Egrets are herons that happen to be white, though not always!  Nor are all white herons called egrets!To confuse matters further,
not all egrets have the white aigrettes, the fancy feathers on their backs when in breeding plumage.  Below are a few of the herons
Matt has carved.  Some are more detailedthan others, some have specially made legs while some are on posts, and some are large
(up to 4 feethigh in the great blue heron), others less than life-size.  You have many options to choose from!

The poses shown here are popular, but may not be what you particularly want; in fact you can help design your own bird.

Prices currently run from $250.00 to $3,000 (for a museum quality, full-size great blue heron withcarved legs).  Shipping will be
added to the cost.  Many people opt to pick up the larger pieces themselves or make other arrangements.  The museum quality,
full-size great blue heron cannot be shipped safely (even Mailboxes, Etc. failed Matt) so must be picked up by the client.
 

The Great Egret (formerly known as the American Egret and Common Egret) isalmost as large as the Great Blue Heron (below).  It's much easier to  paint  than the  latter, hence is less expensive.  A carving of the quality shown in the photo to to the left  is $1,250, about half of  whata superb Great Blue Heron costs.  Beloware two carvings (a Great Egret and an African Black Heron) with posts instead of legs, for $900 each.  Examine the photos to understand the difference in price.  You have the option of  how you  would  like  the legs  positioned.  Most clients prefer them as shown in the photos, but both legs can be on the driftwood - or any other reasonable position.  Discuss what you'd like with Matt to get just what you want.  Compare this photo with that of a different Great Egret carving, near the top of the HOME PAGE.

                              "I have several (herons) ... but this is one of the best ones I have ever seen."
 

The Great Blue Heron (left) is about as intricate and difficult as Matt cares to get.  $3,000  may seem like a lot of money, but not if you compare his interpretation and price with those of  other carvers. And not a lot if you consider the weeks (stretched out over months) of very painstaking work required to create such a fine museum quality sculpture.  You will find that many fine flat work paintings of herons are priced much higher than Matt's equally well-painted three-dimensional works. Try to imagine handling a delicately carved sculpture like this in order to paint it the many colors you see, and to blend them together for  the soft effect Matt achieves so well (with conventional brushes, not air brushes!).  The fine feathers on the back and neck are fashioned from home-grown bamboo.

Matt working on a miniature heron (circa 1990) Miniatures, such as the Great Blue Heron  Matt is working on in the photo above, are also done upon request.  A finely carved miniature can be quite expensive, though price varies with detail.      The Great White Heron in the photo to the right shows what Matt can do with necks (it's made from  one piece of wood).  Matt  is not quite sure how he  achieved that, but is ready to try again!     The Snowy Egret is a small heron.  The one shown above is a photo sent to Matt by the client.  This is the simplest of theheron carving styles and sells for $250.00. Notice that it has an antiqued finish, another option Matt offers.                  The Black-Crowned Night Heron, right, is a husky, short-necked species. The carving shown is more detailed than the previous three and costs $600 (with a post).  Carved legs, fashioned to realistically grasp the driftwood  it's sitting on would add $250. The lack of fine feathering (except for a few on the head which lie over the "cape"),  the lack of a long twisting neck, and the simpler painting,  are the main reasons for the price differences between this carving and the Great Blue Heron (above).

The Little Blue Heron carvings above are not especially detailed, therefore are not very expensive at $275.  If fitted with legs of wood, the price would be much higher.  Relief carving would also add to the price.  You can have as much or as little detail as you like; the price would be adjusted accordingly.  Be sure to see the abstract Little Blue Heron carving, at the bottom of this page.   Ordering is done one on one, so that Matt and the client can communicate fully about exactly what is wanted. Reach Matt at: E-mail Phone:757-665-4698   Address:  Matt Cormons                        26201 Dennis Rd.                           Parksley, VA 23421

The two Great Blue Herons shown here were a special  request by a couple who wanted full-size herons carved in  relief to attach to a large wall in their living room.  These  are done in select white pine (no knots) and toned by the  careful application of a flame, carefully sanded, then polyurethaned and waxed to bring out both the contrasting  and the more subtle shades of the herons' plumage.  The  photo below shows the right-facing heron in full view; the  photo to the right shows a closer view.

In both herons the wood grain was carefully oriented to accentuate the feather patterns on the wings, tail and body, requiring each major piece to be made separately.  Each  piece was then strategically positioned to give the maximum  depth in what is a very limited range in a flat carving.  The sections are joined with dowels.  The feathers on the head  and the fine breast feathers (poorly shown in the photo were carefully fashioned from flexible bamboo (grown on Matt's  farm).  As the clients said when they saw the actual carvings after  seeing these photos, the pictures don't do them justice.  These photos were taken in brilliant sunshine against an old shed, the only available background Matt had that was large enough to  hang them.  Imagine them, instead, on your wall in subdued  light and without the harsh shadows and contrasts created by the bright sun.  For these very original, finely composed and artistically executed heron a single carving would be $950, a pair $1750.

To the left (full view) and below (a closer view) is the second     of the pair,    in which the heron is looking to the left.

One client asked for a Little Blue Heron in a style that was a bit more abstract.  The head feathers are an example of artistic license.  Mounted on a metal stand this carving will add a touch of elegance in the right home.  The photos below show the same carving from different aspects. A carving of this quality and originality is $450.