Sun King Chainsaw Art
by Janet Perry
Jon Parker loves his life. He spends his days doing what he loves, while surrounded by his beautiful family, and with the Continental Divide as a backdrop. Jon is a chain saw artist. His carved bears have character, expression and feeling. The detail in his carvings has helped him earn a name for himself as an artist and his business is thriving.
Jon hails from Minnesota, the son of Norwegian farmers. He speaks of Viking blood with a twinkle in his eyes, and acknowledges their influence on his life. Jon is a 'character' with a healthy respect for freedom. He loves working outdoors in the fresh mountain air, and in Nederland, Colorado, this can be challenging. (Nederland's winds can reach 100 mph!) His wife, Mary, grins as she tells of how "she use to tell her friends she was 'looking for a lumberjack' and she found one in Jon." Jon later admitted that the hearts appeared on his bears when he met Mary.
Jon knew he was an artist from a young age. He was always drawing, and remembers his childhood gifts were often art supplies because he was quite good at it. Later, he took to painting denim and leather jackets for fun. The pleasure he drew from this 'hobby' spurred him on to other creative endeavors.
Like many artists, Jon sat his creative work aside and instead worked construction when he became a father. As he supported his family doing construction work, he dreamed of the day that he might incorporate this larger scale work into his art.
Jon laughs when he says, "Thankfully somebody was willing to let me use power tools to make art." He had studied welding, and was thinking of turning this into his next artistic endeavor when he noticed a chain saw art business on his daily route. He remembers thinking to himself, "I could do that!" For Jon this was pure serendipity.
Jon got his start in chain saw art in Manitou Springs. Once he started creating his own designs and was successful as a chain saw artist, he picked up his family and moved to Nederland, Colorado to open Sun King Chainsaw Art. You can find his 'Ned Critters' all over town. Currently Jon is creating the centerpiece for the town's famous "Frozen Dead Guy Days." He likes doing custom orders and is creating a piece that will go behind the bar at Roy's Last Shot.
Their location is easy to find. Sun King Chainsaw Art is located on Second St., just off of Nederland's traffic circle, and you can see the activity as you enter the town from the Boulder Canyon, (Highway 119). Just look off to the left for a happy-looking Norwegian guy with a chainsaw. Stop in and say hello. Jon and Mary love to greet visitors to Nederland and show off the wonderful 'Ned critters' that are gathered about the place. Its definitely a fun outing for the whole family to enjoy!
