreamed up by Chickite and Barb Comeau, who watched him work that day on the beach in 1996 and together envisioned what the event could become. This year\u2019s organizing group welcomed a new addition: Comeau\u2019s son Rob, keeping the founding spirit alive across generations.<\/p>\n
Fifteen carvers participated in this year\u2019s event, including returning artists Max Chickite, Dan Richey, Brigitte Lochhead, Jesse Toso, Jr. Henderson, Steve Ordano, Clinton Bleaney, Ben Hemara, Volker Steigemann, Karver Everson, Ernie Puglas, Tyler Welfing and Dave McKamey, as well as newcomers Hamb Davtyan and Aaron Grant.<\/p>\n
The event takes place through Sunday.<\/p>\n