“If this is too noisy, we can move.”
This is the first thing that Thomas Barlow, a local sculptor, said in his interview with The Sopris Sun. Cars whipped by on Grand Avenue in Glenwood Springs and an entire dance team sat and talked outside Jimmy John’s, where Barlow had just completed his most recent project.
The carving depicts a massive eagle, with its wings spread perpendicular from the ground. In its metal claws the eagle grasps a salmon with a bewildered and somewhat humorous expression.
Rewinding, Barlow explained how he came across this latest job opportunity after seeing a massive stump standing next to the restaurant.
“I was driving by and I saw this and was like, ‘Woah, woah, wait a second,’” Barlow recalled. “I called the owner up and said, ‘Who do I have to speak to to carve this tree?’” Fortunately, the owner relayed that “his whole intent was to have someone sculpt it.”
As he spoke, still in the wood chips, Barlow explained that while he loves being a sculptor, it wasn’t his first career. Although, happenstance through his initial profession did lead him there.
“I actually started out as a chef,” he revealed. “From the very first chef I apprenticed under, I did ice sculpting — so I picked up ice sculpting from him. I was competing at 18 already, and even competed against him at one point.”
Barlow still cooks, and, of course, has continued his sculpting journey, dabbling in sourced materials other than ice. In fact, he is versed in seven different types of sculpting: ice, wood, snow, metal, glass, marble and even sugar. Barlow likes to work with these different materials for the sake of variety.
An important consideration when choosing a type of material to carve with is the intended longevity of a piece. “Maybe a tree sculpture isn’t permanent, but the metal you do for a railing in someone’s home, that could be there for generations,” he stated.
“I knew that if I ever got bored with food, it was my own fault. There’s so much you can do with food,” he stated, before drawing a pertinent comparison. “It’s the same with metal … There’s so much that I can still learn.”
Barlow has done many different sculptures around the Valley, including but certainly not limited to: a Wells Fargo wagon out of ice, the metal elk at the El Jebel roundabout, a skateboarding-themed totem pole in El Jebel, a fish carving and a grizzly totem pole at the Redstone Cliffs Lodge and more.
Barlow left The Sun interview with a pitch. “I need Carbondale to find a tree for me to carve,” he laughed. “Maybe in the park someplace, or maybe that rich person can donate some land on Main Street.”
Photos of Thomas Barlow’s sculptures can be found on his Instagram page: @thomasbarlowsculpture