John is from Lombard, Illinois and was born in 1949.
John wrote the following;”
Ever since a kid I had a desire for folk art items but didn’t get truly hooked on folk art fish decoys & lures until a fishing buddy of mine, gave me a handmade clothespin lure to try fishing with (my store bought lures were not doing the trick that day) I swear, that lure had magic in it and the proof is hanging on my wall. (Two of his clothespin lures are in my pictures) That was around 30 years ago. From my very first decoy, I never know what I’m gonna create until I pick up a piece of wood and start carving on it. Being a Plumber, I’m partial to copper & often crimp or pleat my fins for a more realistic look.”
A very nice Fish Decoy sign by John
that was completed in January 2008.
36″ x 18″
John told me that he tries not to be influenced by other’s work and he likes to think of his endeavors as his own.
You can contact John at
folkartfishdecoys@sbcglobal.net
Here is John’s 3 Headed Freaky Frog
1 Frog Head – 2 Snake Heads
“1887, A Legend is Born – Oscar”
Another Great Style from John.
John wrote and told me about the fish decoy above. “The largest carved fishing decoy I have ever seen was a 14 foot chainsaw pike that was hanging in a barn in Wisconsin. It is as quite impressive. My (John Gabriel) fishing decoy in the photo above is slightly over 7 feet long and is completely hand carved with hand tools, making it the World’s largest hand carved tiger muskie fishing decoy that I know of.”
The snake was a gift to me(Fishcritter) from John
John covers the bottom of his snakes so they will swim just under the water just like a real snake and he weighs them by covering the entire bottom with metal.
John’s folk art talent shows here
by using clothes pins for pincers
and looks like a coat hanger for legs.
Cool job.