Vintage Folk Art Penguin, Signed H. Sloan, Maine funny a well known Woburn

a well known Woburn

The valediction "devotre ami" seems more aligned with the latter possibility

Signed on the bottom but I am not certain the maker

I have no idea the story behind this carving

Vintage Folk Art Penguin, Signed H. Sloan, Maine funny a well known WoburnThis is one of six carved and painted birds I found together, all signed H. Sloan, Maine, and I believe dating to the 1980s or so. I've found a few other birds signed by Sloan out there on the internet, but haven't been able to dig up anything about him, and don't have a first name. I rather like that he didn't just stick to birds found in Maine, as evidenced in this very sweet penguin, whose posture, and demeanor too, feel just right. 6 1 8" t x 1 3