The Artistry Studio
of Wildfowl Carving
Minnetrista, MN 55364
Laurie J. McNeil
1958, United States
RESIDES: Minnetrista,
Minnesota, United States
Laurie's passion for wildfowl carving
began in 1985. Laurie uses Tupelo wood to carve her wildfowl pieces from a
single piece of tupelo, in most cases, and her signature wave bases are carved
from Butternut wood. Laurie also has a passion for Palm Frond Sculptures created
for the exclusive California Open Palm Frond Division each year.
Her carving techniques have been tailored
around the exclusive use of power tools like flex-shaft rotary grinders for
rough out, and micro-motor tools like the Gesswein PH3 for feather carving and
detail work. These power carving techniques are offered freely through Laurie's
Facebook page as photo tutorials, as well as detailed tutorials featuring eye
setting, bill carving, feather texturing and burning, oil painting of
decoratives, and acrylic painting on decorative smoothies.
It is Laurie's goal for Wildfowl Carving to be recognized as the important art form it truly is. By sharing her
techniques, the true nature of the art form is revealed, showing the
multifaceted processes used to create a wildfowl sculpture from wood. These
tutorials also make it possible for the new wildfowl carvers to learn techniques
they can apply to their own wildfowl carvings.
EXHIBITIONS:
Minnesota Historical Society - St. Paul, MN
-
1987 Common Loon Gunning Decoy Inducted - October 2014
Ward Foundation Fall Exhibition, 1988, 1991, Salisbury,
Maryland
Waterfowl Festival, 1989, Easton, Maryland Wildlife and Western Art Exhibit, 1993, 1996, Minneapolis, Minnesota Arts in the Park, 1996, 1997, 2009, 2011, 2012 Brainerd, Minnesota - Featured Artist Faculty Exhibit, 2013 Minnetonka Center for the Arts, Wayzata, MN "From Decoys to Decoratives" - Doug & Ellen Miller Collection - November
2014, Ducks Unlimited Headquarters, Memphis Tennessee
AWARDS:
Best of Show, 1986, California Open - PSWA, San Diego,
California
Best of Show, 1986, Louisiana Wildfowl Carvers and Collectors Guild, New
Orleans, LA
Best of Show, 1986, Cajun Heritage Festival, Cut Off, Louisiana
Best of Show, 1987, International Decoy Contest, Davenport, Iowa
Best of Show, 1988, California Open -PSWA, San Diego, California
Best of Show, 1988,
Sigurd T. Olson Medallion - Minnesota Loon Festival, Brainerd, MN
Best of Show, 1989, Louisiana Wildfowl Carvers and Collectors Guild, New
Orleans, LA
Best of Show, 1993,
Sigurd T. Olson Medallion - Minnesota Loon Festival, Nisswa, MN
Best of Show, 1994, California Open - PSWA, Los Angeles, California
Best of Show, 1995, California Open - PSWA, Los Angeles, California
Best of Show, 1995, Louisiana Wildfowl Carvers and Collectors Guild, New
Orleans, LA
Best of Show, 1996, California Open - PSWA, San Diego, California
Best of Show, 1997, Minnesota Loon Festival, Brainerd, Minnesota
Best of Show, 1998, North American Wildfowl Carving Championships, Livonia,
Michigan
Best of Show, 1999, North American Wildfowl Carving Championships, Livonia,
Michigan
Best of Show, 2000, North American Wildfowl Carving Championships, Livonia,
Michigan
Third in World, 2011, World Class Pairs Ward World Championships, Ocean City,
Maryland
Best of Show,
2011,
Ward Chesapeake Challenge Competition, Salisbury, MD
World Champion Cocktail Class Carving,
2012,
PSWA California Open, San Diego, CA
2nd Best of Show -
2012, PSWA California Open, San Diego, CA
2nd Best of Show - 2015,
PSWA California Open, San Diego, CA
1987, 1988 Louisiana Wildfowl Carvers and Collectors Guild,
New Orleans, Louisiana
1988 Catahoula Lake Festival, Pineville, Louisiana
1987, 1988 Pointe Mouillee Decoy Show, Pointe Mouillee, Michigan
1992 Minnesota Loon Festival, Nisswa, Minnesota
1995, 1997-2000 North American Wildfowl Carving Championships, Livonia,
MI
1996-1997, 1999 World Championship Chainsaw Carving, Brainerd, Minnesota
1996-2014 Arts in the Park, Brainerd, Minnesota
1997 Pacific Flyway Decoy Association - Wildfowl Festival, Sacramento,
California
1999-2000, 2004-2006, 2012, 2013 California Open - PSWA, San Diego, California
2011 Ward Chesapeake Challenge Competition - Salisbury, MD
2012 Columbia Flyway Wildfowl Art Show - Vancouver, WA
2012,
2013, 2014, 2015 Ward World Championships of Wildfowl Carving - Ocean City, MD
2014 Ohio Decoy Collectors & Carvers Association - ODCCA Show,
Strongsville, Ohio
ORGANIZATIONS
1985-1986 Member Vikings Woodcarving Club -
Bloomington, MN 1986 President Vikings Woodcarving Club - Bloomington, MN 1986 Founder/President - Minnesota Decoy & Wildfowl Carving Club, St.
Louis Park, MN 1987-1990 - International Wildfowl Carving Association - Board
of Directors 1986 - International Wildfowl Carving Association (IWCA) - Lifetime Member
1999-2003 - Webmaster - International Wildfowl Carvers Association (IWCA) 1985-1997,
2005, 2011-2014 -
Member -Ward Foundation,
Salisbury, MD
2012-2014 - Secretary - International Wildfowl Carvers Association (IWCA)
2015-Present - Webmaster and Facebook Page Administrator - International
Wildfowl Carvers Association
Laurie J. McNeil has been carving
wildfowl
sculpture in wood since 1985, and consistently
received top honors at national and international championships, and
establishing her as a Master Wildfowl Carver. Her wildfowl sculptures are found
in some of the most prestigious private around the world. Her award winning
first Common Loon decoy (a confidence decoy) is part of the Minnesota Historical
Museum's decoy collection in St. Paul, MN. The museum wanted acquired this decoy
for their collection, to represent her because of trail she had blazed for decoy
carvers in Minnesota. Laurie began inspiring decoy and wildfowl carvers in
Minnesota through the Minnesota Decoy and Wildfowl Carving Club, which she
founded in her St. Louis Park basement in 1986, when her last name was Lundell. Four of her award winning sculptures have been cast into
limited edition bronzes.
Laurie offers private instruction (one-on-one)
in her home based studio in Minnetrista, MN. Her virtual instructional studio is
located at http://WildfowlCarvingStiudio.com. If you or your organization is
interested in Laurie speaking to your group, please contact Laurie at
952-913-1647 or by e-mail
Laurie@TheArtistry.com for her fee schedule.
