Cedar Canyon Woodworks
Tom Mizik
Tom Mizik is the Black Forest, Colorado-based artist behind Cedar Canyon Woodworks. His carved birds span more than 50 species, mostly Colorado natives, with a few stunning exceptions.
Tom got his start carving when he searched for reasonably priced woodcarvings with no luck. So being a DIYer, he tried his hand and got a little better at it over time. Now nearly 30 years and more than a thousand pieces later, his carvings have been described as a Peterson's Field Guide in 3D.
"Creating a piece is an escape for me. I can forget about chores and concentrate on liberating a bird from its surrounding chunk of wood.
The steps involved in creating a piece include a trip to the mountains to locate naturally weathered bases to mount them on. Not all are artistically equal, but I gather everything that MIGHT work. To get views from all angles, especially that always difficult under the tail look, Google Images is a must. (Painters have it easy). So, cut out the profile on a bandsaw, round out the body, flatten the tail, sand all marks out, draw color lines, paint, and then several coats of polyurethane.
What I want people to notice when seeing my art for the first time are the realistic shapes, the colors, and the contrast between the weathered base and a very glossy bird. I love the look on faces when they walk by and just smile and sometimes stare at that one bird that may have a special meaning to them."
Tom was also featured in the Colorado Springs Gazette in December 2024, read that article here: