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Thumbnail-size images of copyrighted artworks are displayed under fair use, in accordance with guidelines recommended by the Code of Best Practices in Fair Use for the Visual Arts, published by the College Art Association in February 2015.
Walleye
Medium/Technique
White pine and spray paint
Dimensions
Height x length (Approximate): 8.3 × 22.9 cm (3 1/4 × 9 in.)
Credit Line
The Wornick Fund for Contemporary Craft
Accession Number2023.295
ClassificationsSculpture
Rick and Connie Whittier, retired law enforcement officers, made these fish decoys in their home in the small town of Lidgerwood, North Dakota. These decoys embody a long craft history and a traditional method of fishing found in North and South Dakota as well as in Montana, Minnesota, and Michigan. The wooden fish are weighted so they appear to swim when trailed through the water and are used to bait larger fish that are then speared.
Early decoy examples are rooted in the indigenous practices of the Lac Du Flambeau band of Lake Superior Chippewa in the region. Today, the Whittiers use freehand spray paint to achieve an airbrush effect. Their decoys are also prized as decorative objects and collected for display
Early decoy examples are rooted in the indigenous practices of the Lac Du Flambeau band of Lake Superior Chippewa in the region. Today, the Whittiers use freehand spray paint to achieve an airbrush effect. Their decoys are also prized as decorative objects and collected for display
Provenance2023, sold by artist to the MFA. (Accession Date: April 12, 2023)