My interest in art began at an early age as I watched my father whittle small rocking chairs, paint and draw. Because I was too young to use a pocket knife he use to get me paint-by-number pictures for me and when I was finished my pictures, he used the left over paint for his art. I guess that is where I learned not to waste supplies and that anything can be used to create art. A few years after college, I was working as an illustrator for a publishing company while continuing to develop my own style in my wildlife paintings. I had recently painted a pair of Widgeons for a competition so I chose a Widgeon drake as the first decoy to carve. During the carving of this duck something began to happen that never happened when painting on canvas. I could actually feel the duck come "alive" as I carved and textured each feather. After all this time I still get a feeling of wonder and awe as each carving I create begins to come alive in my hands.