As I began thinking about retirement from a wonderful career at a Fortune 500 company, I thought what could I do that would be challenging, useful in some way, and a complete departure from the corporate business.
An opportunity presented itself in an advertisement by a local artist for a class on wood carving. Carving has fascinated me since I was a child watching a friend of my parents carve baskets, faces and flowers from peach pits.  This was my “ah ha moment”  to combine my love of wood and interest is birds and animals. I first learned to whittle and carve with a knife which is the rudimentary tool of the art.  A few years later, I felt the need to increase my skill level and began studying with several world renown masters.
My primary focus is studying and sculpting three dimensional  birds, ducks and other animals.  Each creation is unique, paying attention to each facet of what Mother Nature has provided. My wood of choice is Tupelo and acrylic paints.
After deciding what to sculpt and the pose, work begins using knives, power tools, hand sanders and burning tools to complete the sculptor.  Acrylics paints make the sculpt come alive to the eye.  Each creation takes from 100 hours to several months depending on the size and complexity.  Transforming a piece of wood into a copy of a living bird or other animal is my passion.  The possibilities are endless.