Chain saw artist carves dolphin sculpture from Bonita mahogany tree downed after Irma

Hector Najera Sola, owner of Naples Mahogany Chainsaw Art, works on a dolphin sculpture outside of Kathleen Radcliffe's Bonita Springs home on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2017.

The mahogany tree that stood in front of Kathleen Radcliffe's Bonita Springs home was cut down to a stump after Hurricane Irma brought it down in September.

The once 30-foot tree had been a landmark among her neighbors at Hunters Ridge Golf and Country Club. It shaded people from the sun during neighborhood picnics over the years, she said.

“I loved the tree because it was really beautiful,” Radcliffe said.

When Radcliffe saw leaves emerge at the top of the tree stump and realized the mahogany tree was still alive, she had the idea to turn the tree stump into a sculpture. 

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She had read a news story about Hector Najera Sola, of Naples Mahogany Chain Saw Art, who carves wildlife sculptures out of mahogany wood.

So Radcliffe called Sola to ask whether he could create a work of art from the stump in her yard. 

Sola, who lives in Naples, visited the Radcliffe home to look at what was left of her mahogany tree. Though he had a few concerns about rotten wood, he agreed to give the sculpture a try.

The Hunters Ridge architectural committee granted Radcliffe permission to pursue the project. Sola began working on the mahogany stump last Friday.

Using seven different chainsaws, Sola free-hand carved five dolphins from the wood on the Radcliffe’s lawn.

“Every cut has one type of saw,” Sola said.

Radcliffe requested dolphins for the sculpture outside her Bonita Springs home, but that sea mammal is just one of the wildlife creatures Sola can create from mahogany wood. He also carves pelicans, egrets and turtles.

Hector Najera Sola, owner of Naples Mahogany Chainsaw Art, works on a dolphin sculpture outside of Kathleen Radcliffe's Bonita Springs home on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2017.

Sola said he prefers wildlife sculptures because wood can capture the beauty of different animals.

“I see it when I travel, and then I see it in the wood later," he said.

Sola’s passion for woodworking came from watching his grandfather make furniture in his home country of Guatemala.

Sola’s father then taught him to use a chainsaw when the artist was around nine years old.

Sola said he started chain-sawing sculptures in 2011. He founded Naples Mahogany Chain Saw Art as a business about three years ago.

He sells his work online at his website or at art shows, Sola said.

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Early Thursday morning, Sola returned to work on the mahogany dolphin sculpture on Radcliffe’s lawn.

Five dolphins — two small and three large in size — jumped out of a pile of wood shavings.

With careful precision, Sola used a small chain saw to shape the base of the sculpture, forming waves at each dolphin’s tail.

The chain saw growled as Sola pressed the blade into the wood, making mahogany shavings jump into the air.

Sola finished his final chain saw carvings Thursday morning. He said there are still several steps he must go through before the sculpture is finished.

After using the chain saw, Sola said he will grind down the sculpture using three different types of sandpaper, which will smooth the edges.

Then, he will coat the carving in oil to protect and seal the wood. Finally, he will put three to four coats of clear varnish to give the sculpture a glossy shine.

“It brings out all of the details,” Sola said.

Hector Najera Sola, owner of Naples Mahogany Chainsaw Art, works on a dolphin sculpture outside of Kathleen Radcliffe's Bonita Springs home on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2017.

Although Sola has worked on many different sculptures, the dolphin art on the Radcliffes' lawn is the first carving he has made from a stump that remains in the ground.

He said the challenge is meaningful because it will give the tree a new life after the hurricane. 

“It makes me feel like the tree is back alive,” Sola said. “It’s not completely dead. There’s something beautiful that was still in there.”

Kathleen Radcliffe and her husband, Don Radcliffe, said they are amazed by Sola's creativity.

They've watched Sola transform the mahogany tree stump into the five dolphins sitting outside the home's front door.

“He’s like a tree whisperer,” Don Radcliffe said.

Katleen Radcliffe said she can’t wait for the special landmark on her lawn to be finished.

“It’s just something incredible that comes out of something that was a loss,” she said. “Now it becomes a gain for the whole community.”