Looking for a carver to study with in Wisconsin or the U.P.

Brandon Yuchasz

Brandon Yuchasz

Well-known member
In the spirit of learning and improving I am posting this thread in hopes of finding someone to help me with that goal.

In addition I am posting to let each and ever person here know I am serious about improving my carving and painting and would welcome any and all feedback you can give me when I post decoys I am working on. Criticism is difficult to take but I am ready for it.

I have been carving on and off for my own rig now for about five years and never got too serious about it. This year something changed and I have been carving two to three full days a week. Part of that has to do with having more free time but mostly its a desire to make a better decoy then the last one.

I live on the Western end of the U.P. of Michigan and moved here 4 years ago. The area is very rural and beautiful but that makes it difficult to find anyone close to carve with and learn from. With that in mind I am willing to travel a little bit. Heck I drive a hour to grocery shop so a little driving wont hurt me.

I carve mostly in cedar as its available locally but have done some cork in the past and would not turn my nose up at it. I recently switch to oils and plan to continue down that road for the time being. I like the slow pace they allow when painting and the required breaks the demand leaving time to reflect on the work. I carve for my rig to hunt over the decoys and prefer clean simple decoys and paint. However, I am realizing that in order to be able to complete a simple decoy I still need to understand the more complicated concepts. Choosing to leave detail out to save time or for aesthetics is acceptable to me but making that choice because I lack the skill to do it is not.

I don't have a desire to compete with my decoys but I cant say that in a few years I wont want to have a decoy in the pool at Westlake.

If anyone has the time to take someone on or know someone that might I would appreciate the opportunity.


Thanks,
Brandon Yuchasz
 
Ryan,
I have unfortunately the classes were already full. I will have to wait until next summer to attend which I plan to do.
 
Brandon,

I can't speak for him, but I would be happy to talk to my dad about helping you. My folks live in Wausau, flyfish in the Sylvania Wilderness, etc.

So shoot me a pm or let me know and I'll try to hook you up. You can pick up more in a few hours or a weekend than you can on your own in a couple of months.
 
Brandon,

It all depends on if you are looking for someone to teach you decoratives or just a hunting rig. To what level are you expecting yourself to get to? There are guys like Gary Eigenberger, Dave Van Lanen, Todd Woldt, Perry Menos, etc. who are in Green Bay/Appleton respectively who are world class carvers of varying degree. Look up Gary's page. http://www.garyeigenberger.com/ and you will find a guy who has won many competitions. He teaches at Krausman's but I am not sure if he teaches at all from home. There are several more names that come to mind, I guess it all depends on your thoughts first. let me know what you are thinking and I will try to help if you want.

PM me if you wish.

Later.
 
Brandon since you get down to Wausau every so often I am off from hyw 51 about four miles. I can help you with paints and lend a few books. The carving no. You seem to be doing pretty good in that. PM me for directions if your interested.
 
Brandon, I'm no decorative decoy carver, But I have made over 800 decoys, and would be glad to help in any way I can.

Last year, thru an introduction made by Pat Gregory, I became friends with Mike Lashbrook, and was finally freed from a painting style that wasn't mine as well as picking up some good tips.

There are two more famous makers/friends who have made over 3000 decoys each that live near me. Perhaps a day visiting these two legends would give you some tips. Even The most famous contemporary decoy maker in the country, and who is a total recluse, shows up at one of these shops time to time.

I only live 45 minutes south of Stevens Point. Mike
 
Brandon,

Mike's no slouch at making a decoy, but he can't post pictures to save his life, maybe you guys can help each other out :)

decoys018.jpg


I absolutely love the feathering on the back of this ringneck he made for me! The picture doesn't do it justice. The layers, the texture...you got to see it in hand...

decoys023.jpg


MrLee_0007crop.jpg


(Mike's ringneck on left, last fall)

Chuck
 
[font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]Eric I was actually aware of [/font][font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]Gary Eigenberger teaching at [/font][font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]Krausman's. They had recommended that I enroll in his class this summer and I am strongly considering it. Even though it will not be carving of painting of waterfowl I think I would learn a lot about the use of oils in the class. To answer your questions, I can't say to what level I will take this what I am sure of is I am enjoying the process of improving my skills. Just today I was caving a new style provided to me by a member here and I enjoyed the entire process of roughing out that decoy today. I see myself carving working decoys but I would like to have the skills to do more when the desire hits me. To me a decoy is meant to be gunned over. I have no objection to those that carve them to be decorations or art. However carving those, with the exception of a special gift for a friend or family memeber does not get me excited. Gunning over a rig of hand carved decoys does. I hope that helps answer your question.

Wispete, I will take you up on that offer of help with the painting and send you a PM. I done most of my carving in solitude I think the more time I can spend around others just seeing the way they do it the better off I will be.

Mike,
I certainly would like to take you up on your offer as well. 800 decoys is an impressive number and to have carved into the thousands certainly is. I would love to spend some time down that way learning and just seeing different styles and ways of doing things first hand. I will send you a PM along with everyone else that offered to help.

That is what I love about this site everyone is so willing to help each other out.

chuck I agree the feathering is amazing. Hopefully I can see it first hand someday even better if its when we are pulling decoys after a hunt.


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well it was about a 13 hour day 8 of that was driving and 5 was visiting with Mike. What a great guy friendly and very willing to share any information. I picked his brain as much as I could and even though I bounced from subject to subject I think some of it sank in.

I plan to go down again and go visiting with him to other carvers in the area. That will be a treat!


Mike thanks again just the help on the mallard will help me move along in my carving and the finishing "secrets" I will take to the grave with me ...haha!


I look forward to my next trip down.

p.s. I will try to cave bigger decoys in the future but no promises.
 
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Hey Brandon,

Sounds like a great day...did you have time to help Mike with his photo posting issues? :) He keeps blaming the Mac, but I know that isnt the whole issue.

Yeah, Mike likes big decoys. So much so he had to get a bigger boat.

Chuck
 
Chuck,

I did not get to help him with his Mac but I agree I think its the guy driving. Next time I get down there I will take a few minutes and show him how to do a photobucket account.

I did get to see your swans while I was there and they are really really impressive up close.
 
Hi Brandon, Something you may want to consider is a visit to Jim Wicks shop in Curtis. Jim was one of my mentors and is a great carver of decoys for the hunt. Jim was the first winner of the rig contest at Westlake and notably the first winner of the Michigan Heritage award for decoy carving. I took over Jim's carving classes at MSU when he retired and moved to the UP. Jim loves to talk shop and share info on anything hunting, fishing, carving with anyone that stops by the shop. Be sure to mention that I suggested to get in touch with him and give him my best. He is one great guy and a great teacher/ historian. Here is a link to his site.

Willy
http://www.southlakedecoys.com/
 
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