Randy Rowe

J. Randolph Rowe was born in Portsmouth, VA in 1922.  Despite birth deformities to his hands, Rowe would become a prolific and well known artist in his own right before pursuing decoy carving.  After graduating high school, Rowe attended the Philadelphia School of Industrial Art, where he studied commercial and industrial art and design.  Afterwards, Rowe opened up a furniture restoration and repair shop.  His first foray into woodcarving was of the American Federal Eagle and in 1968 he created a life-size Native American.  As a decoy carver, he was the World Champion in the Decorative Wildfowl division at the 1974 Ward World Carving Championship and also served as a judge of the Head Whittlin’ contest.  Examples of his art can be found on the covers of several wildlife magazines from the Mid-Atlantic region, including “Pennsylvania Game News,” and his Native American statue now stands in the Reading Museum in West Reading, PA.