Woodworker Spends 100 Hours Carving a Crocodile Emerging from Wood Bar Top

Crocodile Bartop by Scott Dow

Working from his studio in northwestern Pennsylvania, Scott Dow is a skilled chainsaw artist who is always pushing his creativity to the limits. One of his most impressive projects to date is a unique bar top made from locally sourced catalpa. A carved crocodile rises from the center of the table, its body and head emerging from the “water.”

It took Dow about 100 hours to finish the stunning piece. He was inspired to take on this ambitious piece of woodworking after seeing a carved fish emerging from a wood surface. While Dow's years of experience told him that something on a small scale would be easy, he decided to challenge himself and take the concept large scale. The end result is an incredible piece of furniture that is also a work of art.

As Dow's croc rises from the water, its body causes little ripples across the surface. The woodworker perfectly captures all the textures of the scene, from the smooth glassy water to the rough jagged texture of the crocodile and its teeth. After several coats of finish, the crocodile bar was ready and will soon be on its way to its owner.

While some technical obstacles arose during the making of the sculpture, Dow rose to the challenge. In the process, he realized that it was possible to bring his vision to life and, now, he's already on to the next bar top, this time featuring a snake.

He hopes that by looking at this piece, people realize that anything is possible. If you are interested in a piece of your own, Dow does take commissions and can be contacted via Instagram or Facebook.

Woodworker Scott Dow recently made an impressive bar top that features a crocodile.

Crocodile Bartop by Scott Dow

The crocodile seems to emerge from the wood, baring its teeth.

Crocodile Bartop by Scott Dow

Dow was inspired by a small sculpture of a carved fish emerging from wood.

Woodworking in Progress by Scott Dow

He challenged himself to see how the concept would work on a large scale.

Woodworking in Progress by Scott Dow

Incredible Woodworking by Scott Dow

He estimates that it took about 100 hours to bring his vision to life.

Crocodile Bartop by Scott Dow

Incredible Woodworking by Scott Dow

Crocodile Bartop by Scott Dow

Though this impressive carving has sold, Dow does take commissions.

Incredible Woodworking by Scott Dow

Scott Dow: Facebook | Instagram

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Scott Dow.

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Jessica Stewart

Jessica Stewart is a Staff Editor and Digital Media Specialist for My Modern Met, as well as a curator and art historian. Since 2020, she is also one of the co-hosts of the My Modern Met Top Artist Podcast. She earned her MA in Renaissance Studies from University College London and now lives in Rome, Italy. She cultivated expertise in street art which led to the purchase of her photographic archive by the Treccani Italian Encyclopedia in 2014. When she’s not spending time with her three dogs, she also manages the studio of a successful street artist. In 2013, she authored the book "Street Art Stories Roma" and most recently contributed to "Crossroads: A Glimpse Into the Life of Alice Pasquini." You can follow her adventures online at @romephotoblog.
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