SCULPTOR HAS `A TALENT ON LOAN FROM GOD' - Sun Publications (IL)

Beware of bears, and Indians, too.They both can be found in Homer Township.

They are the work of tree sculptor Scott Cochrane.

A wood sculptor by accident, Cochrane has developed his skill with chain saws into a second career, one that began by experimenting while cutting firewood.

His first effort resulted in a bear's head.

Cochrane devotes his time before and after work hours to his artistry. Although Scott had no formal training in art, he believes he has found his talent and has spent the last 10 years developing it.

Cochrane echoes the commentator Rush Limbaugh who says that everyone has 'a talent on loan from God.'

Cochrane's merchandising career began when he set up shop outdoors on 159th and Farrell.

After being there for three years, Scott moved to an inside studio, to the 100-year-old schoolhouse on 159th near Parker Road. His present studio is located on Parker Road between Messanger Woods and Route 7. Ventilated and soundproofed, the studio has ample work space.

An outdoor area provides storage space for his tree supply.

Northern Exposure, the name of Cochrane's studio, has an interesting history.

Scott's wife Jeanne grew up enjoying the outdoors and camping. Scott was what Jeanne termed a greenhorn in those areas, someone completely unfamiliar with them.

Slowly Scott converted.

An interest in camping, hunting, fishing as well as driving a truck and growing a beard out of his northern exposure experience in Wisconsin.

Northern Exposure is a better name, Scott points out, than its alternative, Saws and Sawdust.

Between his job as an operating engineer for the Department of Mental Health and his tree sculpture business, Scott spends time with his wife and their three daughters, Samantha, Grace Kelly, and Heather.

Two Great Pyrenees dogs, Sheba and Tacoma, plus four Australian white deer share life at Northern Exposure as well as Jacob, a four-horned sheep that Scot observes resembles some creature from a movie of the occult.

When Scott isn't busy working at both careers or being a husband and father, he is a good neighbor.

This past summer when a neighbor's horse got out of his paddock, Scott took off in pursuit.

Luckily Scott grabbed a broom along the way.

At some point in the game of pursuit, the roles reversed.

The horses put on his brakes, turned around, and chased Scott. The broom became Scott's defense as the horse bared his teeth and continually charged Scott.

As Scott points out, 'You don't know how fast you can run until a race horse chases you.' Successfully Scott ran the horse back to its paddock.

Cochrane scoffs at the title artist.

He says, 'I've been called worse.' His concentration is nature in art.

His approach to tree sculpture includes envisioning a sculpture in a particular piece of wood.

Looking at a tree, Scott tries 'to see what I can get out of it.' Sometimes Scott draws preliminary sketches.

His favorite subjects are those that he personally wants to create.

In addition to doing promo demonstrations for Stihl Chain Saws, Scott also helps preserve trees that have been struck by lightning.

He turns them into yard carvings.

One of those includes a 50-foot baseball hat with the Louisville slugger emblem.

The retail outlets for Scott Cochrane's work are Every Bloomin' Thing in Orland Park and Garden Masters in New Lenox locally and Rockin' Bear in Saugatuck, Mich.