William Belote brings home decoy carving awards
William Belote of Lewes won major awards at the 2015 Ward World Championship held in Ocean City, Md., held April 24 – 26.
In conjunction with Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art in Salisbury, Md., the competition offers 39 divisions in which an artist can compete.
As many as 1,200 different wildfowl carvings representing more than 150 species from around the world were entered, officials said.
Three of Belote’s carvings won awards, including a curlew, named Best in Division and Best in Catergory – Shorebirds.
Belote’s hooded merganser, won Best in Catergory – Diving Ducks, worn and also received a third place for Best in Division; and an owl received a second place in the worn category for all other birds.
A fourth carving, a white winged scooter, recieved a honorable mention in the diving ducks, worn category.
Belote’s curlew will be on display at the museum for the next year. He estimates he spent well over 200 hours on the four carvings, and, he said, he didn’t use any sand paper.
He said he enjoys using the same types of tools that would have been used by old-school decoy makers. All the paints used on the decoys are oil.
For decoys in the worn categories, Belote said he does all the aging himself. He said some carvers stick the decoys outside to weather them faster.
“That’s part of the skill,” he said. “To use unnatural forces to make it look naturally old.”
For a full list of divisions and winners go to the museum's website at wardmuseum.org.
Chris Flood has been working for the Cape Gazette since early 2014. He currently covers Rehoboth Beach and Henlopen Acres, but has also covered Dewey Beach and the state government. He covers environmental stories, business stories and random stories on subjects he finds interesting, and he also writes a column called Choppin’ Wood that runs every other week. He’s a graduate of the University of Maine and the Landing School of Boat Building & Design.
