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Eben just sent me a PM saying that he'd posted this - Good thing since I figured the "Wow" post was going to be Eben with an early spring 50# on one of his new eels!
Dad started carving those about 15 years ago - and has never looked back. Basically he gets calls from guys who have caught a "trophy" and want him to create a representation of it. They are all life sized - matching both length and girth. The tarpon was somewhere in the 7' category if I remember right - although most of his carvings are Atlantic Salmon and trout. Indanite is right about the music - he has played the bassoon in the Dallas symphony, Kansas City and still plays in the Chautauqua Symphony.
Everything is carved by hand with files, dremels or in some cases a woodburner - and the painting is all done with paintbrushes and oil paints - not airbrushes. Even the eyes - which he assures me are easy to paint - are hand painted. They generally take him about 6 weeks from start to finish. He has never advertised, but a while ago I helped to convince him that a website was in order - not as an advertising tool, but something to allow interested parties to look at photos online rather than sending photos in the mail. Computers are not his bag - he is much more comfortable with a paintbrush in his hand.
I've never posted anything about what he does since I didn't want it to look like an advertisement - besides - his carvings make my plugs look really bad!
He's never done a striper - and every year I hope to catch one that I would consider worthy. I came closer this year, but still not hit that magic personal milestone. But hey its almost may - and maybe he'll give me a discount!!!
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