Wildfowl carver Edward H. Legg, a lifelong resident of Long Island, has been carving birds and other wildlife for more than 20 years.  What began as a hobby has become a passion for Ed and that is immediately obvious even to the casual observer.  Being self-taught , Ed is proud of the innovations in technique he has developed, enabling him to create lifelike sculptures of many of the local birds and fish.  

Ed spends his day in his small basement shop creating works of art that are seen in nature everyday.  First he molds a block of tupelo into a rough image of the bird.  He then painstakingly carves in the details.  Once the shape is perfect he works his color magic with acrylic paint.   With the enhancement of details added by the artist and his brush, the subject literally comes alive.  The softness of the feathers invites the disbelieving who must touch to be convinced  the bird is truly made of wood.

Competing with other well known carvers in local and out of state competitions, Ed has amassed over 90 winning ribbons and 20 Best in Shows.  Every year he  travels to Ocean City, Maryland to compete in the prestigious Ward World Championship and has brought home many well-deserved  ribbons earned by his fledglings.   Ed is very proud of his winnings and believes it is indeed humbling to compete with the world's best.

Several of his honored projects are works commissioned by  the New York State Department of Parks.  Ed believes in the importance of the preservation of the species native to Long Island and was proud to create images of two endangered species, the Least Tern and the Piping Plover, to be used for educational purposes in the State Parks   He also believes in the preservation of the memory of what once flourished on Long Island and across the country and is proud to have his replica of the now extinct Passenger Pigeon on display at the Connetquot River State Park.   In the spring of 2009, Caleb Smith State Park is scheduled to open a new museum which will  include several of Ed’s original carvings of Long Island’s most recognized wildfowl.

Ed feels that to journey through life is not always easy and being able to pursue his passion has made his journey very fulfilling.   It is a joy for him to be able to spend time studying nature, marveling at her wonders and recreating the beauty he hopes future generations will continue to enjoy.  Please feel free to browse this site and tell us what  you think.