Tokeland Woodfest draws big crowds

By Dan Hammock • August 18, 2021 1:30 am

Tokeland was the center of the South Beach universe on Saturday as people packed the 2021 Woodfest at the Tokeland Hotel.

Everyone agreed, from the time it opened Saturday morning, turnout was even greater than any other year they could remember.

Earl Davis, local artist and cultural programs director for the Shoalwater Bay Tribe, said in his years of coming to and participating in the festival, it was the most crowded he could remember Saturday. He had a booth this year featuring his intricate native-themed wallhangings and his custom cornhole boards.

Volunteers working the Tokeland-North Cove Chamber of Commerce booth remarked it was packed with visitors throughout the day, particularly morning to mid-day.

Live chain saw carving exhibitions roared throughout the day. Jeffrey Michael Samudosky worked on one of his signature octopus carvings in the afternoon, not far from his booth featuring his intricate work.

One newcomer to the show was Luke Gumaelius of Los Osos, California. Working on a live carving, he said he’d been made aware of the festival by local family members and decided to check it out. He said he was blown away by how friendly and laid back the locals were and how well-attended the festival was. He went so far as to say Tokeland is the only other place he could imagine living in other than his native town, located on Morro Bay on California’s Central Coast.

There were numerous returning favorites at the show, including Josh Blewitt with his huge wood spheres, including a new unfinished one he had at the show. Jeffrey Uitto was of course there with his large, elaborate driftwood sculptures. Metal artist Yosef Adams drew a crowd with his work, including a large piece of Han Solo frozen in carbonite and a chain octopus piece hanging alongside it. Rick Wilcox of Drift N Stuff had several new pieces created for the how, incorporating driftwood pieces with glass fishing floats.

It was a family affair for John and Robin Gumaelius. John had one of his first ever wood carvings on display, along with his and Robin’s elaborate clay creations. One of their daughters was showing her handmade jewelry, a son had his own works on display.

DAN HAMMOCK | THE DAILY WORLD Jeffrey Michael Samudosky of JMS Wood Sculpture works on an octopus piece at the Tokeland Woodfest Saturday.

DAN HAMMOCK | THE DAILY WORLD Sculpture artist Luke Gumaelius got word from local family about the Tokeland Woodfest and traveled north from his home in Los Osos, Calif., to participate this year.