Photo by Michael Kelly Bicyclists ride by the relief carving of a pioneer chiseled into the high stump of an ash tree in East Muskingum Park by artist Perl Totman. Another carving in an ash tree nearby, also killed by the emerald ash borer, is under way.

MARIETTA — Perl Totman is continuing to make enduring art out of the wreckage left by the emerald ash borer.

The beetle destroys ash trees, and the remnants of once-mighty trees can be seen standing in East Muskingum Park. But rather than cutting the dead giants down to the ground, the city of Marietta, after a suggestion from the public, decided to give artists a chance to make the park a more beautiful place.

Totman’s first work depicts a pioneer in relief carving, standing next to the wide walking path near the embankment going down to the river.

He’s now working on a massive dead ash near Front Street in the park, but he said this one will take longer.

“It’s going to be a relief carving into the tree, like the other one, but I can’t say how much time it will take,” he said. Unlike the previous carving, the tree hasn’t been trimmed down and still towers over the landscape, it’s branches dead but intact.

Photo by Michael Kelly The beginnings of a relief image of a frontiersman can be seen on a massive dead ash tree near Front Street in East Muskingum Park.

“If I go any further, it might weaken and some of the branches fall, so it would become a danger,” he said. “The city said it could be one or two weeks before they can get to it, but they’re going to have to contract with AEP for equipment that can reach high enough, so it could take quite a while. I’ve had to suspend work for now.”

Another challenge with the tree is working the wood itself. The tree has been dead for a couple of years and has cured out, hardening the wood like iron.

“It’s almost impossible to make any headway with a chisel. I’ve been using an electric chain saw to shape it and knocking some of the pieces out with an adze,” he said.

The image will ultimately be a frontiersman with a rifle, wearing buckskin. Totman said it’s in keeping with the historic theme of the park and the city. A ghostly outline of the image can be seen, with bark piled a few feet from the base of the tree.

Jonathan Hupp, safety services director, said the city began taking down dead ash trees at least eight years ago. He said the city has a tree removal budget but sometimes has to resort to contractors with more robust gear. “Some of those ash trees, they’re real monsters,” he said.

A member of the public a few years ago suggested that the city leave the stumps high and hold a carving contest, he said.

“We wanted to do it in the fall, but all the carvers were engaged with projects, so we decided to wait until spring,” he said. “But once they found out it was ash, nobody was interested. They used chain saws, and they said the wood was so hard it would ruin their equipment. Then Perl showed up.”

Totman, who lives in Belpre, worked for nine weeks, eight hours a day last year on the first relief carving.

“The most beneficial part for me was meeting so many nice people,” Totman, who is 89, said. “I met so many tourists on the River Walk that I started carrying literature for them, giving them information on local history, directing them to points of interest. I’ve been privileged to do quite a bit of traveling myself, and I get heartsick sometimes because I missed so much when I was in places and didn’t realize what was there,” he said. “I don’t want that happening to other people.”

The artist said the ash carving project came to him suddenly.

“Actually, the first time I drove down Front Street and saw that tree, it just spoke to me, like it had to be carved,” he said. “I got in touch with (former council member) Roger Kalter and others in the city, got their permission,” he said. “Everyone seems to be working with me very nicely. They’ve been kind to me, the mayor gave me a key to the city. I appreciate all the help I’ve gotten.”