P R E S S   R E L E A S E
6/25/08
Mountain Dan Smathers Chainsaw Artist
Contact: Fuchia Allen
         Cleveland County Fair Manager
         704-487-0651

There once was a man called Mountain Dan who lived in Etowah, North Carolina (That's near Hendersonville and Asheville, in the Western North Carolina Mountains) He had been a logger in the Northwest, and he was very skilled with a chain saw.
   
One day while sawing a big log, he thought he could see the shape of a bear in it. He decided to find that bear in the log! So Mountain Dan sawed away everything that didn't look like a bear. Before he knew it, he had created his first piece of chainsaw art.
   
Dan's first chainsaw bear was not too great. His head was TOO SMALL. "We called it the pinhead," said Dan's wife Bette. The second bear was better, but his head was TOO BIG. Then Mountain Dan made his third bear, and it was ... Just right!
   
Soon Mountain Dan's chain saw sculptures began showing up in prominent homes, at entrance gates, and in gardens all over the southeast. He had become rather famous.
   
He now carves not only bears of all shapes, sizes, and personalities, But also people, eagles, dogs, even... pink flamingos!