Deer (White-Tailed)
Official Name: John
Sponsor: Edie Crawford
Carvers: William Underwood
Carving the White Tailed Deer proved to be a special challenge for William J. Underwood because it started life as a prancing pony.
Bill’s Abenaki ancestry was put to good use in transforming the pony into a beautifully carved and painted deer that was presented to the Adirondack Carousel in August 2011. The Abenaki are a Northeastern woodland people. They were skilled in all phases of woodcraft and used wood extensively for both utilitarian and artistic purposes.
Many of the Abenaki clan symbols were used in the design of the deer along with the Carousel’s signature ladybug figure that can be found on each of the carved wildlife figures.
William resides with his family in upstate New York. He has been drawing, painting and carving wildlife for as long as he can remember. In the Abenaki tradition, he strives to capture the spirit of each creature in all his sculptures.
Since leaving the corporate world of training and multi-media design in 1995, he has devoted his time between teaching and his love of working in wood.
William has been a past recipient of a N.Y. SOS grant and is constantly striving to increase his skills. He has shown his work in local, regional and national competitions and has won numerous awards. He generously shares his skills, conducting classes and demonstrations at public, Native American schools and regional art centers.
