Jeff Krete - Superstar

     Regular readers of my blog will know of the great pleasure I have had in interviewing champion wood carvers and introducing you to their work.
     My most recent encounter has been with Jeff Krete, an artist of great distinction, a wonderful conversationalist, a fellow with a cerebral quality applied to his creations in ways that confound the imaginative capacity of mere mortals like us.

     Jeff embarked on his career as a carver in 1983, at the tender age of twenty-three. His early influences were Arn Pletzer, already eighty-four years old when Jeff came to know him; a pattern maker and distinguished artist who was affiliated with the Group of Seven. Jeff would carve a piece one week and take it to Arn the next for critique.  Huge inspiration gained from fellow Canadian carvers Paul Burdette and Pat Godin were also developmental factors in Jeff's progression, and with their guidance he raised his skill level appreciably.
     Jeff is quick to acknowledge the contribution of these mentors, and to emphasize the collegial relationship that exists between carvers, who, while fiercely competing against each other, are always willing to offer assistance to an up-and-coming future rival. 
     While completing one of his pieces Jeff needed to improve his welding skills, and contacted Pat Godin for help and received it without hesitation.
     One of Jeff's prized possessions is a carving of an American Woodcock completed by Arn Pletzer and he was happy to show it to me.

     No doubt he is reminded of his early days as a fledgling carver every time he looks at this piece.
     As you will see as we explore Jeff's art throughout this article, it is an eclectic mix of style and subject, but one of the themes that will emerge is the connection between birds and human culture. And it is to this linkage that Jeff applies his most creative processes.
     Let us examine one piece that took my breath away with its complexity, detail, and execution. Fortunately (only for me) this piece has not sold so I was able to see it.
     A few years ago, as no doubt many of you remember, there was great interest in Egyptology, engendered primarily by the touring Tutankhamun exhibit, and this provided the inspiration for Jeff to complete one of his most ambitious pieces.

     Looking at the exquisite rendition above, it is perhaps appropriate to remind everyone that this is carved out of wood and hand painted. Jeff was unhappy with the results to be obtained with gold paint, so he applied actual gold leaf to portray the richness and majesty of the subject.
     The Egyptian god, Horus, was believed by its devotees to be embodied in a falcon.

     You will note the iconography of this side of the falcon, rich in shimmering gold. On the reverse side, however, are the true colours of a Peregrine Falcon, representing the fusion between the natural world and the realm of deities and spirits.

     The sarcophagus is carved from a single piece of tupelo. I can tell you from having seen this piece, the precision is nothing short of exquisite and it is accurate down to the smallest detail.
     Here is Jeff hard at work on it.

     Who can begin to imagine the amount of time spent on this work? How many frustrations, how many technical details to be worked out, how many obstacles to overcome? In fact who can conceive of the creative force to come up with the theme in the first place?
     It is a tour de force by any standards; a masterpiece both in conception and realization.
     The Ward World Championship, having its origins as a forum for decoy makers to display their oeuvre, will be fifty years old in 2020. Jeff has won first in the world five times, achieving that honour for the first time in 2006, in the floating pairs category, with a pair of Barrow's Goldeneye.

 This was followed a year years later with a win in the  decorative miniature category, with three Northern Pintails in flight. 

     Jeff felt that the second championship meant that the "pressure was off." He knew that he was not a one-off wonder!
     A pilot himself, Jeff has a love affair with flight, and many of his works, such as the one above, reflect this passion.
     In 2007 Jeff was again a world champion, once more in the decorative miniature category, this time with an Argus Pheasant.

     The pinnacle of Jeff's creative output resulted in a world championship and a People's Choice Award in 2014. Jeff considers this his finest piece to date - only to be surpassed in the future, mind you!

     It represents the inter-relatedness between the flight of birds and the flight of aeroplanes, and is aptly called "The Anatomy of Flight." How magnificently this is displayed, you may readily see below.

     The bird is rendered life size and every aspect of the bird and the machine is rendered accurately, with attention to even the most minor detail. The fusion of bird and aeroplane are exquisitely presented. Every flowing line is pleasing to the eye and leads one to soar toward the clouds.

     It is hardly surprising that Jeff looks extremely happy standing by his work, having already learned that he has been declared world champion.

    Jeff's most recent award-winning piece (2016) is entitled Bering North Sea Ducks, featuring Long-tailed Ducks and a King Eider.

     Oh that it were to grace my shelves!

    Jeff has now been a world champion in three of the five categories at the Ward World Championships. The two that remain to be conquered are World Decorative Life Size and Three Bird Shooting Rig. Jeff does not hesitate to to declare that he intends to be the first win in all five categories.

     A piece that I find incredibly beautiful and interesting, and one of Jeff's favourite three pieces that he has ever completed, is of a Cape Buffalo with a Cattle Egret on its head, reminding me of scenes that I have seen in South Africa. Jeff entered this work in the World Miniatures category in 2002, and it won nothing! It seems hard to believe, but of course I did not see the winning sculptures. I can only say that they must have been quite phenomenal!

       In addition to his success at the world championships Jeff has also won the Canadian National Championship six times and has numerous second and third place honours in a range of competitions.

     From a commercial standpoint Jeff creates decoy masters for Avery Greenhead Gear, a decoy company in the United States, a time-consuming and demanding occupation.

     There are so many more beautiful pieces created by Jeff, and so many more stories to tell, but I will feature just a few below, and you will judge for yourself the wealth of talent of this truly remarkable artist.

     Like all champions, Jeff has a championship ring. It now has five stones, four diamonds and a ruby for the win on the 40th anniversary. I expect that Jeff will soon have rings for more than one finger!

     Jeff is in demand as a teacher and takes a week each year to conduct classes for aspiring new carvers. He has travelled to Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia to impart his knowledge and skills to others. Lucky the students to have been tutored by a master!

     Who can even imagine what is next for this amazing artist? Who knows what ideas are percolating in his head? I will be anxious to run into him at the next show to see the latest output from his creative mind and skillful hands. I can guarantee you it will be unique and both challenging and pleasing to all who see it.

     The purpose of these features on carvers is not to compare one with the other, nor to rank or rate them, but to expose you to the incredible work that they produce. I must say, however, that I derived an enormous degree of satisfaction from my interview with Jeff. He gave me insights into the process in ways I had not previously considered and removed a couple of layers from my blinders and opened up new vistas and perspectives. He added a whole new intellectual component to the work he shares with his fellow artists, man and woman, young and old. He is modest to a fault, a true champion in every way.

     I urge you to follow Jeff on Facebook by searching for Jeff Krete or Jeff Krete Wildlife Art; you may personal message him there.       

   

Wayne Simkin - Two-time World Champion Wood Carver

     It has once again been my great pleasure to interview a Canadian world champion wood carver. Having now interviewed three carvers, I am struck by the difference in their personalities, but their passion for their chosen art  resonates equally. Make no mistake, these are artists of the finest order, united by a desire for excellence and a love of the subjects they carve.
     I would like you all to meet Wayne Simkin.

     Wayne welcomed me into his home near Waverley, ON, not far from the historic regions of Midland and Penetanguishene, where early French Canadian martyrs met their fate, and evidence of Huron occupancy abounds.
     It is fitting in a way for Wayne to reside in such an area, for he spent part of his earlier life living in the northern settlement of Moosonee, among the James Bay Cree and for several years organized caribou hunts and fishing expeditions for lake trout in northern Québec, ably assisted by the indigenous people of that territory. In fact there were remote regions where Wayne may well have been the first white man to visit.
     Wayne's introduction to carving occurred in the mid nineteen-seventies when he was still a boy of twelve or thirteen. He started to produce working decoys with his father, and quickly displayed a rare talent for creativity and an appreciation of form and function. His moment of epiphany came when he entered some of his work into the annual Sportsmen's Show in Toronto and won thirteen ribbons for twelve birds, a remarkable achievement. This validated his oeuvre and convinced him that he had what it took to pursue carving in a serious way.
     And speaking of ribbons, and plaques, and awards, this is just part of Wayne's "wall of honour."

     How few of us will ever be able to display a ribbon that says World Champion?

        Here is a White-winged Scoter, exquisitely rendered, for which Wayne was awarded Best in Show at the Canadian National Championship in 2015.

   
     Just ponder for a moment that this gob-smacking work of art started out as a block of wood, a hunk of tupelo from a bottomland swamp in the southern United States. The lifelike qualities are stunning; the nuance, the shading, the angle of the head, the detail on the feathers, the elegance of the painting are all the unmistakable hallmarks of a maestro. 
     Wayne went on to enter this piece in the Master Class at the World Championships where it won second place.
     In 2017 this delicate rendition of a Canada Goose at the nest garnered Best in Show for Wayne in the 2017 Canadian National Championship; ironically exactly twenty-five years after he had first won such an award.

     Wayne told me that he was mentored in his early years by Al Glassford, a renowned figure in the world of Canadian carvers, and was always encouraged to develop his own style and not follow that of others. Al promoted individuality. Wayne feels that this was perhaps the most important piece of advice he received, and he has always striven to interpret a bird in the way that he sees it, and not to emulate the successful renditions of others.  While his style may not be instantly recognizable to the casual observer, Wayne knows that it is identifiable at a glance to other carvers.
     In 2010 Wayne was world champion with a pair of Steller's Eiders and in 2013 with a pair of Canvasbacks. Both works were sold before the end of the show so I have no pictures to show you!
     Wayne does most of his work with power tools but still has a set of knives and chisels which he uses also.

     Some time ago Wayne and his wife attended a presentation on the wildlife of Antarctica and his wife fell in love with penguins. I suspect that when you have a husband who can produce what your heart desires, a one of a kind carving is not too much to ask for. And this is what Wayne is working on now - a Rockhopper Penguin if I am not mistaken.

     When I saw this Cackling Goose on the mantle I fell in love with it, but apparently Wayne's wife did too, and this is another piece that will not be for sale!

     We took the birds outside for a little better light and you can see from my very poor picture why I generally leave the photography to Miriam! I did not do well in the bright sunlight and I should have photographed from other angles too. I apologize to Wayne for not displaying his work in a better way.
     This carving was entered into competition and was featured on the front cover of an important trade magazine, and was the subject of an article inside.

     It is ironic that Wayne had no idea that his work was being covered in this way, and was alerted to it by friends who casually advised him to "check the latest issue." Needless to say, Wayne was very pleased with this honour.
     The pair of Ruddy Ducks featured below were scintillating in their lifelike appearance and I regret that once again my photographs do not do them justice.

     For many years Wayne used acrylic paints but has switched to oil. He feels he obtains a much softer look with oil and the delicacy of the plumage is enhanced.
     Although Wayne devotes most of his time to decorative art these days, his roots in working decoys are still a part of his life and he and his father enjoy time in the outdoors together.

     As many of you will recall a world championship ring is one of the rewards of winning at the highest level.

     You will see at the left where a diamond has been added to mark Wayne's second world championship and I asked whether another diamond would be added if he wins again. With a wry smile and an instant riposte, Wayne said, "It is not "if," it is "when," David." And I am sure that no truer statement could be made.
     Thank you Wayne for permitting me to enjoy your company and learn a little more about the wonderful art you portray so well. I will look forward to seeing you at next year's Canadian championships. 

Jason Lucio - World Champion Wood Carver

     Can you even begin to imagine what it is like to be best in the WORLD at anything? I am not sure that I can wrap my head around that, but at the tender age of fifteen this was true for Jason Lucio. He won the Fraser Award for the best carving in the under sixteen years of age category at the World Championships held in Ocean City, MD, USA.

    When I visited Jason at his home in Bothwell, ON he told me that back then he was a shy young kid, and was intimidated by the fact that he would have to go up onto the stage to accept his award and get used to the attention that followed his success. He has since gone on to have a highly successful career as a wood carver as we will explore in this piece.
     Jason revealed that when he was young his father was a constant source of encouragement and urged him to exploit the talent he was already exhibiting. It seems to me that so many parents instruct their children to get a "real job" and pursue music, or writing, or weaving,....... or wood carving as a hobby. Jason's father saw the joy his son derived from creating works of great beauty, and invested in equipment for him, and encouraged him to try to make his way in life doing what he loved to do most. I have never met Jason's father but he must be a rare man indeed, a visionary and a remarkable parent.
     As proof of a father's faith in his son, Jason has gone on to win "Best in World" twice. That phrase means exactly what it says, best in the entire world, in every category in the competition. 
     Aside from the recognition, the monetary award, and the enhanced commercial desirability of the winning piece, a commemorative ring is issued to the champion carver.

     As Jason points out, he has two daughters and each will ultimately receive one of these rings, unique to world champion carvers.
     Jason has also won second in the world four times and third in the world once - and in recent years has not even competed!
      The wood most favoured by carvers, especially for decorative pieces, is a species of tupelo, a tree most closely associated with the swamp margins and seasonally flooded bottomlands of the southern United States. It is soft and responds well to contouring and fine detail. It is not inexpensive and the block shown below cost approximately $600 in Canadian funds.

       One of the principal dealers in tupelo goes to the World Championships every year and takes customers' orders with him, and Jason was able to arrange with a friend of his to have it brought back in a pickup truck; otherwise there would have been a hefty freight charge in addition to the cost of the wood. 
     For this reason, carvers very carefully plan the best use of their wood, minimizing wastage.  The head of a life-size duck, for example, is often made as a separate piece to avoid the excessive waste that carving from a single piece would entail. Small pieces are always saved for possible future use.

     Jason kindly showed me exactly how he carves and how he contours and burns feathers using a variety of bits, generally starting out with large bits and moving to ever smaller bits as fine detail work is involved.

      It was impressive to watch the confidence with which he "attacks" a piece of wood and how his steady hand and artistic eye produce curves and pleasing lines from a rectilinear block of wood. The transformation occurring before my eyes was remarkable.
      Jason always creates his own plans, and uses skins and taxidermy to help him to get the right "jizz" of the bird, and for colour fidelity. 
      Let us look at just three of Jason's finished works. 
      Firstly, I have little doubt that this Virginia Rail will leave you gasping. Jason has captured the living qualities of the bird so well, that you almost expect it to walk right off the log.

     The colours, are exquisitely rendered, and applied with hand brushes and air brushes; but you are never able to tell which parts have been air brushed, so skillfully is the work completed. Everything about this piece captures the bird in life. 
     Jason is always striving to present his subjects in non stereotypical ways - interesting poses, birds engaged in lifestyle activities, appealing landscape features and subtle nuances. 
     The following two pieces show us the chain of events in the natural world in all its heart-stopping drama. This is the raw stuff of daily survival, brutal in its own way, yet revealed here as the wonderful primal force that is at the core of much of our love of and respect for nature in all its guises.

      
     The American Kestrel perched on a rocky outcrop has captured a rodent and even the indent of the talons of the bird are shown. It is in every way a gripping portrayal of the role of predator and prey, on an incredibly interesting substrate, which in itself contributes immeasurably to the portrayal of the bird. I find this a very compelling work indeed.
     It must be remembered that the artist has to create every component of the work and Jason recounted to me a humorous anecdote about how he came up with the material for the whiskers on the mouse. He had tried the bristles of brooms and brushes, and other strands he was able to locate, but nothing quite worked. At the time he had a Black Labrador dog who was sitting at his feet while he worked. Jason glanced down and saw the solution to his dilemma. A little of the dog's whiskers fit the bill perfectly!
     The portrayal of a Sharp-shinned Hawk below was for me the most fabulous piece in a series of nothing but fabulous pieces. 

      How one arrives at a "favourite" work I am not quite sure, but this magnificent oeuvre did it for me. I swear that if I turned and looked at something else and then came back to the hawk I could have been convinced that a Sharp-shin had just flown into the room.
     Every single component of this work conveys perfection and I found it particularly appropriate that Jason had used a Red-breasted Nuthatch to convey the predator/prey relationship of life in the wild. I am often struck that if a prey animal is something generally reviled by people, a snake for example, there is approval for the action of the captor, but disapprobation if it is delicate and pretty.  A raptor seeking food, however,  makes no distinction between cute and not cute, and a nuthatch is fair game, and it illustrates the point that life in the wild is a constant struggle for survival.
     Jason's works are in demand the world over and routinely sell for thousands of dollars.
     In addition to his decorative carvings, Jason creates gunning decoys such as those shown in his hands in the first picture above, and also he is the artist behind a whole range of commercial decoys sold in sporting goods stores.
     A plan is created and Jason produces the bird in wood. This is then sent away to have a resin mould made. That mould is then sent to China, both  unpainted and painted (to show exactly how the finished product should look), where the decoy is mass produced and shipped back to North America for retail sales.

     These decoys are created in a whole range of natural postures and are clearly superior to the run of the mill stereotypical dross so often seen.
     Jason is also in demand as a teacher and has conducted classes as far away as Victoria, British Columbia and Calgary, Alberta.
     I urge you to check out Jason's website at http://www.jasonlucioart.com/  and his Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/JasonLucioArt.
     Let me make a final point about the fine art of wood carving - and make no mistake, that is what it is - when you acquire a piece it is absolutely unique and there can never be any reproduction of it. I own quite a few high quality original paintings, but with today's techniques to produce a set of numbered prints, supervised by the artist to ensure technical and visual integrity, and signed by the artist, the original and the prints can become virtually indistinguishable. A facsimile of one of Jason's carvings will never greet you in somebody else's home. It is a one and only every time.
    And so I present to you this amazing artist, creator of an art form I have come to admire so much in recent years. a master at everything he does, a maestro in every way. But above all a kind and gentle man, a person who gave freely of his time to me, welcomed me into his home, and shared his creative passion with me. Thank you, Jason. I am forever in your debt.