Rhett is an artist from Beaufort, South Carolina influenced by the wood carvings of Gilbert Maggioni who is credited with helping to bring wildlife carving into the realm of fine art. Rhett got a job at Maggioni 's oyster factory called The Ocean Lake and River Fish Company in order to get Maggioni to teach him about carving. Rhett's carvings are critically acclaimed for their capture of realism and attention to detail.