The former owner of Elite Cleaners in Westerly took up a new hobby when he retired -- bird carving -- and now his work is up for exhibit at the StoneRidge retirement community in Mystic where he resides.

Bob Sicilian, whose cleaners that he ran with wife June became a local landmark in Westerly, started his wood carvings more than a decade ago to keep his hands busy and develop a routine. He learned initially at the Norwich Education Center, then refined his craft under the tutelage of Rosalind Daisey, a world-class carver.

Over a dozen years, Sicilian was able to carve a wide variety of birds, including a Mallard, a bald eagle, chickadee, titmouse and others native to the Northeast. Entering regional competitions, he became adept enough to win ribbons from the Mystic Carvers Club and New England Woodcarvers.

The exhibit at StoneRidge includes 21 of Sicilian’s works. Unfortunately, a recent medical issue has forced him to set aside his carving tools, making this exhibit a “truly culminating event,” according to a press release.

For Sicilian, the exhibition is meaningful, but it is not the highlight of his carving career. That came four years ago when an ornithologist from the Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center brought a barn owl to StoneRidge for an educational program.

“I had just finished carving a Great Horned Owl, and I brought it into the room for the expert to critique,” Sicilian recalled. “I was expecting feedback from the educator, however, the live bird became fixated on the carving and would not come near it. That was the ultimate compliment for me.”