Wood carving collection on full display
John and Sandra Stouffer have amassed a unique collection on their Fordell Farms property — carved trees.
The retired Lower Merion School District music teachers have six pine and oak trees on the residence near the Springton Reservoir.
“We had all these trees, 120 pine trees, in fact, they built the house in the shape of a Z around around them,” said Stouffer. “We didn’t want them falling on the house and I thought why don’t I come up with something original? We decided to create two unique herons from the trunks.
They contacted Marty Long, a well known local chainsaw sculpturer who has done a number of works in the region.
“It was very interesting, he charged by the time the saw was running, Stouffer said. “He did them in a few days.”
A couple of years later they came up with the idea of eagles on two other trees and so Long returned to create one standing on the top of a post and the other bird soaring through the sky. Sandra has named the the birds, Thaddeus, Hermione, Phinnaeus and Hieronymous.
Following that they had the idea of a multi-animal creation on a tree near their driveway entrance. “The Jazz Cats,” is a salute to the couples musical talents, he is a trombonist and Sandra plays the clarinet. On the back is a bongo drum to salute John’s percussion.
“I modeled the trombone,” Stouffer laughs as he makes a skyward display of the slide instrument.
Three years ago, they added the grand finale, a rearing stallion carved from a large oak tree. It overlooks the property, and is in sight of Route 252, on one side are a pair of large horseshoes and on the other the words “Fordell Farms,” the development of 45-50 homes that was the original farm.
Stouffer estimated the horse took two months, and more than 100 hours to complete at a cost north of $7,000. Though Stouffer pointed out this time Long charged a flat price.
Stouffer said after each tree was carved he stained and painted them himself. He added polyurethane to protect them from the elements. He has had them treated to protect them from termites, including the roots. Occasionally he has to perform some light maintenance and painting.
Asked if they might have anymore carvings done, Stouffer said with all the big trees gone from the property the answer is no.