You may know Steve as the BNC volunteer

who works with our birds of prey, but did

you know that he is also a gifted artist?

Steve is an amazing wood sculptor, carving

mostly in ‘found wood’, primarily found in

local woodlands or as driftwood along rivers

and lakes, but he is always looking for that perfect piece, wherever he is.  Steve combines his love of nature and animals with his gift of being able to see movement within the twists and turns of the grain and shape of the wood.

“I enjoy finding an old piece of wood from the forest floor, scraping away the dirt, rot, and decay, to find the portion inside that wants to continue living in the form of another creature, or sometimes just a form of beauty in the wood itself.  Then, I simply help it out of there and give it everlasting life for someone to enjoy in their home and to pass down to generations to come, or simply just observe and feel."

Steve is an accomplished artist winning many awards at select art shows and in April of this year had the honor of winning second in the world at the prestigious World Championship of Wildfowl Carving, world class division, held each year in Ocean City, MD. Not only will Steve be available to talk one-on-one during the silent auction portions of the event, but he will also give a presentation sharing his artistic passion and his love of animals - he might even have a few bird of prey training stories to share!