LIFESIZE OTTERS - CHAINSAW CARVING
"BAILEY"
- a beloved companion
STORMY
OTTER SCENE - "Temptation"
"The Rainbow's End"
CAROLINA PARAKEETS
MERLIN
BARRED OWL
PILEATED WOODPECKER
HOUSE SPARROW
EURASIAN KINGFISHER
"Mt. Brushmore"
NORTHERN FLYING SQUIRREL [a Powertool carving]
CANYON WREN
EASTERN BOX TURTLES
Chainsaw Black Bear
BABY PAINTED TURTLES
CECROPIA MOTHS
SAW-WHET OWLS
NORTHERN CARDINALS
BABY GREEN SEA TURTLE
WINTER WRENS
EASTERN BLUEBIRD
BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE
GREAT-HORNED OWL
CAROLINA WRENS
LIFE-SIZED BLACK BEAR CUB
Some time ago, our good friends, Don & Amy, asked me to carve three "critters" for their fireplace mantle: 1. hungry Pileated Woodpecker nestlings poking their heads out of their nest hole on one end of the mantle; 2. a concerned Pileated Woodpecker keeping an eye on her nestlings; 3. a worried-looking Black Bear cub trying to climb up onto the other end of the mantle. Each of these carvings is more difficult than the previous one. The first two carvings have been completed and installed. I expect to install the bear cub this Saturday, May 11.
EVENING GROSBEAK
RUSTIC CHESS SETS
About 20 years ago, while living in Long Lake, NY, my son, Zach, and I made an attractive Rustic Chess Set and the Chess Board to go with it. Many games of chess have been played with that set on that board since then, and, when not being used for play, it makes a great decoration and conversation piece. Seeing it reminds me of the day Zach and I took a little hike to find the right saplings for the pieces -- a very happy memory of spending quality time with my son.
I've decided to make a few more Rustic Chess Sets. So, here is a slide-show of the process.
I've decided to make a few more Rustic Chess Sets. So, here is a slide-show of the process.
GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS
PILEATED WOODPECKER
I recently completed a life-sized, female, Pileated Woodpecker designed to accompany her recently hatched nestlings on the left corner of a customers' fireplace mantle. She will be over-looking her nestlings, but also showing some alarm at a struggling Black Bear cub attempting to climb the opposite corner.
PILEATED WOODPECKER NESTLINGS
CHIHUAHUAN RAVEN
TREE SWALLOW [a Powertool carving]
WINTER WRENS
"Free Room and Board"
A Powertool carving of a Common Loon & Chick.
Now in the collection of Mrs. Patricia Simmons.
A Powertool carving of a Common Loon & Chick.
Now in the collection of Mrs. Patricia Simmons.
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"Magnetic Flat Birds"
A sleepy Screech Owl showed up in the studio, recently.
Yellow-shafted Flickers
AMERICAN BITTERN
GOPHER TORTOISE
SWIMMING OTTERS
FAMILY FEUD
Powertool carving involves using electric-powered tools to grind the wood away and to texture it. Here is a slide show of the process of converting a solid block of basswood into a difficult and intricate carving, using "powertools".
SNAPPING TURTLE
LITTLE GREEN HERON
WOODCOCK
HORNED GREBE, winter plumage
Quite a few years ago, on a very cold mid-winter night, while driving through the country on a state highway in northern NY State, my headlights picked up a Horned Grebe in the middle of the icy road. I imagine the bird had been blown far off course in a winter storm and had mistaken the shiny road surface for water. Since these birds require a run across the water to become airborne, the stranded bird was unable to take off. I picked him - or her - up and brought her home.
The grebe floated buoyantly and peacefully on a few inches of water in my bathtub, with its head pulled back and 'hunched' between its 'shoulders'. All seemed well, but the bird died during the night.
I sketched the grebe as it floated in the tub, and roughed out a carving of the bird, not many days later. I always intended to finish the carving, but that roughed out grebe has been part of my studio 'decor' for the past 25 years, or so. Finally, I'm getting around to finishing it. Unfortunately, my memory of the bird has dimmed, and I can find no pictures of the bird in this particular pose. I'll just do the best I can.
The grebe floated buoyantly and peacefully on a few inches of water in my bathtub, with its head pulled back and 'hunched' between its 'shoulders'. All seemed well, but the bird died during the night.
I sketched the grebe as it floated in the tub, and roughed out a carving of the bird, not many days later. I always intended to finish the carving, but that roughed out grebe has been part of my studio 'decor' for the past 25 years, or so. Finally, I'm getting around to finishing it. Unfortunately, my memory of the bird has dimmed, and I can find no pictures of the bird in this particular pose. I'll just do the best I can.
BLUE-THROAT
ROADRUNNER
CEDAR WAXWING
SLEEPING GREAT-HORNED OWL
WARBLERS
SNAPPING TURTLE
COMMON LOON in DISPLAY POSTURE
FLEDGLING ROBINS
BOBOLINK
Here's a bird I have "always" wanted to carve! I'm so glad I'm finally getting around to carving some! I used to love to see them and hear them, while growing up in upstate New York and Canada. It has been many years since I've seen this special bird. It's time I make one to hang on my wall.
RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH
RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRDS
EASTERN PAINTED TURTLES
BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER
7" COMMON LOONS
SANDERLINGS
If you've ever been to the beach, you've probably seen these cute little birds running along just out of reach of the waves. Except for a single Solitary Sandpiper I carved as many as forty-five years ago, or so, these will be my first shorebirds. I'm looking forward to seeing how they turn out!
LINCOLN'S SPARROW
Here's another species I'm carving for the first time: the very handsome and secretive Lincoln's Sparrow. I've wanted to carve this bird for quite a few years, so I'm thankful for a customer who recently suggested that I should carve some of the lesser known and seldom seen Adirondack species.