Better known as Skip, the chain saw artist started his work last August on the remains of a 150-foot ponderosa tree. The sculpture will become a "guardian spirit" totem for the Metolius.

"The Forest Service ruled the tree unsafe after it was struck by lightning and wanted it removed," he said. "The wonderful owners of these lodges, Vickie and John Hornbeck, decided to give the community a work of art. Hence, I started on the guardian spirit of the Metolius."

The finished ponderosa pole will be 22-feet high and will symbolize the area's local ecosystem, according to Armstrong. He expects to complete the project in 2003.

"The river will be at its base and I want to include all the animals found in the basin. Layers will include beaver, otter and raccoons," Armstrong said. "Bear, bobcat, coyotes, deer and mountain lion will be on other layers. Also represented are birds of prey, various owls and heron. There are nestlings screeching up to the sky and a large eagle will be on top as the defending spirit of the Metolius Basin."

This pole will be like the Native American totem poles of earlier Northwest peoples except the animals will actually be present as carvings.

"The 22-foot pole will rise from the river and reach up into the air," he said.

Skip Armstrong's pole may be viewed in front of the Metolius River Lodges located on Road 700 near downtown Camp Sherman. It is a short distance from the Camp Sherman General Store and Post Office parking area.

Skip lives in Sisters and has been sculpting for 30 years. Past clients include Clint Eastwood, Olivia Newton-John, Burt Reynolds and others.

Locally, his work may be viewed at Sisters Furniture store on Hood Avenue, the Black Butte Ranch Lodge restaurant's wall horses mural and the Broken Top clubhouse doors in Bend (geese flying in and landing on the lake).