Master woodcarver Paul Stark will be bringing his talents to Lake George this spring to create a life-sized sculpture of a birch bark-style canoe guided by a frontiersman and four Native Americans. The sculpture will grace the Lake George Lakefront Walkway between the Village docks and the Steel Pier on Beach Road. A model of the sculpture was unveiled this morning at a press conference held at the Fort William Henry Hotel.
Stark will begin the work in May at a location north of the Village, and then the carving will be relocated to the Beach Road site for completion. “At the outset, while it’s under creation, I don’t think there’s any question, that people will come from near and far and make sure to see this work in progress,” says Village Mayor Robert Blais. “I also think that once it’s completed, it will become a destination point. I think it will be on postcards all over the world.” Completion of the sculpture is scheduled for mid-August to coincide with the 260th anniversary of the Siege and Surrender of Fort William Henry.
The idea for the project came from local residents Kim and Rod Cornelius. “The initial vision for this project began a couple years ago when I served on the Lake George Town Comprehensive Plan Committee,” says Kim. “I always felt that our community could provide historical artwork and education for its residents and tourists. When our friend Paul Stark came to visit us last fall, he carved a pine tree on our property and shared his vision of creating a life-size canoe with Indians and trappers that represented here. I knew it was just what Lake George needed.”
The Cornelius’ brought their idea to Mayor Blais and the Village Board. “They were amazed by Paul’s talent and enthusiastic about the whole idea,” says Kim. She and her husband immediately set out to raise funds for the endeavor. They formed a not-for-profit corporation and solicited donations from residents and local businesses. To date, they have $62,000 in pledges and will continue working to raise another $30,000 to meet expenses. The sculpture will be gifted to the Village of Lake George.
The artist has located a 25-foot long, 60-inch diameter red cedar in British Columbia that will serve as the raw material for his work. The log will be trucked to Lake George and brought to a spot along Route 9 for the initial carving. Members of the French and Indian War Society will advise the sculptor on the accuracy of historic details.
Blais says they estimate four to five truckloads of sawdust will be produced as Stark’s saw reveals the canoe and men hidden inside the Canadian tree. The sawdust, says Blais, will be used for the new dog park planned at the Lake George Recreation Center on Transfer Road.
“It was our vision when we built the Lakefront walkway,” says Blais, “that it wouldn’t just be a walk along the lake …It was meant to someday have some more meaning than that, and I just want you to know that this particular work of art will be number one on the walkway. I envision two or three other works of art to be placed upon the walkway in the next several years, so people will be able to walk along the walkway, read about our history, and it will have a lot more meaning than just being a walk by the lake.”