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WORLAND - Worland resident Ryan Green is becoming known as a master pumpkin carver after the privilege of carving up Jay Richard's giant pumpkins two years in a row.

Last year was the first year Green and Richard teamed up with Green carving up Richard's nearly 600-pound pumpkin into the head of a dragon. He said carving that pumpkin took him eight to nine hours, which he did in one day.

This year's undertaking took longer, going into a second day. The 955-pound pumpkin was transformed into a giant hand holding seven heads. Green said the faces alone were taking two to three hours to carve.

Green is a self-taught carver starting four to five years ago, he said. He has always loved art but only studied formally in college at Idaho State University where he learned jewelry design. He said he also has done pottery. And he uses those pottery tools, clay sculpting tools to carve his pumpkin designs.

He also uses some kitchen tools - scouring pad to smooth things out and steel wool to give the faces some texture.

Green said he has carved many a jack-o-lanterns and will have a few on display at the Midway Auto annual pumpkin gutting contest where already carved pumpkins will be judged. For the giant pumpkins he has done about seven, he said.

He added, "I'm lucky enough to know Jay. He likes growing giant pumpkins and I like carving them."

He lets the pumpkin's shape and size dictate the design to a degree. This year's pumpkin which had a wide circumference but wasn't necessarily deep, he immediately saw faces on the side and knew he wanted to do the hand with the faces.

He used an app that produced a 3-D image of the pumpkin for him on his computer after he uploaded photos. Using the image he was able to plan the design.

Last year he carved the dragon head free hand. This year he sketched it out on the pumpkin first before making his first cut.

The carving began Thursday morning and finished Friday. It will be on display today at Midway Auto.

Green said he will spray it with an anti-fungal to prevent it from rotting too quick. Once it's ready for the compost, it will be opened up for the seeds to be removed. Richard will take the seeds and use them for his giant pumpkin growing classes he offers, as well as using them to grow more giant pumpkins.

Ryan, who is the store manager at Worland Midway Auto, and his wife Caranna moved to Worland in 2014. They have seven children. Green said his children also have artistic ability and as a family they do a lot of art projects.

"We go through a lot of paper," he said.

As for pumpkins, he said they'll be carving some this weekend, not wanting them to rot before Halloween on Monday.