Hometown: Southern New Jersey

Born in rural Southern New Jersey, I began drawing at an early age. My formal training in art began at Glassboro State College, now known as Rowan University. While there I became fascinated with the abstract expressionists through Prof. Gerald Monroe and created boldly colored, loosely rendered landscapes in oil. During that time my design was selected for a large mural for the Chamberlain Student Center. I graduated in 1985 with a Bachelor of Arts degree.

 

I began showing my work in Southern New Jersey galleries in group, two man and solo exhibitions.

 

With formal training in art, along with an electrical construction background, I made a living combining my skills by becoming an architectural draftsman and electrical designer.

 

Later, I continued my education at the Continuing Education Department of the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts under Jill Rupinski and Joseph Sweeney. Through studio and plein air classes my focus became primarily on landscape, using pastels for their immediacy and rich color.

 

My work is inspired by many different artists: John Constable, Vincent Van Gogh, Giovanni Boldini, Piet Mondrian, Mark Rothko, Fairfield Porter, George Inness, Wolfe Kahn and Ives Klein, to name a few.

 

As an artist, I paint, in a realistic style, scenes that are inspired by actual locations. Sometimes very accurately rendered and at other times only using it as a starting point. The suggestion of detail is done by the scraping of pastel, a smudge with his finger, one color placed strategically beside another fascinates me. It’s that act of painting that I’m interested in. The exploration of the surface versus the medium. In the end creating a record of the experiences that brought forth the finished piece. I attempt to create works that the viewer can appreciate as a beautiful representation of a place or dig deeper, up close, and take in the painting for the abstract qualities, assorted colors and shapes placed in various ways on paper.

 

As an avid fisherman and boat captain I spend many days on the water. Through that experience I’ve been developing a body of work that is based on the landscape of Southern New Jersey, where I live, as well as other areas along the East Coast. I have won best in show and other awards. And my work is in both private as well as public collections and continues to be exhibited throughout the area.

 

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Hometown: Pennsylvania

John has been interested and involved in drawing animals since a very early age. Progressing through realism to a more Impressionistic style, even bordering on abstraction, his current work evokes a field study glimpse of motion and color. John portrays his unique perspective on the subject matter; capturing the instant of a strike or change of direction in bold, bright, thick oils. Striving to infuse his work with passion and strength, each piece reflects a captured memory of his days on the water or in the field.

 

John earned a BA from the University of Cincinnati in Marketing and Advertising and currently studies with Gene Kangas, a professor of art and sculpture (retired) from Cleveland State University and the University of North Carolina. John was born and resides in Western Pennsylvania and has lived in several other states across the country. His work has been featured in many publications including the Pittsburgh Tribune Review, Hunting and Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Whirl Magazine, The Canvasback and Downhome Life, a Canadian Publication. John’s work has been sold through the major Wildlife Art Auction Houses such as Copley Fine Art and Guyette and Deeter and several galleries across the country. He is an avid outdoorsman who enjoys the flyrod, gun, and of course his binoculars for birding. In the fall he enjoys working with his Llewellin Setter Glory in the fields and woods of Pennsylvania.

Hometown: Philadelphia, PA

Growing up in the suburbs of Philadelphia, Rich spent most of his summer days tromping through the woods always headed to one of his favorite fishing holes. After high school he joined the Navy to see the world. It was while stationed in Virginia that Rich attended the Mid-Atlantic Wildfowl Festival and was just awestruck with the wonderful carvings that he saw. As someone with a love of nature and fishing in particular, Rich began carving in 1985 often focusing on nature and the beauty that he saw while pursuing some of his favorite pastimes. Rich’s interests were piqued on how he could go about creating such beauty out of wood. Ducks were Rich’s first interest and garnered much of his attention during his early carving days. Entering his carvings in the many competitions always kept him striving to better his art, to increase the creativity and the wow factor, always looking for that special pose that would catch the judge’s eye.

 

Fishing had always been a significant part of Rich’s life and continues to be to this day. His latest works center on recreating the beauty that Rich sees in the fish and of the days remembered pursuing them. Waterfowl and Fish have been the focus of most of Rich’s carvings but there has been an occasional flower, shore bird, or a puffin or two.

 

Rich often starts with a picture and creates a pattern and subsequent woodcarving with various degrees of detail. Often each scale is carved or burned into the wood to capture those intricate details. When painting, each scale is hand painted with several applications of media. He develops color with multiple coats of various paints, pastels and powders, using both an airbrush and artist brushes. Starting with an airbrushed base layer followed by pastels and powdered paint, he creates an accurate and long lasting piece of art.

Hometown: Savannah, GA

For over four decades Bernie Houston has traveled both nationally and internationally collecting driftwood with most pieces found in the Atlantic region of the United States.

 

Bernie grew up off the coast of Savannah Georgia where he was surrounded by driftwood. “The paradigm shift for me as a very young artist was selling my first sculpture right out of the box in a gallery in my own home town”.

 

Bernie studied art at the prestigious Savannah College of Art & Design. After graduation and while working as a graphic artist, he continues to present and exhibit his sculptures in galleries and art festivals across the country.

 

Because nature does not mimic itself Bernie’s creations are fifty percent nature – fifty percent the unique talent and creativity of the artist. His entire collection is one-of-a-kind and created using one solid piece of driftwood. There is not a single piece like it on the planet. Bernie believes the wood determines the nature of the piece so he meticulously chooses driftwood based on its age, shape and overall form. His sculptures take shape first with curing then careful cutting and sanding. In the final stages, Bernie’s sculptures come to life with the finishing touches of polish and paint.

 

Bernie’s gift is his ability to visualize and carve each piece of driftwood into a unique work of art. The right tools, the right style of carving, and complete attention to detail result in truly unique and wonderful masterpieces.

Richard (Dick) Snyder graduated from Eastern University in 1974 with a BA in History and Political Science. His love of hunting ducks and geese led to his desire to start carving decoys. At that time there were no carving instructors in his area, so he learned by reading books and watching videos and just carving. Although he started carving decoys, he now prefers to carve songbirds and raptors.

 

Dick currently belongs to the Lancaster County Woodcarvers, William Rush Woodcarvers and Delaware Valley Woodcarvers. He competes at these shows and has won several Best of Show ribbons and scores of blue ribbons. He also competes at the Ward World Carving Championship Show. In 2013 he won Third Best of Show in the Intermediate Class. He moved to the advanced class and continues to win ribbons. Dick is a respected judge at local woodcarving shows as well as at the Ward World Carving Championship Show.

 

He has been teaching private classes for several years and has been asked numerous times by clubs and organizations to demonstrate carving techniques, habitat making and airbrushing. He also teaches weekly lessons to a recently organized carving club at Shannondell Retirement Village. He enjoys sharing his love of carving and is very proud when he sees the smiles on the faces of his students as they learn to carve.

Hometown: Centreville, MD

While growing up in rural Pennsylvania in the early 80’s, I discovered I had a natural ability to draw and transform images in my mind to pen and paper. My abstract pieces were often random and complex in nature, with many sharp angles and contrasting shadows, creating a visual feast.

 

After my academic studies, I joined the US Navy where my passion for drawing continued. I created many military murals and was given the honor of designing a decommissioning patch. I continued to pursue the arts, developing my own style and technique for drawing animals, trees, and people that gave them a truly lifelike feel.

 

Being a nature lover, I began to transform local wildlife into my stunning works on display now. My love for birds of prey in particular is evident in the extraordinary and visually appealing three-dimensional effects in the eyes and textures of my pieces that is unrivaled.

 

I live in Centreville, MD, with my wife and children and create my work in our home art studio.

Hometown: Berlin, MD

Bennett Scott is an Eastern Shore of Maryland native, where the outdoors, birds and art are themes that have dominated his life.  Spending time in the marshes of Worcester County gained him tremendous knowledge of waterfowl and their habits.  He has been carving professionally since 1970 and in each of his wood sculptures, he strives to capture the essence of his subject.  His carvings have won numerous awards and recognition.  He is a member of the Easton Waterfowl Festival’s Hall of Fame, served on the Ward Foundation Board of Trustees and has held various committee chairmanships of the Ward World Championship Competition.

 

Bennett received the Ward Foundation “Living Legend” Award in 2017 honoring his impact on the field of wildfowl art and the Ward World Championship Wildfowl Carving Competition.

 

Bennett is generous in spirit and commitment to teaching others and passing on his knowledge, skills and talent.  He was an instructor` in the National Endowment for the Arts “Carving Out Future Decoy Makers” program.  Bennett resides in Berlin, Maryland.

Hometown: Lewes, DE

William was born on Virginia’s Eastern shore and moved to Delaware when he was a couple of months old. He started carving when he was ten, to be like his father, and has continued to practice the art. His accomplishments include numerous Best in Show awards including three Best in Division awards at the Ward World Championships two in the Champagne Division and one in the Contemporary Antique Division. William has also had the honor of winning the Ward Museum’s Chesapeake Challenge three times and Best of Shows at Tom’s River, NJ., Rappohanock, Va.,Havre de Grace, Md. and others.