The Artisans’ Festival in Centreville, Maryland will feature some of the world’s best carvers of waterfowl, song birds and birds of prey. This will be the 38th annual event of its kind sponsored by The Rotary Club of Centreville, Maryland. It will be held Saturday and Sunday, October 3rd and 4th at the Queen Anne’s County 4-H Park located on Route 18, four miles west of Centreville, Maryland.
Some of the featured carvers include:
Nick Barbalace has been carving for 20 years and has received awards at the Ward Museum Competition for each of the last ten years, including “Best of Show”.
Eddie Cheezum has carved for 33 years, taught for 27 years and judged carving shows for the past 18 years. Awards include First in World Championship and numerous “Best of Show”. His specialties are song birds and birds of prey.
Shannon Demming has carved for 25 years, studied under William Veasey, and won blue ribbons in world competition. In addition to carving, Shannon is a well known teacher of decoy painting and air brushing.
Frank Sherber has carved for 16 years and specializes in full sized carvings of owls and in-flight waterfowl. Awards include the Draper Award for three-dimensional art.
William Veasey has carved for 40 years and has written 14 books on wood carving.
Although primarily known as a decorative carver, he was awarded “Best of Show” for each of the first two years of the Havre de Grace Decoy Show. He teaches throughout the U.S. and at his studio in Delaware and has judged carving shows from here to California. He is in the Easton Waterfowl Festival Hall of Fame and has served as Regional Vice President and on the National board of Ducks Unlimited.
Al Wayson, in 2008, was awarded seventh place “International Carver of the Year”. He has received a 1st Place in Ward Museum world competition in Ocean City and several “Best of Show” awards including shows in Havre de Grace, Core Sound North Carolina, and the Upper Shore Decoy Show.
The Festival will also include a wide variety of other artists and crafters in areas of paintings, hand-made jewelry, pottery, weaving and much more. There are children’s activities, food vendors, an antique / classic car show and the opportunity to visit the Museum of Eastern Shore Life. For more information, contact Mike Schiwy (410) 829-0213 or Tom Harlan (410) 490-6137.