LOREN P. PINSKI
Wild Goose Island Carving Studio
My introduction to bird carving was in 1984 when I spent three months in Holland, Michigan. While wandering through an art gallery I saw a carving of a miniature hen mallard. I have never seen anything like that made out of wood and at that point, I knew that I wanted to be a carver. Upon returning home (Missoula, Montana), I bought a book on decoy carving, grabbed an old Doug Fir 2x4, found my dull carpenters chisel and went to town. I still have that smooth bodied Scaup, and I still remember that stud grade lumber is not the best carving wood.
While working in Portland, I purchased the book: WATERFOWL CARVING, BLUE RIBBON TECHNIQUES, and discovered basswood and real carving tools. My first decorative carving went to my daughter, I took my second bird to work and immediately sold it. From that time on, I have been able to consistently sell my carvings.
My work required that I spend the next decade moving around the West. During that time, I was lucky enough to expand my skills by taking classes from such artists as Ted Smith, Dave Alexander, and Tom Matus.
I have sold carvings to collectors and companies throughout North America. I currently carve the Bald Eagle for the Mulrooney Award which is presented annually by the North American Wholesale Lumber Association to a member who has shown distinguished service to the Forest Products Industry. My work has been purchased by many corporations and acclaimed in company journals of several Fortune 500 Companies. My carvings have been sold through art galleries in Boise, Denver and Coeur d'Alene and an antiqued style American Advocet was ordered by a large corporation, and was presented to one of Brazil's provincial Governors.
I have won countless ribbons at carving competitions in the Pacific Northwest. I am a member of the Idaho Woodcarver's Guild, the Ward Foundation, and The National Wood Carvers Association. My birds have also been auctioned off in support of Ducks Unlimited and The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.
Most of my carvings are sold as commissions but occasionally I do have birds that are for immediate sale. If you are interested in a commission or a carving that is available for immediate delivery, please contact me by e-mail or snail mail.
Below are links to pages that include some carvings for immediate sale,
galleries of past carvings (please be patient waiting for them to download), links to other web sites, some great web cams of Montana and (still under construction) information about John L. Clarke, a Blackfeet carver born in 1881.
Loren P. Pinski
10694 W Hazelwood
Star, ID 83669
lppcarver@yahoo.com
Copyright 2008 Loren P. Pinski. All rights reserved
