Gary Batte of Stephenville, Texas, specializes in caricature woodcarvings and has been carving, authoring books, teaching, exhibiting and selling wood carvings for over 40 years.  He strives to capture a bit of humor in each of his works, and western figures are his favorites.

Gary’s carvings have been exhibited in many art galleries and museums including permanent display at the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum at Texas A&M University and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s Philip Merrill Environmental Center in Annapolis, Maryland. In addition, many of his carvings are in private collections throughout the United States.

Gary is a 1962 graduate of Texas A&M University and retired as Area Conservationist, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service in 1994.  He now devotes much of his time to carving, teaching and writing. He has also served as a woodcarving show judge.

Gary’s honors include numerous first place awards in state and national competition including first place awards in International Woodcarvers Congress competition and Best of Show in the Texas Woodcarvers Guild Competition.  His work has been featured in Chip Chats, Wood, Art of the West, Woodcarving Illustrated and Western Horseman magazines and other publications.  His caricature carving of former President Bush was published in a book on political history, American Century, by Harold Evans., Knopf Publishing Co., Inc., in 1998.

Gary is a founding member of the Caricature Carvers of America and is a member of the National Woodcarvers Association and the Texas Woodcarvers Guild.

Gary has authored three books:  Carving Critters, Cowboys and Other Characters, Carving Crazy Critters and Carving Caricature Pins and Bolos. He also co-authored The Full Moon Saloon and Carving the Circus.

Gary passed away on January 16, 2022.