Contemporary Carver/Collector Challenge...

P

Pat Gregory

Well-known member
The Strongsville Show was a success but, it got me to thinking of what's ahead of us as far as carving and collecting contemporary decoys... I want to issue a challenge and encouragement to each of us...

If you are able, each of the contemporary decoy carvers and collectors that frequent this forum should consider coming to the St. Charles Show in April. I've been doing that show for over 25 years. It's the largest of it's kind in the country. It's all about decoys. And, the organization is giving more and more involvement to contemporaries like us each year. In just the past few years, we've had contemporary exhibits, carving/painting demos by contemporary carvers and, featured contemporary carvers like Jim Schmiedlin. I believe this will continue but, we need guys like the guys on this forum to begin attending and/or participating, even if it's for a day.


This has not been made public yet but, this year for our carving/painting demos, we are going to be doing a collaborative decoy between Geoff Vine, Reggie Birch and myself. Geoff will carve the head, Reggie will carve the body and, I will paint it. We will be doing a Ward Style Blue Wing Teal Hen. We will complete the decoy by noon on Saturday and we are donating it to the organization. They will raffle or auction it the same day. Proceeds will go to a local charity.


The future of handmade decoys is in our hands... The question is, what are we going to do about it?

I hope to see you there... Pat
 
Pat,

We'll have a crew from West Michigan going for sure. Last year was my first time at St. Charles and it was "mind blowing." It was overwhelming to walk into a venue that enormous with 1000's of decoys on display, for sale, and trade and then listen to all of the stories, knowledge and history that comes from the experts behind each table. My favorite moment was handling a mint Blair Sr. pintail decoy that was worth about $90k and thinking, "this decoy is over 100 years old and it looks better than anything else new." Fellas, I wouldn't miss it!
 
Pat: I first attended the St. Charles decoy show back in 1991, so I go back 20 + years. I can't say enough about the event that the Midwest Decoy Collector's put on every year. I encourage every duckboats member, if possible, to try to attend, even if just for a day trip, you will not be dissapointed. The room to room trading and the decoys / hunting-fishing collectables available on the tables are just amazing. I'm a big fan and enthusiast of the many contemporary carvers out there. We need more of you talented guys at the show.

Ken
 
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Would like to make it some year. I am in the process of subtle suggestion to the wife to go with me to San Diego show next February. Possibly the next year I can get her to St. Charles. If they even have a small gunner style contest I would support it that way
 
I used to go when it was primarily an old decoy collector show at Oakbrook. Would love to go, but I already made a commitment to lead a decoy painting seminar that same weekend in Kentucky.

I am happy that a number of contemporary carvers are banding together to try and not only preserve the tradition, but grow it. When I started carving, decoy carvers had one of three paths: compete and carve/sell floating decoratives; paint duplicated birds to sell enmasse at flea markets and decoy shows; or restore antique decoys. Resin birds really hurt the average decorative carver, readily available duplicated wooden decoys flooded the market to where even poorly informed consumers got wise, and imported birds gave all wooden decoys a bad name. For awhile, average carvers without name recognition had a hard time making minimum wage carving gunning birds unless they found a unique market or an untapped pocket of willing buyers.

Fortunately a number of carvers started making decoys that bridged the gap between antique and modern, producing modern classic decoys that attracked an audience that loved both contemporary and antique decoys, but had been turned off by resin and other mass produced decoys they saw at every DU banquet and in every antique store. God bless all of you who had a hand in this move, who kept plugging away when the market was down, and who kept making decoys in your own vision while paying homage to past masters.

Pat, people like you, Reggie Birch, Schmiedlin, Geoff, Marty Hanson, and Keith Mueller have done much to forge a new path for contemporary carvers, and in my opinion are responsible for the increased interest in handmade decoys. While it doesn't hurt when Crowell decoys sell for $35,000 to $900,000, and a skilled contemporary carver can turn out a credible replica for under $1,000, there still need to be those contemporaty carvers who can do that style of work with passion and expertise.

Thanks Pat, and those like you! I hope someday I have enough skill and style to be part of this movement....
 
I hope to go, just because I like to collect old stuff. To me without knowing the politics, it was a shame the Ohio show broke in two. Its what I love about tuckerton and HDG decoy shows, it combines everyone. If it wasn't for those old decoy carvers making birds to hunt over there wouldn't be anything for us to continue, whether it fancy decoys or gunning blocks. The vast percentage of vintage decoy collectors are older, yet contempory carvers are younger and agree with Pat these should be infused to keep the tradition going. The Minnesota show has introduced a small judging competion from what I saw. My only fear though, (without trying to start a debate) is the art of simple hunting decoy is getting lost when contempary stuff s being judged. The birds I saw at MN show would not be representive of what I call a hunting decoy. In 1924 Sam Barnes won best in show at the "second annual exhibition of wildfowl decoys by sportsman" The best in show award was given for practical use and maintence of a decoy. A lot of what you see in these old decoy shows is exactly what was seen in Barnes's "best in show". I truly believe we need to understand the traditions, methods, styles of these vintage birds to move forward with future generations of carvers. We need to stop the debate on what is to pretty and make seperate classes when we infuse modern decoys and be done with it. In the short of it, I will do my best to make it down and support the st charles show, the old decoys is where I get my inspiration to make new decoys.
 
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All~

This is an interesting thread - there are lots of different thoughts in here.

I like to carve both real gunning stool as well as my mantelpiece birds. I have generally been disappointed in the competitions available for such decoys/carvings. The gunning rules are fairly consistent among the different shows but the criteria do not reflect what I believe to be desirable in a decoy (e.g., I do not want keels suitable for ocean-going sailboats on my decoys - I just don't want them to flip over - and sometimes I really don't want to put lead in birds I have to carry a mile into a beaver pond.) And, of course, we've probably all seen bad judging - either disqualifying birds that are truly suitable for gunning - or not disqualifying birds that have paint jobs that are hardly "easily reproduced by the average gunner."

For the fancier birds - I'm not sure what a "contemporary" bird is - I would be interested in a venue where carvers could showcase the birds they do mostly as an artistic endeavor and not be constrainted by gunning conditions or comparisons with live birds. In my mantelpiece birds, I abandon my biologist training in favor of my artistic spirit - as did, I think, the Ward Bros, Elmer Crowell, Joseph Lincoln, Shang Wheeler, etc. (you can tell I'm an East Coast guy...) and, for that matter, Audubon. Back in the day, the U. S. National had a "Long Island Special Purchase" division that filled this need. I do not know if there's anything like at any extant shows.

Also, I think competition per se should be avoided. Instead, like many art shows, perhaps a "juried" event would better meet the intent. Basically, the gatekeepers would be a combination of gunners (because all birds should at least derive from gunning stool) and artists (yes, I'm a trained biologist but do not see the need for them here) whose function would be to ensure a certain standard of quality - but not favoring one style over the other. In other words, style would be the whole point of such an event. There's no need to select individual winners (and therefore losers). But, the attendees and participants would get to see what the heritage of waterfowling has inspired in today's carvers.

Any of this make sense? Ring true? Fall flat?

All the best,

SJS
 
I would never enter a contest because what I hunt over would be pulled in an instant because it would not fit within the rules. Also because most shows judge in a pool or a washtub and not in an environment where I would hunt.
 
Pat

I have wanted to go to that show for years, but the thought of driving in, or near, Chicago stops me. When I do it, to go to Sask., Mantioba, the Dakota's, or Montana, thats about ALL I can take.
Man thats Thunder Dome drivin' out there.............
 
I think contests bring the best and worst out of any group. Competition accelerates innovation as competitors seek to gain a slight edge on their rivals. A lot of the tools and techniques decoy carvers take for granted were developed by competitive carvers and full time decoy makers, and by the suppliers who tried to keep in front of the curve to capture enough of the market to make a profit. If it were not for competition between carvers and between suppliers, we'd still be using drawknives, spokshaves, and cobbling up sanding belts running around the shop to speed the sanding process.

The dark side of competition arises when we forget that our competition is with ourselves, not the other guys and gals with decoys in the tank. We need to challenge ourselves to give our best, and seek to do a better bird with each decoy we turn out. We can look at the other birds, and seek to learn, but if we ever want to set the pace, we have to go beyond what others are doing. We have to have our own vision, and if that vision is not competitive in the tank, for whatever reason, so be it. None of us should need a ribbon to tell us if we did a great decoy, or to confirm that we indeed are artists.

For my part, I love the inspiration that comes from being at contests and seeing the great efforts turned out by the competitive spirit. I do not like the negative effects and petty pissing matches that flow out of the final decisions of the judges...............

I think the thing I like most about this site is the great support I see carvers get when they post up pics of their decoys. First efforts are roundly applauded, and criticism is kept so positive, carvers get encouragement to keep going..........
 
Mike~

As always, I enjoy your insights.

Of course, I still rely on my drawknife - and rasps and gouges - and do all my sanding by hand!

All the best,

SJS
 
Guys - All good points and, good perspectives. What I hear is decoys are as different as people. And, maybe the bigger point is comparing them is worthless. Style is just that, style. Not one better than the other, just personal preference. The beauty is, we have choices. If some want to throw their decoys in a tank and, compare them to others, so be it. Not for everyone. In the same way, if some want to throw their handcarved decoys in a river to lure ducks, so be it. Actually, ducks have lured into bleach bottles so, don't flatter yourself.

The point is, we all have choices, none really better than the other, just choices...

Mike nailed it. The point of decoy shows are the people. After doing this 30 years, that's why I go. Why I enjoy seeing all the decoys and, yes, even though I don't compete, I even enjoy the competition. So, go to the shows. If you want to compete, compete to the best of your ability. And, hunt and, if you want to hunt your decoys, make the best hunting decoy you can make. But, when you go to the shows or go hunting, enjoy the people. They are the only thing that are eternal. For, one day when we go, we go alone... No ducks, no decoys...
 
Pat,

Thanks for this post. I always enjoy your perspective and agree with this completely.

Paul


I should have added that the show is a bit far from Calgary or I would like to go.
 
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