Archived Exhibits: William Hazzard's wood carving 'Goshawk with Grouse'
'Goshawk with Grouse'
RSM Accession No. 18589, painted wood sculpture by William Hazzard, 1981.
Back into the Collection
Each year, the Museum is approached by over a dozen wildlife artist who are looking for reference material. Wood carver William Hazzard's work was based on careful observation of nature and specimens from the RSM's collection.
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Photo Credit: Mrs. Hazzard
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William Hazzard was born in Marlin, Saskatchewan in 1933. As a child, he enjoyed sketching local wildlife. Careful observation ensured that his drawing were good likenesses of his subjects. Years later, while recovering from an illness, Hazzard looked for something to do with his hands. He took his wife's suggestion to try wood carving, emulating the wildlife carvings of Bernie Smith, a talented local craftsman.
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Continuing a pattern of careful observation, he sketched birds in the field and studied bird mounts and skins from the Museum's collection. Fred W. Lahrman, an RSM artist, was also able to provide advice on how to achieve more realistic looking painted finishes on the carvings.
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Photo Credit: Mrs. Hazzard
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Photo Credit: Mrs. Hazzard
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Over the years Hazzard won numerous awards and his carvings became part of many public and private collections. The Royal Saskatchewan Museum has been proud to assist many artists by providing reference material and advice as they develop their skills. The Museum is also proud to have the piece shown here, which was inspired by specimens in its collection, join the RSM's art collection.
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Do you have one?
Many artists who are looking for reference material are aiming for realism, or how the animal actually looks or behaves. Others have something abstract in mind, where the animal is just suggested, but they still appreciate the chance to study, measure, and photograph the “real thing.”
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Female Northern Goshawk (RSM Accession No. 11589) collected by Ed Schroder near Estevan on March 28, 1973. Prepared by Dwayne Harty on Aug 19, 1974.
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Female Northern Goshawk
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Female Northern Goshawk attacking male Ruffed Grouse
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Female Northern Goshawk (RSM Accession No. 12598) collected near Pelly Lake and confiscated by a Conservation Officer. Received by the RSM on Feb. 13, 1978 and prepared as a mount with Acc. 12599 by Rich Loffler on March 22, 1979.
Male Ruffed Grouse (RSM Accession No. 12599) collected by Ron Tillie and Don Pingert near Craven on Nov. 1, 1978 and prepared as a mount with RSM Accession No. 12598 by Rich Loffler on March 23, 1979.
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Most artists are interested in the Museum's collection of taxidermy “mounts” where over 1500 animals are in life-like poses.
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RSM Life Sciences Mount Collection
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RSM Life Sciences Mount Collection
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Some also gain insights from our collections of skulls and bones, over 100,000 arthropods (spiders and insects), and over 10,000 “study skins”.
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Driven by research
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In addition to their value as reference material, our Life Sciences collections are heavily used by our curators and other researchers. In fact, most of them exist because of their scientific value. Genes in preserved skin can tell us how closely species are related, for example, or if different individuals even belong to the same species! Collections also indicate how the condition or appearance of a species can vary from one location to another, or through time.
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RSM curators looking at birds in the Life Sciences collection
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More information about William Hazzard:
The Museum of Civilization has several William Hazzard carvings in the Bronfman Collection.
A few William Hazzard carvings are also featured in the online exhibit Selections from the Saskatchewan Arts Board Permanent Collection:
From Far to Near:
Untitled (Cowboy on Bucking Horse), and
Untitled (Three Horses).
For further information contact the Exhibits Unit
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