Nature’s Counterfeiters: Lem and Steve Ward

Lemuel T. Ward (1896-1984) and Stephen Ward (1895-1976) are world renowned as decoy makers. Working as a team over their long careers, the two brothers produced a wide variety of decoys in many different styles. Early on Lem and Steve made working decoys, however they gradually progressed into making more decorative renderings of birds. It is the lifelike detail and innovation that the Ward Brothers brought to decoy making that they are now so well regarded for. The new film “Nature’s Counterfeiters: Lem and Steve Ward,” showcases the story of the Ward Brothers by displaying their lives, legacy, and artwork. Since May 2014 the film has been showing at the Ward Museum and the J. Millard Tawes Museum (Crisfield, MD), and may also be viewed below.