Posted: Friday, February 24, 2012
Decoys Focus of Afternoon Folk Art Program
Decoys and decoy carvers will be the subject of the next Folk Art in the Afternoon presentation, on Wednesday, February 29, at The TAUNY Center. The afternoon series explores the art and artists showcased in TAUNY’s current exhibit “Kindred Pursuits: Folk Art in North Country Life.”
As described in the Kindred Pursuits exhibit, some artists and their communities place high value on the usefulness of the objects they create. Decoys and carvers are featured as a case study of artists for whom the function – or usefulness – of their work is important. Design, materials, and execution all contribute to usefulness, and the object’s ability to stand up to its intended use are important goals of the artist.
Carved and painted models of birds, known as decoys, have been essential tools for the hunter trying to lure the passing birds out of the sky. At one time, a hunter might have produced only a few decoys for his personal use. Some carvers, however, created hundreds of decoys that have found their way into the water, and later onto mantelpieces in—and well beyond—the St. Lawrence River valley.
Larry Lunman will offer an informal illustrated talk about decoys and their carvers. Lunman, who now lives in Mallorytown, Ontario, is a lifelong resident of the Thousand Islands area, a retired teacher, and an important collector of St. Lawrence River hunting decoys from both the Canadian and U.S. sides of the river. He is an accomplished carver of decorative decoys, having won numerous awards in competitions and had his decoys exhibited in several museums. Lunman is the co-author of Decoys of the Thousand islands, an authoritative volume about carvers and decoys from the region, published in 1991.
The Folk Art in the Afternoon program will begin at 4 p.m.; the presentation will last approximately 30 minutes and there will be time for questions and answers. Visitors to the decoy presentation are encouraged to bring in examples of local decoys for identification or discussion.
Tea, coffee, and light refreshments will be provided.
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