Tips From A Pumpkin Carving Champion

CHATHAM – Many sculptors — including, reportedly Michelangelo — see a finished piece within a block of stone or other material; all that’s required is to chip away the extraneous bits.

 That’s the way that Scott Cully sees pumpkins.

 Cully, a member of Chatham Bars Inn’s valet team, is a world-class pumpkin carver, creating amazing sculptures out of the seasonal squash. He prefers large pumpkins — even giant ones — and has several times been listed in the Guiness Book of World Records for carving the world’s largest jack-o-lantern, one of them an 1,800 pound monster.

 “All I’m doing as a carver, as a sculptor, is I’m bringing out what’s already in the pumpkin,” Cully said in an interview. “My entire design is working around whatever’s there.” He prefers ugly pumpkins. “The nastier it is, the easier it is for me. Half the work is done. Nature does the work.”

 Cully carves a couple of 1,000-pound-plus pumpkins a year, usually at casinos or other large venues, and mostly focuses these days on smaller ones in the 150-pound range.

 “That’s the perfect size,” he said. He won’t be carving the giant 1,349-pounder now at the inn’s main entrance, which was grown in Topsfield by 22-year-old Henry Swenson. That size pumpkin would take Cully about three hours to carve; he generally figures about 45 minutes per 100 pounds.

 “It’s not a fast deal. I really take my time,” he said. He also interacts with his audience, especially kids, who are fascinated by the carving process.

 Heavy pumpkins are best for creating three-dimensional effects because they have thicker skins, Cully said. He calls his style relief carving.

 “You can’t add things on, so you take things away,” he explained.

 While some pumpkin carvers create intricate designs, Cully considers himself “a very traditional carver.”

 “I always carve a variation of a Halloween face,” he said. “For me, it’s all about Halloween.”

 Cully began carving pumpkins at his family farm in Sharon, Conn. in the late 1980s. The farm had 20 acres of 200- to 300-pound pumpkins, and one afternoon, a glass of hard cider and sharp knife in hand, he began whittling away at a pumpkin. “I’ve been carving ever since,” he said.

 He’s traveled around the world showing off his skills, carving pumpkins in New Zealand, Germany and Canada, as well as across the U.S. He’s been on television, including the Tonight Show and Today. Once, in South Africa, he was told that his carvings promoted Satan.

 Asked for some pumpkin carving tips, Cully suggested getting as large a pumpkin as possible, since the flesh will be thicker. Look for the ugliest pumpkin available. “All that ugliness will help the finished carving be Halloweenish, be ghoulish,” he said.

 Use face painting crayons to trace a design on the pumpkin. They are easily erased, whereas Sharpies are permanent. Don’t start cutting until you are satisfied with the design. “You can’t undo the cut, but you can undo the drawing,” he noted.

 Cut out the bottom, not the top. That keeps the stem intact and makes it easier to place the finished pumpkin over a light source. Scooping out as much of the insides as possible will keep the pumpkin from rotting.

 Make sure your tools are sharp. Cully uses a three-inch paring knife for carving and large spoons to clean out the interior. 

 “It’s been a blast,” Cully said of his career as a world-class pumpkin carver. “It doesn’t pay much, but it’s been a hell of a good time.”

Cully will carve pumpkins on the front steps of Chatham Bars Inn and offer carving tips on Saturday, Oct. 26 from 11 a.m. to 2p.m.