“Tom”

Happy Thanksgiving! “Tom” - Wood and Oil. Aside from carving its tail feathers separately for strength, I carved this strutting second year Tom from one piece of Tupelo Wood! The base is carved mahogany its legs are steel. 

The beautiful strutting turkey has become a prominent symbol of Thanksgiving. When the pilgrims arrived in America from England, roasted turkey replaced the goose as the main cuisine because wild turkeys were plentiful and easier to find than geese. In fact, they numbered about 10 million. Although they declined to the point of being endangered, modern breeding practices have brought their numbers back into the millions. Now, it’s the choice for Thanksgiving celebrations worldwide. Many thanks to all those who follow my work! Have a blessed holiday!