Original bird carvings-ducks, birds of prey
and song birds, working decoys,
bronzes, carving items for sale, etc.
The Studio of Kerry Smith
Original bird carvings-ducks, birds of prey
and song birds, working decoys,
bronzes, carving items for sale, etc.
Original bird carvings-ducks, birds of prey
and song birds, working decoys,
bronzes, carving items for sale, etc.
Flying Coopers Hawk: The Carving of Amazing Grace
There is an old hymn that so many people know and love and it describes God’s grace. It starts out as Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me, I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see. For those who know me, I am not one to wax into the corny christian metaphors nor do I give meaning to things where meaning is not found. But for me and so many other people, we find the love of God through the beautiful world that God has created and find a rich sense of renewal and strength in the outdoors. This is the case for the carvings that I do and the meaning that they have for me.
About 8 years ago I first saw a beautiful Coopers Hawk as my family and I visited Second Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee. I had come to Memphis as the Baptist Student Union director at the University of Memphis and my family became members of Second Baptist. The grounds of the church, commonly called The Grove, since it has huge beautiful Oak trees and blooming dog woods, is home or at least traveling grounds for a number of birds and birds of prey. Redtail Hawks and Coopers Hawks regularly venture to The Grove because of the numerous squirrels and song birds that offer these birds of prey a steady source of nourishment.
On my first occasion of seeing the Coopers Hawk, I was just amazed at how it flew. It was as if it was a grey ghost, zooming through The Grove at high rates of speed. I became simply enamored with seeing the bird. Somedays I would simply go and park my car and wait for an occurence to see it. Many times it would not disappoint me with a flash or a cruise through the trees. And during those times I found myself deep in my soul thanking God for something so beautiful and graceful.
Meanwhile, jobs were changing, kids were growing, and the one constant was the ability to go to The Grove and experience an occasion with this bird. I soon learned that it was a female Coopers Hawk given it’s size. Sure, every once in a while, I would see the male but there was such a big difference in body size, with him being smaller, I was quickly able to tell the difference.
Over the last 25 years I have carved. Not always for a living but at least part-time, offering myself a relief from self imposed stress and a little source of income. Maybe I would at times only carve a couple of birds a year, but I found it to be so relaxing. And I guess I got pretty good with it. I guess. In 2003 this would all change. Two back surgeries later and an end in my contractual agreement with my employer, I was facing some tough decisions. In all of the changes, the few constants in my life have been a loving family, an ability to carve and the presence of God. I had just finished a carving when my contract had not been renewed with the American Baptist Churches. I was greatly disappointed but chose to take a step, a huge step, and jump off the vocational edge into an unknown. Even now my palms are sweating! But always, always, I could go to The Grove and see this beautiful hawk.
One day I came to the church and had lunch in a room that looked out in The Grove and I saw the female Coopers Hawk flying to a brance close by the window. Just below the window was a squirrel. I instantly put two and two together and saw lunch about to be served to my friend. In a moments notice, she had pounded off of the limb and flew within feet of the plate glass window at a bulleted freefall. As she approached the squirrel something truly amazing happened: the squirrel spun around and lunged toward the hawk. To my surprise, the hawk put on the back swing and flew away from the squirrel back to the tree. She almost looked stunned. She gathered herself and once again plunged herself into a dive and I knew that the squirrel was a goner. Once again the squirrel spun around and began a full run towards the hawk, to which she viered off and flew away.
I have come to call the female hawk Grace, because like God’s Grace, she allowed me to glimpse into another world and place and experience peace of mind and heart as all of the storms of life pound away. Those storms I have come to understand are sometimes self imposed and sometimes caused by our own fear to not take the steps on a path that God has so wonderfully laid out. I had to go through a number of vocations in order to finally come to a place where I would allow this gift of carving to be pulled out. In that sense, I really was lost. Lost in what I thought was what I was supposed to do, yet deep inside was this art form trying to come out. In this way, these words from song really do apply; “I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see”. And that too applies to these wonderful, neat works of art, that are also a part of God’s Grace.
I knew I had to carve her. I knew it. But what an enormous undertaking it would be. And how would I carve her; flying of course! I had lost my mind. What a huge project! I just had no idea what was in place. So I began to gather all the refernce I could and to begin thinking about anatomy and artistic license where I could. Below is the carving of Grace.
Here is Grace, the female Coopers Hawk. I have carved her in three seperate pieces and at this stage I have temporarily attached each of the pieces: the wings, the head and the body. Later I will permanently attach them.
This is the head of the Coopers Hawk. I wanted to be able to turn it therefore
I detached it away from the body. I thought that it would make a plesant carving
with the head slightly turned. Also I carved the mouth open and carved the tongue
inside of the mouth, one piece without inserting it.
This is the head in the beginning stages of being burned with a wood burning tool
Next is the head carved and painted.
This is a limb. You may say it looks like a bunch of small rods welded to look like a limb. Well, I don’t think so! As an artist, I see much more. I am going to attach this limb to the body of the bird later.
Here is the limb, all bent out of shape, er uh, bent in shape and supporting the hawk. Notice that it is on a black base. Later I would add leaves and acorns and other things to make it look like a limb but I then took them off. I did not want anything to take away from the carving-the simple limb would suffice.
Once I have carved feather groups and reduced the bulk of the size of the bird, I then will burn it. Here is a picture of the tail feathers.
Once I have completed the burning process, I will begin painting.
Here is tail painted with three coats of oil paints.
Here is the overall bird temporarily attached to the limb.
Here are the first coats of paint on the top side of the bird. One of the insane things about carving an entire bird is that you paint top and underside of the bird. Another coat on the top side and then I will begin painting feather edges and adding depth.
Here I am painting splits and feather edges.
And finally here she is in the home of her new owners. I have often said this and I do believe it but I would almost rather give my birds away than to sell them. Why? Because I see what I am able to do as a unique gift from God. To put a dollar sign which is secular in nature on to this gift makes me more than just a little uncomfortable. I literally pour my soul into each one that I do. It is a truly painstaking event for me to carve or create something and I find that I give a piece of myself in these creations.
Filed under: Recently Completed on January 29th, 2007
Hi I love the Cooper’s Hawk , What kind of steel wire are you using for support? Where can you purchase it? Last question can you bend it buy hand?. Thank you so much . Tim
The wire is a simple wire from Home Depot. I simply welded it in place and heated where needed to bend it to look like a limb. Then I gessoed it and painted it.
The man I was to marry sat in my patio doors in the sun to keep warm watching the birds and squirrels outside……sometimes I would attach a dried corn on cob to a string and hand it over a branch outside so he could play with the squirrels hanging on to eat and swing with like comic clowns. He seemed to be calmer watching a Cooper Hawk as he perched and looked back at him like he was watching over him and they seemed to have a common knowing over those 9 months of visiting. Those 9 months were spent sleeping and watching that hawk during chemo that devistated his body but managed to get to that window daily to see if that hawk was there. On the morning of his death…….the Cooper Hawk sat on the closest tree by the house which he hadn’t done before. The nurse that came by saw it…….my sons saw it………and even going outside……..as low as he sat on the tree that he used to climb to trim or do other things…….the Hawk stuck close and never flew. Since that time, when I am at a low, I see the hawk…….sometimes flying in front of my car…….or sitting and watching………and I remember him saying……you better take care of yourself……..I am going to watch you like a hawk…….and he does…….and is………and I am always glad to see him. He is and will always watch over me. I still hear him whistle in the woods…….as he used to do…….sometimes see him…….as he smiles…….and I remember………and will always remember the trust……..love and time we had…….while he lived.
Kerry,
I am a woodcarver as well and could not help but to e-mail you and tell you how wonderful your carving is(Grace) I also was thinking about painting my male kestrel in oils(usually use jo sonja acrylics)and was wondering if you would tell me what kinds of oils you use. I was wanting to get away from an airbrush and try oils but I am afraid of the shine. Any pointers would be terrific. Thank you much for your time. Sincerly,
Eldon
Hi Eldon, oils can offer flexibility over acrylics. I will usually buy liquitex oil paints or whatever is on sale at the local art store. By flexibility, what I mean is that there are a number of drying agents that you can use that will give you a different result. For example, good ole turpentine will leave a flat sheen, which is what I prefer over shine. After you mix your color, use a dropper and add a couple of drops of turpentine and mix some of your color with a brush with the turpentine to get the consistency of paint you want. You will notice that you have to keep adding turpentine to the mixture. Don’t make it too runny or too thick - somewhere in the middle. Grumbacher makes a line of mediums and I will use Grumbacher no. 2 sometimes. I know that Marc Shultz used to make a blending medium and it is good as well- not sure if he still makes it. However there is a drier called Cobalt drier that is really shiney and I usually will stay away from using too much of that drier. If I do use it, I will only use a couple of drops. I think Japan drier also is real flat.
Understand that when you put oils onto your burned surface, you need to remove them. In other words, I will paint with one brush and then with a stipling brush I will remove the oil paint out of my burned surface. The reason for that is with the same way with acrylics, I don’t want to fill up my burning marks. Usually it takes me a couple or three coats to give me the depth I need. It is almost like staining.
Now the beauty with oils is that I am able to blend where I need to and I am able to take my time and blend. I can stiple, and drag and push colors. And ultimately I can get a real soft look. Hope this helps. And oh by the way, use odorless turpentine. And also, mix varying colors together to get your desired color you would like. The mixing of different colors will also give you a faster dry but still nowhere like acrylics.
I would recommend burning a few feathers on a flat piece of wood and practice with oils and different mediums. Take care and thanks for your compliments.
Kerry, I love your carving of the coopers hawk. I also noticed you mentioned your back surgeries. Unfortunitly I have also had the unpleasure of a back injury. I went through years of treatments and surgeries for nothing. I was a proud stone mason who loved his work. I am now on disability and suffer with constant and varying pain. So called residual side effects from my surgeries. I also used to carve and found some great enjoyment in the process. My favorite part was the texturing. I would burn and stone the feathers on the bird and then put in the glass eyes and it would seem to come to life. I almost hated to paint over all that work. I actually used the technique that Ernie Muehlmatt used,burning for color and only adding shades of white where needed. This only works on birds of duller plumage. When I started working with stone I thought this stuff can be carved and began carving stone. I met a Romainian sculptor who worked in the union and started getting pointers from him. I fell in love with stone and turned my attention to carving this beautiful material. Alas thats when my back started getting worse. I had worked for years with a so called herniated disk. After going through tests rehab and more tests they finnally found that I had no disk at all, and one more that was failing and decided to do surgery. The first surgery did not work so they tried again. Then they told me that there is another disk that is also failing. I went to several specialists and they all told me the same thing. It could go in 6 weeks 6 months or tomorrow. I was restricted to lifting less than 10 pounds for the rest of my life. I have found it hard to do anything remotely close to a normal lifestyle. I used to love the creative process and the rewards of seeing something I could accomplish wyth a vision and my own two hands. I have lost that creative energy. I know that happens to artists some times. It seems I have been struggeling with everything in my life my phisical being my marrige my art and even my faith. I would love to find that peaceful place I used to find myself in when I would get lost working on a piece of wood or stone at one time. I have tried many times to get it together and grab a piece of wood and try carving a little song bird,but I become frustrated and the pain and or medication seem to make it worse. I have tried to carve without medication with medication, self medication it all seems the same. Frustration and the loss of that peaceful meditative feeling I once found. I am not one to give in though and will continue to try and find that innermost part of my soul that once brought so much to me long ago. I also noticed your bronze Redtail and think its beautiful. I went back to college a while back to try something new. Using my brain instead of brawn. I took a required art class and told the professor of my bird and stone carving and she asked to see some of my work. I showed her some and she invited me to attend a sculptural class where I could do a bronze. I had always wanted to do a bronze piece and started working on a flying falcon. Where I used to live there was a nesting sight of peregrine falcons. Which are the inspiration for the piece. When I would visit the site every time the female would show up out of nowhere and pearch nearby. She was absolutley beaatuful.I have the wax done however it still needs to be cast. I was unable to return to the school due to the illness of my mother. Someone had to stay with her and help take care of her. I am hoping to finish the piece, but the school is going through an evaluation process. That usually means the art department takes the biggest hit. I was told to try and get it cast at a foundry to finish it. Then after doing some research I found the price was very expensive. I also found out that the price of bronze has increased.Thats when I e-mailed the professor and asked about next year and was told of the evaluation. I hope the art department is safe and survives. I have moved to the country with my wife and daughters now. I have a great love of nature and all of gods creations and hope to find some inspiration out here. I used to take long walks at some of the parks where I lived before my back injury. Since I have moved here I have seen alot of wildlife,and there are large wildlife refuges nearby.Spring is coming soon and I am going to try and visit some the parks for inspiration. I’m sorry for writing such a long letter. I would like you to know that your site has sparked some enthusiasm in me. Maybe just what I needed to back to that wonderful creative place. Thank You
Charles, hmm, you know these website things with their blogs are kinda funny. Most people do these and probably I was one of those people, in order to make money and do business and what not. You know I have never gotten one order from this website. Lots and lots of looks. But you know what? I think the greater value of this website is not in how much money I may make but rather what kind of impact I can make, which goes beyond money. There ain’t a starving artist anywhere that I know of that doesn’t wish to come up with a way to make more money. But every artist that is worth a flying rip would much rather know that the creative process that has caused the creation, including the inspiration and motivation, is something that is passed along. And there probably are artists that are so caught up in their own self-centered creations that they lose sight of how it is that they came to be so creative which is beyond their own limitation-self.
So, for you friend, how do you get to the place where the pain is not the driving force in your creative spark? I tell you now, that after a few hours of work, I still have problems getting up to move around. Sure I need to move more frequently but I find that in the process I lose conciousness of all that is around - a zone of sorts and that is what I want and wish for you - to be unconcious of the pain, at least for a moment. It is expensive for you to finish that falcon, but you need to - it may be your lifes work, for heavens sake! So tomorrow morning, as I wake and stumble to the place where we all start our day, trying to shake the pain from my own legs, I will remember you and ask that God will do the same, knowing that the pain may not go away but knowing that in the place of creativity, you can find a place of rest.