When Mickey Edlefsen began carving birds just a year and a half ago, he thought he might be tapping into a hidden talent.

Taking third place in a field of more than 400 entries in a world-wide competition is an incredible achievement. Edlefsen's prize-winning work, "Who's Your Daddy?" includes three carved and painted White-Throated Magpie Jays as well as 13 carvings of the birds in the supporting tree. A mirror gives an added dimension and beauty to the piece.

"It's a family tree, generations," said Edlefsen of the carving. When he discovered what his work had won, he said, "I was pleasantly surprised. I knew the competition was really high, even in the novice category."

Edlefsen has always had an interest in art, though he only took one art class in high school. Through the years, he's dabbled in art. "I've drawn and sketched and puttered around all my life," he said, but it wasn't until two short years ago that he decided to devote some serious time into developing his art.

He enjoys nature and the outdoors, and some of his first carvings were of leaves and trees. Under the tutelage of the expert craftsmen at Lew Jensen's "Profitable Hobbies," Edlefsen began honing his woodcrafting skills.

A carving of a tree as a frame for a mirror took Best of Show at last year's Utah State Fair. His carvings have also won awards and been shown at the Monte Bean Museum.

A fascination with the intricacies and details of birds brought with it a challenge -- could he carve realistic, lifelike birds from a block of wood?

After studying birds, their characteristics and their anatomy, Edlefsen was ready to begin his project. He spent about 900 hours carving his prizewinning piece.

Carving the wood is the last step, according to Edlefsen. His work began with an in-depth study of the featured Magpie Jays. He analyzed photographs of the birds and studied their unique qualities and traits.

He looked up pictures on the Internet. He studied bird specimens at the Monte Bean Museum. He scrutinized detailed model casts of the birds -- anatomic correctness is vital in the woodcarving competition. Intricate details are critical to award-winning bird carving -- the precise placement of eyes, the distinct and delicate lines of feathers, the accuracy of joints in legs and toes.

After sketching and then sculpting his concepts in clay, Edlefsen was ready to work on carving his birds. Fine detailed work calls for precise tools. He uses high speed drills -- much like dental drills, to make the thinnest of cuts. For the fine work a 400,000 rpm drill is used.

The tiniest details are actually burned into the wood, using a wood burner with a finely calibrated tip. How does he create such detailed and lifelike looking feathers? "One line at a time," Edlefsen said.

Edlefsen was able to devote time to his new hobby by giving up some of his other interests. He cut back on club memberships and his sporting activities. Giving up coaching youth softball was one difficult sacrifice he had to make for his art.

He and his wife, Valerie, have raised five daughters who are now grown and on their own. Being empty-nesters, Edlefsen and his wife left their Pleasant Grove home of 23 years and moved to American Fork last year.

Their new home has a spacious yard which includes a freestanding studio/workshop. A contractor for more than 25 years and as owner of Bella Marble and Granite, Edlefsen is now able to devote mornings to his company and afternoons to his art. He's excited with the direction his life is taking.

"I'm 56 years old and I'm changing careers," he said.

Carving, to him, is a labor of love, and he enjoys the time spent in his studio, creating and carving.

"I come in here and lose all track of time," he said and smiled.

Two of Edlefsen's works are on display at Bella Marble and Granite, 100 E. State, in Pleasant Grove (just north of Purple Turtle). He can be contacted at 492-3660 or at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it