Check out our amazing offering of lectures, workshops, panels, and demos for this year’s Ward World Championship Education Conference! All classes will take place in person in Ocean City, MD. All proceeds benefit the Ward Foundation and the Ward World Championship Carving Competition. Purchase an Education Conference Pass to make the most of the show.
For those that would like to attend a class to further their carving knowledge but have a financial need you can apply for the Dr. Ruth Carroll Memorial Carving Class Scholarship fund. Email kclattenburg@wardfdn.org to learn how to apply. More details to come.
FRIDAY, APRIL 26TH
10:00 am – 11:00 am
LECTURE
Luke Costilow – Decoy Theory: Strategies for Gunning Decoy Contests
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Luke will discuss various strategies to take into consideration when carving for competitions such as species that statistically win more best of shows, which color schemes you can use, how different venues affect how you should carve and paint, and how to put it all together to make it work best for you. This discussion will be tied into his recent experience banding diver ducks on the Mississippi River and if handling 100’s of prime colored, live birds challenged his view on competition decoys.
11:15 am – 12:15 pm
LECTURE
Laurie Truehart – Beaks: Form, Function, and Placement
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Join Laurie Truehart as she discusses the proper placement and position of beaks as well as how their function impacts size and shape. This discussion will be helpful for all species from the tiny chickadee to the majestic eagle.
1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
LECTURE
Dan Burgette – Sure, Let’s do a Complex Interpretive Carving (What Could Go Wrong?)
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Description TBA
2:15 pm – 3:15 pm
WORKSHOP
Tom Christie – Combing Vermiculation on Decoys
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Description TBA
SATURDAY, APRIL 27TH
9:00 am – 10:00 am
EXCURSION
Bird Walk with MAEOE Representative Brenda Miller
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Brenda Miller, a staff member of the Maryland Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education, is leading a bird walk on Saturday morning before the show.
10:00 am – 11:00 am
LECTURE
Tommy Stewart – Understanding the Importance of How to Read Your Reference
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Description TBA
11:15 am – 12:15 pm
WORKSHOP
Tommy Stewart – Painting Glass Eyes
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Description TBA
1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
LECTURE
Rod Benjamin – The Classic Decoy and How it Came to Be
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Rod Benjamin will delve into the history of the decoy and look at how carving developed into the beautiful art form it is today.
2:15 pm – 3:15 pm
LECTURE/WORKSHOP
Pete Palumbo – Critiquing
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Back by popular demand, this combination lecture and workshop is a great way to see feedback from a judge on pieces in live time. Lecture participantsWorkshop participants can give pieces for Pete to critique. Please note that the workshop slots are limited and MUST be arranged ahead of the class.
3:30 pm – 4:30 pm
PANEL
Dick Snyder, Al Jordan, Tom Horn – How to Habitat
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You’ve finished your bird, now what comes next? Ask well known habitat experts Dick Snyder, Al Jordan, and Tom Horn to learn about the best ways to go about putting your bird in a fantastic habitat.
SUNDAY, APRIL 28TH
10:00 am – 12:00 pm
WORKSHOP
Pat Godin – A Deeper Look into Techniques from His Book
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Pat Godin will discuss various techniques used to create selected pieces in his
recently released book “Pat Godin Waterfowl Carving”. The book is not designed as a
technique manual so Pat will discuss in depth, using projected images, many of the methods he
used to carve, paint, and design some of the carvings featured in the book. The techniques
shown can be applied to any bird carving, not just waterfowl. In addition, there will be samples
of tools, materials, models, and other items of interest to bird carvers available for viewing.
Individual Costs:
Lectures – $3 Member, $4 Non-Member
Workshops – $20 Member, $25 Non-Member
Panels – $6 Member, $8 Non-Member
What is included with the Education Conference Pass?
Conference Passes are the best way to make the most of the education offerings. These passes will be sold at the show throughout the weekend starting Thursday during registration.
A basic Conference Pass costs $30 for members and $35 non-members. This includes all lectures, plus one workshop and one panel of choice.
A full Conference Pass costs $40 for members and $50 for non-members. This includes all lectures, workshops, and panels.