"Kids" Day at the Rutgers Institute of Decoy Arts

[Rutgers]

Today with the weather being not good for much of anything else, it worked out well to be in the shop today. Today was set aside for kids, but had a few young adults show up to see what the whole decoy thing is all about. We busted out some canvasback bodies and a few heads I had done and got to carving. It didn't take long before I realized I had a bunch of naturals on my hands! In short order they picked up the tools, watched some instruction and had bodies ready for heads. These guys all love duck and goose hunting, so these decoys were built and rigged to be HUNTED. I know they will be. Heres a few pictures from the day.

My buddy Gerry VanderWeele stopped by to check things out and brought a neat little Dudley style ruddy he carved and antiqued. Its basswood and oils. Mitchell was pretty impressed as you can see.

Heres a closer picture of Gerry and his ruddy.

Here's Zach Rounding on a canvasback body. Zach brought along a lanyard full of Lewis Custom calls, and really know how to use them. These guys love getting after the geese!

Austin has been whittlin away on some bluebill heads and is getting pretty good with the knife. He's been afflicted with sawdust fever for some time now and makes it to every carving get together I have. I'm always glad to see him show up. He's a very polite young man.

Christian and his canvasback from today. This is his third decoy, and his work takes a great leap forward with every one. I cant wait to see what his 10th bird will look like!

Heres the guys with their projects from the day. The decoy I'm holding was carved a few years ago from the same pattern and painted by my buddy Gerry. I cant pose for the pic empty handed right? Sorry for the dust spots in the pictures. Take Care

Paul

 

[David Robinson]

Paul,

Awesome!! By openning up your shop, you've got the next generation of carvers started. Those 5 young men are going to make dekes, talk dekes, and possible teach others how to carve dekes for the rest of their lives. You're keeping the tradition alive one Saturday at a time I'd like to think that if everyone on this great site would open up their shops to just one kid and show'em a wooden boat, let'em carve a decoy, or just use a paint brush, we would do our sport (and the ducks) a huge favor by positively shaping a young person's character. I'll definitely have to make it down for the next carving Saturday at the "Rutger's Institute of Decoy Arts." Way to go!!

Later,

Dave

PS: Pauly, you keep this up and you'll need a teaching degree like me, hehehe

 

[Wispete]

You know Paul I sure wish you were around when I was a kid. "thats great"

The down side is you would probably be dead ( ; }

 

[bvullo]

Paul, great job with those young men. All the decoys look really good. Keep it up!!!!

Bill

 

[Brandon Yuchasz]

Paul,
Great job with the kids. So far I have only been able to get one person interested in carving but its a start

This spring when I get down state to visit family if you are still doing these carving get togethers I plan to make some time to get over there. It sounds like a really good time.