Chainsaw art brings love of family, Patriots to life

FRANKLIN, Mass. — One week before the Super Bowl, a local chainsaw artist is revealing his patriots-inspired creation.

Erik Glockner works for a landscaping company and has taken on a new hobby transforming trees into art.

He’s been at it since last summer, but in just a few months, he’s become known around the town of Franklin for his work.

“This is folk art,” he said. “If you don't have an imagination, you can't make it.”

He transforms white pine stumps into art with his chainsaw.

“If I can draw it, I can draw it with this,” he said, holding up his chainsaw.

Since his wife and son are die-hard Boston sports fans -- particularly the Patriots -- it was only natural he made sports-themed carvings.

“I love them dearly, I love the Pats. The Pats are number one in my life,” Glockner said.

His latest completed work is a 225-pound Lombardi trophy ready for the Super Bowl next week. Glockner plans to carve five championship rings into the back, but he's not getting ahead of himself.

“They got to do their job, just like I got to do my job,” he said.

But Glockner's inspiration runs much deeper than football. It's all about his 21-year-old daughter Abigail Reeve, who has cerebral palsy and is non-verbal.

“The only way she can express herself is to show me pictures of what she likes, and then I try to carve it out into the tree,” he explained.

It's her expression, smile and hug that make this hobby worth all the effort.

“That's why I do this. I do it because I have two good people backing me up. I have her mom, and I have Abigail, and that really sums it all up,” said Glockner.

Glockner told FOX25 he hopes a Patriots player will take his latest work and auction it off for charity.

Cox Media Group