I enjoy making rootheads, be it shorebirds or waterfowl. They are a connection to the past in collaboration with mother nature. They allow for creativity and the carver's individual interpretation from a tree branch or other suitable material deposited along the shoreline. In my case it's the lower Delaware River where each tide brings new possibilites, from branches and old lumber for the heads and bodies to the spikes, for keel weights, salvaged from old wharf timbers. All of my rootheads are made from these aged materials and are finished in oil paints. I never know what the next one will be. Nothing fancy here. Just old time craftsmanship from old materials. Real folk art at its finest!
Two of my root head merganser decoys were recently featured in "Hunting & Fishing Collectibles" magazine (March - April, 2009) "Fresh From the Bench" series by Rod Taylor.
Roothead Mergansers
Roothead Red Breasted Merganser with carved eyes. Marvin Stanman collection.
Roothead Hooded Merganser with brass tack eyes. Marvin Stanman collection.
Roothead Red Breasted Merganser showing keel/weight
