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www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver Weekend, Saturday July 22, 2006 - 3 A chip off the old block By Krissie Rutherford OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF LISA KORTMANN / OAKVILLE BEAVER A 5,000 pound, 200-year-old oak tree is sitting in Richard Posa's driveway. It's 14 feet long, four feet wide and after being struck by lightning a few times, it's dead. Where most people see firewood or an enormous nuisance ­ the tree's fall also left a giant hole in his driveway ­ the Oakville native sees enormous potential: for giant bathtubs, huge bowls and King Kong sized bed frames. "I look at this tree and just, wow," said the 37-year-old, smiling. "I've always wanted to make a countertop with the sinks "My thing is carved right into it, and this is per- about giving fect." grandpa a second The tree didn't fall from Posa's life, saving things property. It's from a golf course in that are wasting downtown Toronto, and it came into his possession because a away." member of the course knew exact Sculptor ly who to call. Richard Posa "She'd seen my work at a One of Kind Show, so she got in touch with me and told me they had this dead tree," said Posa. "They just wanted to get rid of it." That's music to his ears. A creator, illustrator and sculptor, Posa has made a business of salvaging dead trees. It's called Baumbaba. "It's all about salvaging the wood before it goes rotten, or before people cut it up for firewood," said the Sheridan College illustration grad, whose one-man design and furniture company encompasses everything from paintings and murals to wooden sculptures, giant bowls, beds, tables and tubs. "My thing is about giving grandpa a second life, saving things that are wasting away." There's evidence of that everywhere. Countless logs are cut and drying in his back shed. Inside his house, everything is homemade ­ his enormous bed-frame, tables, giant bowls, chairs and benches with seats and bowls carved into them. "It's not exactly conventional furniture, but that's why I like making it," he said. "I haven't found anybody who's doing what I'm doing." Last year, Posa spent a month making a wooden bedframe that's nine and a half feet long, seven and a half feet high and seven feet wide. He's made bowls that could hold enough food to feed an army. He calls them "giant bowl vessels." WHAT SHOULD I DO NEXT? : Richard Posa relaxes in his kitchen where all the furnishings are homemade. See Oakville page 7 Making Your Cooking Fun & Easy ing Fu · Knives and Garnishing tools · Spiceracks · Small Appliances · Cookware and Tableware · Linens, Aprons and Mitts · Bakeware · Barware · Espresso makers and accessories Summer Hours: Monday-Friday 10am - 6pm Saturday 10am - 5pm Sunday CLOSED River Glen Mews Plaza 2530 6th Line, Oakville (905) 257-3500