Most of the carvings shown here are in a class by themselves and are uniquely Matt Cormons.
 The "ebonies" and those of similar style were born as a result of Matt's tendency to conserve wood.  Whereas most carvers use rectangular blocks of wood to cut out their birds, Matt usually uses logs that he often harvests himself.  When carving ducks he cuts off the side of the log to get a flat bottom.  This leaves a long, thin, flat piece - a potential carving!   Matt loves doing these because they don't restrict his creativity; as you will see from the photos, no two are alike.

Matt would be willing to incorporate aspects of any you see on this page into a carving uniquely fashioned to fit the decor of your home, and in any size.  Those left natural will cost more because there is no paint to cover imperfections in the wood, requiring greater attention and more time
to make a more-perfect carving.  Any painted other than black (or white) will also cost more.  Generally, for an "ebony" about a foot in length, expect to pay somewhere in the neighborhood  of $125 to $175.  Many people tell Matt he should charge more for these very original sculptures, but because he does them so freely they don't take as long as most of his other carvings and they're fun to create.

The unpainted abstract carving with the raised wing  (right) is made from Paulownia wood, a sacred  wood  in  Japan and a wood which Matt uses more than any other. With the raised wing a piece like this is $225  .   The carving below is painted like an actual  hooded merganser, but the form is abstracted. One in this style would  be $275.

Red cedar is great for lining chests and is a beautiful wood when used in certain carvings.  Matt will fashion a fine abstract carving like the one above for $200.  One like the exceptional one below sells for $250. A more conventional carving can also be made from red cedar.    On these abstracts bills can be pointed like a loon's or flattened like a duck's, necks can be long or short,  heads can look forward or back, eyes can be added or left out, as can head "feathers".  The carvings can even be painted to suggest actual species, as in the four shown below.  Take what you like from each carving you see on this page and give Matt a challenge!

Below are photos of  a Pintail duck sent  to Matt by a client couple.  They had seen it unfinished in its black base coat, loved it just as it was and bought it before Matt could photograph it (hence the clients' photos) or paint it.  The photos are included here because someone who had seen these photos liked the "ebony" Pintail and ordered another one.

The shorebirds above, to the left and below are placed here because they are, in a sense, also "ebonies".  Almost any carving can be painted black in the  "ebony" style.  They would be less expensive since the painting is not as painstaking.    The above carving of a Willet is actually a  very detailed carving (not shown to advantage in this photo, but can be seen on the sandpiper page)) which was later painted in winter plumage.  Here it is shown in its black base coat, as is the pintail below.

"Watching for Predators" Quite a bit of artistic license can be taken with herons, as shown here.  The head feathers are not found in the real bird.  Mounted on a metal stand, this carving will add a touch of elegance in the right home A carving of this quality and originality is $450.

The photo to the right is a representation of a Tern. It  has the general  elongated shape, long bill and  forked tail typical of terns.  Some clients prefer this type of sculpture sans eyes, believing  that eyes mar this "study in pure form".  The sculpture is  mounted on a  metal  base.  It is also antiqued, but could be painted pure white, black, or even like an actual species of tern.   Different treatments will result in very different effects.  Keep in mind that any species can be carved in abstract.  $175.

The two abstract tern carvings below are red cedar (natural colors).   Each is $175.

The Blue jays shown to the left and below  were special requests.  They are not meant to be a realistic, but do capture the spirit of the species. They are shown from different views.  There are 2 different carvings here, those on the left (upper and lower) are the same carving.  You can tell Matt which you prefer for your carving (the neck length  varies). Imaginative carvings of this quality can be done for $275, very reasonably priced for such original art.

The female Cardinal to the right is also done in an abstract style.  Smaller than the Blue jay, it is also $175 To see more realistic cardinal carvings click onto the SONGBIRD page.

If the carving to the right looks like African art, you're correct. It's a rendition of a Sankofa, a mythical bird that looks back as it moves forward.  Matt carved this from three drawings made by three different people he had sent to a New York museum for that purpose.  Sankofa is the title of an African foreign film made in the mid-90s, one you might want to see.  A finished Sankofa of Matt's is currently in Richmond.  It is done in the "ebony" style shown in some of the carvings above.  The Roosevelt dime gives an idea of the size.