To pass the time in his retirement years, Leon Mager of East Bethel spends many hours hunkered over plain pieces of wood, carving them into works of art.

His interest in wood carving spurred off from his grandfather’s love of carpentry and not from any ambitious desires for commercial gain. See more in ABC Newspapers feature story by Eric Hagen.

Leon Mager has tried many types of wood carving techniques resulting in a wide variety of artwork. He won a blue ribbon at the Minnesota State Fair for his nativity scene wood carving (right side of the photo). Photo by Eric Hagen