ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – It’s been nearly 20 years since Mark Chavez retired from Albuquerque Fire Rescue (AFR). He joined the fire department back in 1983.
He’s now spending his days working in a different capacity. “It’s kind of a unique thing, and I’m proud to be able to do that and humbled to be able to do that, you know? So it’s good,” Chavez says.
During his time in the department, he learned a new skill, chainsaw art. “I started making bears, making bears, and giving [them] away to my family members and neighbors, friends, and whatnot. Finally, one day I was at work and one of the paramedics there says, ‘Hey, can you make me a bear?’ He says, ‘I’ll pay you for it,’” explains Chavez.
From New Mexico wildlife to sea turtles, he’s worked on more than 15,000 pieces, big and small. His works are icons in the city, with pieces outside fire stations like Station 22 and the Open Space Visitor Center on the west side.
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“I did some at, I think it’s Station 27 up on Golf Course and Unser, a few there. Did some at Station Nine over on Eubank and Menual,” says Chavez.
His latest pieces are made from the trees that once stood over an infamous Albuquerque park.
“My latest one is down at Coronado Park, down by Station Four. Finished that earlier this year, it’s a nine-sculpture there that are ten feet tall, big, big sculptures out of some of the trees that were left there. They’re building a new station there, so they’ll have my artwork around them so…,” says Chavez.
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The pieces at Coronado include a hot air balloon, a dragon, and the different divisions within the department. Chavez doesn’t carve as much as he used to, but says he will continue to do the art for as long as he can.
And for anyone who may want to pick up the art style? “Well, I would say that if you have a talent, don’t keep it to yourself. Sometimes we don’t know what talents we have until we try,” says Chavez.
He is also working on another piece for the children’s hospital at the University of New Mexico Hospital. He says it will be a dolphin and people can expect to see it in April of 2026.
