Wood sculptor not one for wasting time

Wood sculptor Jimmy Phillips begins carving something out of a tree with his chainsaw.

“I get great satisfaction from taking a big block of nothing and turning it into something. Plus, I really enjoy the reactions I get. People stop by while I’m working and they’re awestruck. Young kids and old folks especially are crazy for it. For me, it’s about making stuff.

“I had a brother who died at 57. He had brain cancer. They did surgery and chemo and radiation and on and on, and then he died. All during that time he was staying with me because he was divorced and had nobody to take care of him. When he died, it became impossible to piss me off. And I refused to waste time. My wife loves to go to the casinos and throw money away, and I abhor it. I think it’s an intense waste of time.

“I like to do things all the time. And I like to make stuff. I try to start at least one new project every day. My house looks like a cheap souvenir shop because of it. There’s stuff everywhere.

“On occasion I have to finish one. That’s the nasty work, finishing it. But it’s important because it pleases your eye. Then when you’re done with it you can say, ‘That’s good enough.’”