Lloyd J. Tyler (1898-1971) carved his first decoy at the age of twelve using a spokeshave, pocketknife, and hatchet. Even as an adult with a formal art education and other tools at his disposal, Tyler continued, using just a hatchet, a rasp and a spokeshave to produce good-looking, functional decoys by the hundreds, made in a matter of minutes. Despite his simple approach, the decoys, decorative carvings, and paintings he produced are sometimes realistic, often stylized, and occasionally whimsical, made to fulfill a great demand by local hunters, gunning clubs, and tourists. The LaMay Gallery showcases the delightful variety of working decoys and works of folk art created by the versatile and prolific “Coy Duck King.”
