Gary Orthober
My goal as a bird carver is to carve and paint them as realistic as possible. As I study bird anatomy, I find that they are like humans in that no two are exactly alike, in size, color, or personality.
I try to impose a touch of personality in the way each bird is posed and in how the feathers are fluffed and the eyes are treated. Some are at rest, some have just landed, some are ready to take off, and some are just going about their daily activities. I realize that only God can make a real bird!!! What I try to do is take a piece of wood that “God has made” and remove everything that does not look like a bird. That’s what gives me joy and contentment.