Loon
Medium: Wood and paint
Artist: Tom Cahill

This sculpture is carved from two pieces of basswood. The body is carved from a piece which is 8" wide, 5" high, and 14" inches long. The head is carved from a piece which is 3" wide, 5" tall, and 5" long. The head is carved separately and attached once the body is roughed in. At this point, the bird is sanded smooth and the feather groups are drawn on the body and carved. It is sanded smooth again. The individual feathers are then drawn within the feather groups, carved and resanded. The bird and feathers are then textured to add the image of softness to the feather patterns.

The last step in the carving process is to burn veins into each feather. The bird is then completely sealed with two coats of varnish to set the carving process and eliminate any swelling or shrikage due to humidity. Once the varnish has cured, the painting process starts and the bird receives two coats of gessl (primer) which is the base for the paint.

Thin coats of paint of various colors are applied to create the colors of the species. Portions of this bird have 20 or more coats of paint. Once complete, the bird is once more sealed with two coats of sealer to protect the paint layers from damage due to humidity. This loon took approximately three months to complete.

It should not be handled with bare hands as finger oils will deteriorate the finish.