Cranky's Workshop

Butch Kuchta, also known as the Cranky Carver, creates whimsical wooden sculptures depicting a variety of characters. With each sculpture, Butch experiments with scale, various subject matters, unconventional materials, and most importantly storytelling. His portfolio includes larger than life chainsaw carvings of woodland animals, expressive faces etched into golf balls, and intricate patterns hollowed out of egg shells. For the last decade, Butch has been delving into the many personalities of Santa Claus. He has depicted everything from the traditional Santa with the red hat and white beard, to Santa driving a boat or Santa as a pirate. "I like doing Santas because of their expressions. I get my inspiration from people, the way they talk and the way they act."