About CarversCarvings and Me
Welcome! I thank you for visiting my virtual gallery. My name is Gary P. Carver and my company’s name is, appropriately, CarversCarvings. I create stylized (or “interpretive”) carvings of birds. The shapes are designed to bring out the beauty and character of the wood — and to entice you to touch the carving and experience the form and flow of the shape, as well as the warmth and other qualities of the wood.
My bird carvings work with the natural grain patterns and properties of each individual piece of wood. Therefore, two carvings of the same subject, even in the same type of wood, are different, because the properties of each piece of wood influence the final shape and character of each carving.
After a career as a Ph.D. physicist in scientific research and technical management, I made a “right-brain, left-brain” transition. A more realistic narrative is that science and art are connected through creativity and imagination. Now a carver, my profession conforms to my name. I am a carver who is a Carver (or vice-versa — your choice).
Power Carving
I use hand-held power carving tools to create stylized carvings of birds in a variety of woods, especially American chestnut and other recycled (or “vintage”) woods. Click here to read about my “power carving” process, and to see some photos of me creating my carvings.
My Bird Carvings
I only carve bird shapes partly because I have a flock of pet birds — mostly Moluccan cockatoos. As a result, I am comfortable with bird shapes. Since I aim to show the beauty of wood, bird shapes are ideal as a subject of my carvings. Showing wood beauty leads me to use woods with dramatic grain patterns. My favorite is American chestnut. Click here to learn more about American chestnut wood and my passion for the restoration of the chestnut forests in America.
My bird carvings work to display the wood’s natural color and grain patterns, as well as any defects, including splits, nail holes, stains, insect damage, and even areas of decay. I try to capture the essential features of each bird while simultaneously displaying the uniqueness and beauty of each piece of wood.
The stylized shapes invite touching — or, as I tell folks at art shows, “The birds want to be petted.” My goal is that you connect with the wood and experience its character and qualities. When carving logs or old beams, I leave a section of the surface of the original piece of wood as the base or side of the carving, so that the heritage of that piece of wood is not lost. The old beams of American chestnut and other vintage woods that I carve were rescued from cabins and bars in Pennsylvania, Virginia, and my state of Maryland.
Purchase My Carvings
I sell my carvings at art shows, craft fairs, and, of course, on this site. I do not post prices on individual pieces on this site, as explained on the purchase carvings page.
Contacting Me
I thank you for visiting CarversCarvings.com. I hope you enjoy your visit. If you have any questions or comments, please click here to go to my contact page and fill out my contact form, or send me an email directly here: carver@fred.net
“I tell people at shows they can pet the birds because I taught them not to bite.”
Gary P. Carver, Ph.D. | Founder & Creator of CarversCarvings
About
Gary P. Carver, Ph.D. is the talented artist and master craftsman behind the unique stylized bird carvings found here at CarversCarvings.
Gary is also a long-time member, and Director Emeritus of The American Chestnut Foundation.