For nearly half a century, Tom Ahern has carved wooden sculptures that awaken awe and tactile curiosity in the minds and hands of many fans. His masterful body of work takes us on a fantastic tour through the kingdom of birds, both domestic and exotic. Clearly, among bird carvers worldwide, few are his equal.
The diverse complexities of each creature’s shape are ingeniously expressed in his immaculate forms and richly expressive surfaces. Ahern is undaunted by the numerous challenges sculpting each new animal brings. His meticulously rendered, ever-expanding world of paint and wood deepens our thirst for the outdoors and engenders a fresh encounter with the animals around us.
Ahern’s long distinguished career as an animal carver began after his parents returned from vacation with some old hunting decoys and pictures of contemporary carvings by the Ward brothers, known in the art world for their wildfowl decoys. He initially resisted his mother’s encouragement to apply his hand to this art form since his hours at the time were consumed with making furniture in anticipation of his marriage.
He eventually started making birds for family gifts and continued refining his craft while he worked at Bethlehem Steel. In 1982, he left that job to fully immerse himself in art. His award-winning work remains popular as he continues doing shows up and down the East Coast.
The level of artistry in his bright Bethlehem workspace is mesmerizing. Each animal beckons from the exquisite constellation of finished pieces. One hardly knows where to look first: from the complex articulation of a bird’s wing whose visual rhythms were gloriously captured in midair, to a female cardinal, a mountain blue bird and a white-breasted nuthatch.
To achieve such refined heights, a bird carver must be highly skilled, both as a painter and a sculptor. One without the other yields impoverished results. He possesses both skills in abundance and deploys them brilliantly. If you enjoy animal sculptures, this is as good as it gets. An encounter with the birds that populate Ahern’s world is highly recommended.
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