Bill’s interest in birds and bird carving were both stimulated when he attended his first Southern Highland Handicraft Guild Fair in 1969. He was fascinated by the folk art style carving of birds being done by James Power and Edsel Martin.A little later the book, “Game Bird Carving” by Bruce Burk and his first visit to the Ward Foundation World Wildfowl Carving Competition introduced Bill to the concept of carving birds realistically. Bill attended numerous seminars and workshops by leading carvers of the realistic style art form. These tremendously helped develop his carving technique, while books on painting, composition/design and ornithology helped develop some artistic foundation and improved his knowledge of birds.
Bill was accepted as a juried member of The Southern Highland Handicraft Guild in 1971. Moving from Asheville, NC to Charlotte in 1976, acceptance of his work continued. In that year, a Carolina Wren carving won a purchase award in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Art and Science Council Show. In an article in “The Charlotte Observer” preceding the show, Frank Coley, Staff Writer, said of Bill’s work, “Amazingly, he seems to coax life from the inanimate wood. One approaches a Bill Groce bird very quietly, almost expecting it to take flight.” Bill really appreciated that comment because that is exactly the feeling he hopes to invoke in his carvings.
Bill is a member of Southern Appalachian Artist Guild, Blue Ridge Mountains Arts Association, Gilmer Arts and Heritage Association, The Ward Museum and International Wood Carvers Association.
His work can be seen on his web site, www.billgbirdart.com and you may contact him at billg5@tds.net
Visit our Carolina Crafting Book Store for great selections on the art of bird carving.
