Wood n Canvas Shorebird Carvings & Lighthouse Art

Ray Miller is a self taught artist born and raised in Gloucester County, New Jersey.  His paintings are of historic, maritime and coastal themes, primarily lighthouses.  His painting, “Tinicum Rear Range Light Station”, was his first original reproduced as a limited edition print as a fundraising effort for the Tinicum Rear Range Lighthouse Society in Paulsboro, New Jersey.  Prints of his lighthouse scenes are on display at the Tuckerton Seaport, a recreated maritime village in Tuckerton, New Jersey and the U.S. Coast Guard Aids to Navigation Teams in Philadelphia and Cape May.  Besides his painting, Ray is an accomplished carver of shorebirds in the traditional old decoy style as well as contemporary carvings.  His carvings are reminiscent of early carvers from New Jersey to North Carolina.  His carving career started several years ago at the urging of noted South Jersey carver Sean Sutton.  Ray’s art is inspired by his many years spent around New Jersey’s coastal waters from the Mantua Creek and Delaware River to the Jersey Shore.  He paints and carves from a studio and shop overlooking the Delaware River in Paulsboro.  Ray is a member and active volunteer with the Tinicum Rear Range Lighthouse Society and the Tuckerton Seaport where he enjoys giving carving demonstrations and sharing the history of the area’s baymen.  He was the summer 2004 featured carver at the Tuckerton Seaport.