Spencer Tinkham Passenger Pigeon

Spencer Tinkham (b. 1992) Norfolk, VA 17.25" tall | 20.5" tall on stand

Spencer has quickly risen to become a unique and highly sought after wildlife sculptor with much of his focus being on avian wildlife. His refined carvings have found their way into the homes of corporate, private, and institutional collections across the world. He is best known for his folk interpretations and macro sculptures of wing patterns.

In the past year alone, Spencer has had solo exhibitions at the Antler Gallery (Oregon), Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art, and the Rockport (Texas) Center for the Arts. Additionally his work has been displayed in The National Museum of Wildlife Art, Jackson, Wyoming, the 2023 and 2024 Birds in Art display at the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, Wausau, Wisconsin, and was a finalist in the 2023 David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation Wildlife Artist of the Year, London, United Kingdom.

The grand passenger pigeon sculpture utilized a lot of recycling and was carved using old log cabin cutoffs from Upstate, New York. Keeping with the theme the eyes are onyx jewelry beads retrieved from a Norfolk, Virginia dumpster. And the applied metal wings are from old chicken coop siding from Cedar Island in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Spencer utilized scratch pigments and artist oils to finish the bird. The warm surface with the distressed metal wings provides a feeling of age to the piece. A nod to the fact that the species went extinct 110 years ago in September of 1914. Adding to the detail, the wings are carved, and the tail feathers are carved in a step down pattern.

The makers 'Tink' insignia is carved into the bird under the tail.

Condition: Mint