If you’ve spent any amount of time in Central Oregon, you’ve likely seen some of woodcarvings created by The Whittle Shop in Redmond.

The Whittle Shop, located at 3791 Highway 97 just north of Redmond, is a unique Central Oregon artistic staple. One-of-a-kind wood pieces carved there are on display all across the region, including at the Redmond Municipal Airport.

The artists behind the scene are Vance and Doug Fortenberry, a father-and-son duo who can and do carve just about anything you can imagine out of wood recycled from a variety of different projects around the state.

“It’s all custom,” said Vance Fortenberry. “The thing is it’s kind of like Build a Bear … You come in and pick out the pieces you want, and give me the dimensions and sizes and we can make it. We are still in business because we are versatile.”

A soup spoon, a candlestick, or a 23-foot totem pole — the Whittle Shop can do it, said Vance Fortenberry. He started art carving after leaving his job at a mill on the Oregon Coast in the 1980s.

Fortenberry said he started his own carving business with $60 in his pocket. Through hard work he slowly built up his expertise and clientele over the years, eventually carving out his niche in Redmond. Now, art has become his way of life.

“Basically in this field, it’s your whole life,” he said. “When you pick up a tool, it’s just part of you.”

On a chilly, overcast morning in Redmond, Fortenberry stood in his gallery behind a maple desk he’s used for 27 years. He was surrounded by a figurative forest of carved, sanded treasures made from cedar, myrtlewood, maple, walnut, cedar, fir and elm, among others. Intricately carved fish, wolves, birds of prey, and bears pop out among a variety of other creations.

While much of Fortenberry’s art reflects nature, or relies on the natural uniqueness of the materials he uses, he can sometimes get quirky. He’s carved Daffy Duck, Fred Flintstone, and of course, Bigfoot. One of the first items that catches the eye in Fortenberry’s gallery is a life size statue of Sasquatch himself.

“You know what? Who knows?” Fortenberry asked of the hairy, legendary creature of the forest.

Fortenberry said his pieces will be long-lasting, thanks to the medium in which he works. In back of his gallery are hundreds of slabs of wood, some hundreds of years old and worth thousands of dollars. Fortenberry pointed out a large slab of maple that measured 55 inches across.

Aside form what he makes at the Whittle Shop, Fortenberry will do house calls and help turn a problematic tree into a work of art that can be enjoyed for decades. He said some of the trees he carved 30 years ago are still standing.

“It is one of a kind. If you came in to order something, I couldn’t make another like it even if I wanted to. Because it’s one of a kind.”