Introduce myself

John Lawrence

John Lawrence

Active member
I'd like to introduce myself. My name is John Lawrence. I've been lurking here for a while. Bob Furia suggested that I post on this forum. I've been making decoys for nearly three decades. I hunt over decoys that I make and sell. Although I have carved decoys from cork I prefer to carve from wood which I hollow and then I paint exclusively in oils. Recently I've even made several from 2x10's.

I've been around the competition circuit for many years but I don't compete much any more.

If you followed DCF you've seen me post there and regularly butt heads with the two guys who run it. Since I refuse to worship at the Temple of Tom I won't be associated with that page any longer.

I've given lessons for better than two decades and I'm willing to help just about anybody. The only thing I find really difficult with internet instruction is trying describe painting techniques, so I prefer to do that in person at a show.

I'm at Westlake and Easton every year and help run the decoy competition at the Pymatuning Waterfowl Festival in Pennsylvania.

I tried to upload a picture of a couple cans I've made recently. These are basswood heads and 2x10 bodies.

View attachment 017.JPG
 
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I checked the post to see if I could get the pictures up via an edit but don't see the links to them......

Send them to me nuvan@comcastlnet and I'll be happy to put them up for you....

Look forwrd to seeing your work here in the future...

Steve
 
John

Thank you for joining us. Based upon your intro I think you will find kindred spirits here and fit in just fine.

Eric
 
Thanks guys,

somebody give me a clue as to how to post photos on this site. Everyone seems to be a little different.
Click to expand...

Here you go.
017.jpg

I have found photobucket.com the easiest to use. you upload the picture and then copy and paste the IMG code.
Thanks for stopping by.
James
 
Hello John,and welcome aboard. What kind of glue do you use to glue the 2x10s together and how many are there in those Cans? Nice looking decoys for sure.
 
Charlie,

I used Titebond III. I've had excellent results using it. I think you could use a marine epoxy also. But with these decoys I was concerned with the cost of the materials and I was looking for something that could be had just about anywhere. Being from Pittsburgh, I'm friends with Jim Schmiedlin. Jim and I and a few other guys get together several times a year for "decoy carver's breakfasts". Where we talk about just that, making decoys. Jim uses pine or cypress for his bodies, only because he is allergic to cedar. After talking to him at one of these I tried to find something around my house that was similar. The 2x10's are what I came up with.

I'm adding another photo of gadwalls that are in my hunting rig. They were the first decoys I made from the 2x10's and we hunted them hard this fall. When finished correctly they are very hard.

View attachment DSC01914.JPG

I haven't quite figured out the photobucket thing yet so if someone could help me out again that would be great.

Thanks.
 
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Welcome aboard John. I believe you'll like it here.
I really like your style, very nice Cans. We'll have to jaw at Westlake. We'll be set up in the ballroom on Sat. & Sun. Are you set up as a vendor or working from your room or doing the painting contest (3 hr.)?

We went to the Pymatuning Show back in ..........mmmmmmm, I think it was '92 or '93. Great show. The entire town was involved in it and we had a great time. We were over in the firehouse for that festival. How's the festival doing now?
Later, see you at Westlake.
Lou
 
Thanks Lou.

I work with a dealer who has Room 158 right by the pool. I'm usually hanging around there or in one of the other rooms looking at the antique decoys. We've met, I have purchased E Allens from you in the past. But I will stop and say Hi again.

In it's heyday Pymatuning was one of the best true Waterfowl festivals around. But in the late 90's the town Chamber of Commerce got control of the show away from Ducks Unlimited somehow and within about two years just about killed it.

In 2001 DU took it back over. In 2002 Du convinced Jeff Cross, who is my dealer to run the decoy competition again. The Chamber of Commerce had stopped having a decoy competition. Jeff asked me to help at the 2002 show. We are now up to between 90 and 100 entries every year. And one thing that we do differently than anyone else is that we have virtually no rules. Basically if you say it's hunting decoy, then we agree. We usually have around $1000 of prize money every year and it is distributed between all of the categories. Even Intermediate and novice carvers win something. One of the best things that has happened is that we have had 6 different Best of Show winners in the past 7 years. So nobody is dominating.

During that dark time the hunting supply vendors dropped to an amazing seven. And this show truly was the entire town at one time.

But DU has put a very energetic young guy named Rich Guiney in charge of the vendors and the last two years there have been just over 100. Where once the whole focus was on waterfowling it has evolved into a more general hunting show. But most of us don't only chase ducks so there is something for everyone.

So I can confidently tell you that the show is strong and healthy again.

Hey, if anyone wants to talk highly stylized decoys at Westlake please look me up. I'll be there Friday morning in time for the Auction. My decoys will be there sometime Wednesday afternoon.
 
Welcome to the site John...those are some fine looking birds you have too. I have to ask this...by 2 x 10 are you referring to a 2 X 10 piece of pine anybody can pick up at Lowe's or Home Depot? The reason I am asking is because I have a 2 x 10 in my basement that I have been thinking about cutting up and glueing together until I can get my hands on some cork at the Westlake show.

I'll be at the show Thursday thru Sunday working from my room. I do intend to do some walking around though, I'll have to try and track ya down.

As far as the Pymatuning show goes. I remember years ago when it was one heck of a great show. I missed a couple years and went back and I was severely disappointed. Since Rich Guiney has taken the reigns he has really made those smoldering embers start burning again. He contacted me to set up at the show three years ago and I have been there every year since then. Rich is a great guy and very dedicated to this show. I hope he continues for many more years to come. I plan to go and set up again this year and maybe bring a decoy or two with me if I can get the carving down.

See ya at Westlake,
Steve
 
Thanks for the info John, Looking at your decoys I can see the Schmiedlin influence . Those are some incredible gadwalls, one of my favorite ducks for sure.
 
Sweet decoys John!! Welcome.

I'll see you at Westlake, I be the fat guy with the camera, well one of the fat guys with a camera anyway.

Hitch
 
Welcome aboard John,

Nice to know I am not the only cheap guy out here, LOL. I have been making decoys for about a year or so and have been using 2 x 6 and 2 x 10 stock. The guys at my Home Depot now know me pretty well, as you have to spend some time going through the stock to find decent boards.

Really nice decoy, love the oil paint.
 
I cant take another high-class, kick butt deocy carver on this site. It wasnt enough to have people like ML Bob, Yukon Mike and all the others, we needed another freaking artist on here. Damn, I swear I will never ever post one of my scooby doo painted decoys here again, I cant take the pressure.

Awesome decoys, welcome aboard!
Derek
 
Derek-

I know how you feel....geesh all I've got is little foamy decoys that are burlapped, I can't paint a straight line to save my life and they have no eyes! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH IF I ever put up another picture of my decoys, the only posts I'll see are....bless her heart...she sure is trying....bwahahahahaahah

Welcome to the forum. No doubt you'll fit in real well here. I love that drake canvasback....
Dani
 
John,

Those are some great looking decoys. Really works of art & they have true character.

I am afraid I'm not much good with my hands,
so most of my decoys crude gunnerS
(foam herters #72's that I burlap and paint)

I have a hard time with carving tools and am a lousy painter, but sometimes art creeps into the marsh in other ways...

You'll enjoy the site, great group of folks.
 
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