Richard Kuschel is from Effie, Minnesota and was born in 1947. Richard wrote the following: “Learned from my dad when I was about 13. Back before we had TV, my dad, brothers and I would carve decoys in the basement during the winter, painting them with whatever paint we could find. We used thumbtacks, upholstery tacks and beads for eyes, Prince Albert tobacco cans for fins and tails. We melted the lead in a coffee can in the wood stove.” Richard went on to elaborate “I make most of my decoys to look natural, but do some whimsical ones. I paint them by hand and seal them with varnish when they’re done. I experiment with a lot of different kinds of wood, but most of my decoys are cedar off my own property.“
Richard presently does not belong to any decoy clubs or organizations and has never entered his decoys in to contest or displays, but from the pictures of his decoys – he would have won.
Richards dad no longer carves, but one of his brothers (Bob) still does.
To contact Richard:
Richard Kuschel
26473 State Hwy 1
Effie, MN 56639
dicknosarak@bigfork.net
Photos & Pictures courtesy of Richard Kuschel