jode hillman
Well-known member
"The Other Delaware River"
Many people associate the Delaware River school of carving with notable greats of the past like John English and Jess Heisler. Their sharp cut lines, raised wings and carved tails set the standard for "Floating Sculpture" Many followed their example.
Lesser known , and perhaps even earlier ( mid to late 19th Century) was the work of John Blair, A.B. Vance , and other so called "Philadelphia" school carvers. Smooth bodies, Clean lines and fanciful paint are hallmarks of this Philadelphia school.
However another anomaly ( Clark C. Madara 1883-1953, ) arose in the most unlikely of places. The small inland town of Pitman NJ, located in Gloucester County.
(I worked at my fathers Cabinet shop, that for 12 years was located in the center of Pitman ) As such I learned a lot about the history of the town.
Pitman was founded in the late 1800s as a Methodist Camp meeting retreat. Summer homes located in the "Grove" were Victorian mansions in miniature. Ornately decorated many of these homes still exist today. As the town grew, more people decided to live there year round. This trend continued and expanded over the successive decades.
The Ornate existing homes as well as new construction attracted many tradesmen. Among them Clark Madara. Madara was a skilled painter and no doubt did well working in and around the town. My research shows at least one child with the Surname Madara attend the "Richwood Academy " located just outside of town. Madara married later in Life, but I have not been able to verify any children. Perhaps it was a niece or nephew.
Madera spent time in the fall and winter Gunning Ducks in the Tuckahoe, Ocean city and Beesely's point areas of NJ. A relative Charles Madara lived in Linwood NJ at the Headwaters of this Estuary. Historical records show He was born and Raised in the Cape May (county? ) Area. No doubt this is where his exposure to decoys originated, as well as his expertise in the Victorian architectural elements. He carved sinuous, curvy decoys that were unusual in their exaggerated forms. So striking were the shapes, that is widely accepted early collector Joel Barber used one of Madara's heads for the basis of his Bronze decoy head casting.
At some point after Madara's death, a rig of his decoys made its way south to Crisfield Md. to be repainted by Lem Ward. This collaboration produced a wonderful example of two masters works combining to create a new work of art. Similar in my option to the Famous English/Dawson collaborative decoys.
So impressed I was with that Madara/Ward collaboration, I decided to pay tribute to it with this contemporary Black duck. Not an exact copy, but rather a bird made to honor that rare yet wonderful collision of history.
I hope you enjoyed a little of the inspiration behind my creative process.
View attachment IMG_9077.JPG
The final "Coffee Table" photo after its rigged and floated.
View attachment IMG_9129.JPG
Many people associate the Delaware River school of carving with notable greats of the past like John English and Jess Heisler. Their sharp cut lines, raised wings and carved tails set the standard for "Floating Sculpture" Many followed their example.
Lesser known , and perhaps even earlier ( mid to late 19th Century) was the work of John Blair, A.B. Vance , and other so called "Philadelphia" school carvers. Smooth bodies, Clean lines and fanciful paint are hallmarks of this Philadelphia school.
However another anomaly ( Clark C. Madara 1883-1953, ) arose in the most unlikely of places. The small inland town of Pitman NJ, located in Gloucester County.
(I worked at my fathers Cabinet shop, that for 12 years was located in the center of Pitman ) As such I learned a lot about the history of the town.
Pitman was founded in the late 1800s as a Methodist Camp meeting retreat. Summer homes located in the "Grove" were Victorian mansions in miniature. Ornately decorated many of these homes still exist today. As the town grew, more people decided to live there year round. This trend continued and expanded over the successive decades.
The Ornate existing homes as well as new construction attracted many tradesmen. Among them Clark Madara. Madara was a skilled painter and no doubt did well working in and around the town. My research shows at least one child with the Surname Madara attend the "Richwood Academy " located just outside of town. Madara married later in Life, but I have not been able to verify any children. Perhaps it was a niece or nephew.
Madera spent time in the fall and winter Gunning Ducks in the Tuckahoe, Ocean city and Beesely's point areas of NJ. A relative Charles Madara lived in Linwood NJ at the Headwaters of this Estuary. Historical records show He was born and Raised in the Cape May (county? ) Area. No doubt this is where his exposure to decoys originated, as well as his expertise in the Victorian architectural elements. He carved sinuous, curvy decoys that were unusual in their exaggerated forms. So striking were the shapes, that is widely accepted early collector Joel Barber used one of Madara's heads for the basis of his Bronze decoy head casting.
At some point after Madara's death, a rig of his decoys made its way south to Crisfield Md. to be repainted by Lem Ward. This collaboration produced a wonderful example of two masters works combining to create a new work of art. Similar in my option to the Famous English/Dawson collaborative decoys.
So impressed I was with that Madara/Ward collaboration, I decided to pay tribute to it with this contemporary Black duck. Not an exact copy, but rather a bird made to honor that rare yet wonderful collision of history.
I hope you enjoyed a little of the inspiration behind my creative process.
View attachment IMG_9077.JPG
The final "Coffee Table" photo after its rigged and floated.
View attachment IMG_9129.JPG
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