Check Out Ray Richardson’s Story

Today, we’d like to introduce you to Ray Richardson.

Hi Ray, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I grew up in rural Connecticut with an interest in nature and in creating things. Some of my earliest childhood memories are drawing birds at the kitchen table.

Later, as a young adult, I studied fine art for a few years in college. I loved painting and drawing. However, I couldn’t see making a living as an artist, especially with student loans! So I dropped out and got involved in residential carpentry. I was fortunate to work with some really creative people on high-end homes in the Berkshire foothills of western Massachusetts and Connecticut.

I had never carved anything until a client asked if I could carve an architectural detail on the outside of his cabin into a fish. I was intrigued by the challenge, so I rescued some scrap wood, bought myself a few carving tools, and came up with a prototype. The client approved and set me to work. The property had a beautiful garden filled with hummingbirds, and they would buzz me as I was carving. I was so enthralled that I started wondering if I could capture the moment in wood. I believe that was the catalyst moment for me.

Later, after working for several years as a carpenter and woodworker, I moved to Arizona and fell in love with the desert’s flora and fauna. It was worlds away from my life in New England! I had tried to show my sculptures in New England with limited success. But things have been different in Arizona. After working in solitude for many years, I have been able to find a supportive community that seems much more open and interested in my particular vision.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Most of the struggles I have faced have been of the internal variety. It took me a long time to want to present my work to the public, and I think that is partly because it took me a long time to “find my why.”

I felt compelled to create these bird sculptures for years without really having a solid idea of why I was doing it, what I hoped to accomplish, or where I would like to go with it. As I began to identify my purpose, I began to feel more confident in getting my work out in front of a bigger audience.

At the same time, I was learning and sharpening my skills, as well as trying to take more responsibility for my life and tackle some of my more personal issues.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe you can tell us more about your work next?
Within my local art community I’m known as “the Bird Man”. I suspect this is due to the fact that I primarily create whimsical bird sculptures from hardwood.

I find birds a compelling subject because they live in the liminal space between heaven and earth. Birds fuel human imagination in ways both mythic and scientific, and they are a very broad place to explore! Part of the reason my work is unique is that I have been able to blend many of my areas of interest as I explore that space.

Wood is very well suited for the avian form. I particularly enjoy working in domestic hardwoods like maple, cherry, and walnut. Beyond their raw beauty, I like how these species shape, sand, and take the finish. I use a combination of power tools and hand tools in shaping my sculptures.

Power tools tend to be used more at the beginning of a piece for processing lumber and roughing in basic shapes. I use rotary tools like a Dremel to get some of the details as well. But in the end, everything is refined by hand using rasps, files, and sandpaper.

Can you share something surprising about yourself?
I think that people are surprised to find out that I “carve birds” in the first place, and then they are usually shocked by the actual pieces because they are not what the people were expecting.

Beyond that, people seem surprised when they hear about the eclectic blend of thoughts that might go into a given piece.

Contact Info:

• Website: wingspanwest.com
• Instagram: @wingspanwest_
• Facebook: Wingspan West