I'd like to welcome you to the school I founded in 1996 to promote and foster a better understanding of the beautiful and at times challenging art of bird carving. Nestled in the southwest corner of the beautiful state of Vermont, the Vermont Raptor Academy offers so much more than the standard carving seminar. You arrive a student; you leave a friend.

I've been carving birds since 1968, and I've been teaching the art of bird carving since 1990. My teaching style is such that I lay it out in a very linear way. At no time will you ever be asked to perform any operation without me first demo-ing it in detail for all to see. In addition to my demonstrations, I spend a lot of time at your side giving you one-on-one personal instruction.

You'll start with the very basics of roughing out the bird, establishing your centerline, balance and symmetry, and bringing forth the shape of the bird. Special effort is put into the dynamics of feather flow, body position, balance, and eye placement. In addition to the carving and texturing of the bird, we also spend a great deal of time understanding the dynamics and importance of a proper paint job, utilizing everything from airbrush to washcoat techniques, creating a translucent and believable depth in the feathers.

In addition to hands-on carving and painting, I also bring in live falconers so you get a chance to see up close and personal a living breathing raptor. You can look at all the pictures you like, but until you see one of these birds in the flesh interacting with its environment, only then can you appreciate and get a better understanding of the magic and the royalty of these terrific birds of prey.

The utmost goal for me as an instructor is to instill a new-found confidence and eagerness for you to go home and take the information you've learned at the Vermont Raptor Academy back to your studio and improve your own carving.