Charles Gunther

Decorative wildfowl sculpture

Carved in tupelo.
Painted from life.

Waterfowl, birds of prey and songbirds, carved in tupelo and painted from living birds. Charles Gunther has worked from his New Jersey studio for more than thirty years.

See the work
Blue-winged Teal, carved and painted by Charles Gunther

Selected work

All work →
Screech Owl

Screech Owl

Megascops asio

Blue-winged Teal

Blue-winged Teal

Spatula discors

Great Horned Owl

Great Horned Owl

Bubo virginianus

American Wigeon

American Wigeon

Mareca americana

Canada Goose

Canada Goose

Branta canadensis

Screech Owl

Screech Owl

Megascops asio

From the bird to the block

The process →
  1. Time with the living bird

    01Time with the living bird

  2. Working out the pose on paper

    02Working out the pose on paper

  3. A head study

    03A head study

  4. Blocking out the form in tupelo

    04Blocking out the form in tupelo

  5. Roughing out the body

    05Roughing out the body

  6. Carved and textured, before paint

    06Carved and textured, before paint

Charles Gunther with a hawk on the glove

The carver

“Every sculpture starts with time spent with the living bird.”
About Charles

Charles takes on a small number of commissions each year. Inquiries →