Virginia MOCA exhibit showcases sculptor’s bird-inspired creations

Spencer Tinkham’s artwork is for the birds. He encourages viewers to look at all the birds around us. He said we take them for granted because we see them every day.

“Their beauty and physiology have inspired people for thousands of years,” Tinkham said. “The work I do is for the people, so they can slow down, appreciate and investigate nature.”

Since childhood, Tinkham has been fascinated with their colors and freedom of flight. Birds migrated through his backyard, which was near a creek by the Elizabeth River. He started to observe and study them, and said birds were a means of vicariously traveling the world.

At 8 years old, Tinkham began carving and whittling sticks on the back porch with his grandfather. Shortly after, his grandfather died and Tinkham continued to carve to maintain a connection with him and their mutual love for the outdoors.

Tinkham, a wildlife sculptor, crafts his artworks from wood. His technique, macrosculptures, consists of hundreds of grooves. Each one is sketched on the wood in pencil, and it takes at least six different angled cuts with a box cutter to sculpt each individual groove. Once they’re carved, he hand sands each groove before sealing the artwork with marine varnish and painting it in oils.

“The heightened texture conceals or reveals colors,” Tinkham said. “It creates an exciting optical illusion as the viewer’s perspective shifts.”

Tinkham’s work is exhibited internationally and is currently on display at Virginia MOCA in his show titled “Witness.” The exhibit runs through June 9. It showcases the minute beauty of birds by magnifying the details of their feathers into creative carvings.

Featured birds include native, non-native, extinct and threatened bird species. “I look for interesting patterns and textures in the feathers,” Tinkham said. “My sculptures are inspired by dime-sized areas on the actual birds.”

On May 11, Tinkham will offer a master art class at the Virginia MOCA. Students will get a personal walk-through of the exhibition and then a behind-the-scenes demonstration of the artist’s sculptural techniques. Participants will sculpt and paint their own wooden bird silhouette to take home. Tinkham’s workshop will give students a better understanding of wood grain, wood species, sculpting tools, safety and wildlife.

Lee Belote, jlbelote@verizon.net

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If you go

What: Master class with Spencer Tinkham: Intro to sculpting with wood

When: May 11

Time: 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Where: Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art, 2200 Parks Ave, Virginia Beach

Cost: $75 for members; $90 for nonmembers

Info: VirginiaMOCA.org