04/30/2026
This past year I was fortunate to serve as a mentor, working alongside my buddy Brad Neimeyer to help him with the process of carving and painting functional hunting decoys from start to finish. This was made possible by a Traditional Art Apprenticeship grant we were awarded through the Ohio Arts Council! The goal was two fold: carve and hunt over our own decoys, while also entering them in a contest.
I couldn’t be more proud of Brad and the work he put in. His carving has come a long way in a short time, and it showed. He took home Best Pintail at the Ohio show and Second Best Pintail at the World Show with his bird. We also had a few successful hunts over our hand carved decoys throughout the season!
I’m excited to see how he carries this forward and continues to grow in his own carving career. He's already working on another bird that is coming along great... And rumor has it him and his son have a father/son decoy project in mind!
Decoy carving isn’t just about making something that looks good. It’s about function, heritage, and staying connected to the generations of carvers who came before us. By carving, hunting, and competing with these birds, we’re not just preserving tradition, we’re actively living it.
For more information on programs like this, including the Traditional Arts Apprenticeship, visit the Ohio Arts Council website to learn more about how they support artists and keep traditional crafts alive.