Mareika Neumann, a 48-year-old art therapist from Bad Hersfeld, has discovered a unique artistic passion that combines traditional woodcarving with modern technology. Through the art of chainsaw carving, she transforms ordinary tree trunks into impressive sculptures, creating works that emerge from what she describes as a "dialogue with the wood."
When Neumann lets her creativity flow, the process tends to get quite loud. She discovered chainsaw carving several years ago and has since become fascinated with this distinctive art form. Her sculptures often feature feminine forms, though she also ventures into abstract creations depending on what the trunk's growth direction and knot holes suggest. Her artistic approach is fundamentally guided by the material itself, with her works generally characterized as introverted and contemplative despite the noisy creation process.
Due to the loud nature of chainsaw work, Neumann regularly practices her craft at a friend's landscaping business in Bremervörde. The wooden female figure that stands in front of her home was created there. She rarely works on her terrace or in her home garden, and when she does, it's usually on smaller objects to be considerate of her neighbors. Interestingly, she notes with a smile that no neighbors have complained so far.
Chainsaw carving, also known internationally as "chainsaw carving," originally comes from America and combines traditional wood carving with modern chainsaw technology, explains the artist. This technique allows for the creation of large-format and detailed sculptures much faster than conventional carving tools would permit. The method enables artists to work on a scale and with a speed that would be impossible with traditional hand tools.
Neumann's artistic journey began early in life. "I've enjoyed creating things from a young age and carved as a child," she recalls, laughing as she adds, "at least within the limits I was allowed to carve back then." She grew up in Heilbronn and came to Bad Hersfeld later in life, drawn by both love and career opportunities.
Art is more than just a hobby for the 48-year-old. After graduating high school with art as an advanced course and completing a year of voluntary social service, she studied art therapy, as did her husband, who took a position at Bad Hersfeld Hospital after graduation. Mareika Neumann works at the Hainberg Clinic, a specialized facility for psychosomatic medicine and psychotherapy. Her studies included psychology, medicine, artistic training, and self-experience, and she discovered her passion for sculpture and three-dimensional design during that time. About six years ago, her husband gave her a chainsaw course as a gift, followed later by her first personal chainsaw.
Her toolkit includes a chainsaw and angle grinder, along with hollow chisels and mallets when working on wood sculptures. Safety is paramount in her work - she wears hearing protection and appropriate safety gear including goggles, gloves, and safety shoes, plus a mask when doing grinding work. She sometimes uses oils, resins, lacquers, or specific waxes to prevent cracking, mold growth, and graying. Understanding wood types is crucial to her work, as different woods vary not only in color and hardness but also in fiber length. Neumann particularly enjoys working with birch and fruit woods like cherry and plum.
Before shaping and designing begins, the bark must first be removed, which often reveals that a tree trunk looks completely different without its outer layer, as the wood artist explains. Only then does the natural form become visible. Additionally, ensuring the trunk has a secure, stable position is crucial when working with saws and other tools.
A particularly special experience came recently when Mareika Neumann participated in the Georgenthal Land Festival as a resident artist. There, she created three large-format sculptures directly in nature on a cleared forest area in the Thuringian Forest. She titled this project "Voices of the Forest," which allowed her to work in the natural environment where her materials originated.
The Bad Hersfeld artist is regularly out in forests and meadows, always carrying a small carving knife and basic kit. She rarely returns home without at least one small branch that has caught her attention. This habit continues even during bicycle tours and hiking trips in the Alps. "I'm happy to carry the extra weight," says Neumann, demonstrating her dedication to finding inspiration in nature.
In her work as an art therapist, the 48-year-old uses different materials and approaches. The focus there is not on producing something or creating a piece for the living room. Rather, art therapy, which is used for conditions like depression, anxiety disorders, and other psychosomatic illnesses, serves to express feelings that are difficult to put into words, to come into contact with oneself, and to let go of control.
Currently in Bremervörde, Neumann is working on an oak trunk. What exactly will emerge from it remains open, similar to another trunk in her garden where she clearly recognizes a flowing movement and an outstretched arm taking shape.
While Mareika Neumann has not yet exhibited her works publicly, she is considering it. However, she most enjoys viewing her wood sculptures in their original context - in their natural place in the environment where they began as living trees. This connection to nature reflects the essence of her artistic philosophy and the dialogue between artist and material that defines her unique approach to sculpture.
