My name is Angela Polglaze and I am a ‘Power Carver’.‘Power Carving’, as the name suggests, is the practice of creating monumental sculpture quickly with the use of powered tools … primarily chainsaws, grinders, sanders, routers and the like. A noisy, jaw dropping, crowd-pleasing spectacle, ‘Power Carving’ has become a popular Performance Art of it’s own accord, with public events drawing huge crowds the world over.13 years ago I was to pick up a chainsaw for the first time in my life with the sole purpose of making art. Immediately hooked, it wasn’t until 2002 that I discovered the International Power Carving Circuit via the internet. Beyond my wildest imaginings this discovery lead to a whirlwind 8 years of carving in over a hundred competitive and non-competitive events around the globe, including Canada and Japan, across the USA and the UK, and various European countries. I was quick to become recognized amongst my peers as one of the leading female competitive power carvers in the world during this time, winning several awards along the way, including being the only woman and non Scottish resident to win 1st place in Scotland (still), and the first female to place 1st in a ‘Masters of the Chainsaw’ chainsaw-only carving event in the USA. A prolific decade for me to say the least, with total dedication to my chosen art practice, and although I have explored various subject matter over the years (and still do), my bold use of color and my ‘Cheesy Chick’ series … or ‘My Girls’ … have undeniably become my signature pieces, with ‘Clown Girl’ winning 3rd in the USA 2006 and ‘Little Miss Leather Fetish’ taking 3rd in the European Open in Steinbeck Germany 2007. In 2006 I was a founding member of the first international female power carving team, the ‘Chainsaw Chix’. It has been a wild, creative and hugely inspirational life journey these past few years, and a terrific amount of fun, but I have missed being home in Australia and I am delighted to be back, and honored to be a participant … alongside some of ‘My Girls’ … in the Outsiders Festival of 2009. We look forward to seeing you there !!
