Richard (Dick) Snyder graduated from Eastern university in 1974 with a BA in History and Political Science. His love of hunting ducks and geese let to his desire to start carving decoys. At that time there were no carving instructors in his area, so he learned by reading books and watching videos and just carving. Although he started carving decoys, he now prefers to carve songbirds and raptors.
Dick currently belongs to the Lancaster County Woodcarvers, William Rush Woodcarvers, and Delaware Valley Woodcarvers. He competes at these shows as well as Stone harbor and has won several Best of Show Ribbons and scores of blue ribbons. He also competes at the Ward World Carving Championships and in 2013 won Third Best in Show in Intermediate Class. He moved to Advanced Class and continues to win ribbons.
Dick has been teaching private classes for several years and has been asked numerous times by clubs and organizations to demonstrate carving techniques, habitat making, and airburshing. He also teaches weekly lessons to a recently organized carving club at Shannondell Retirement Village, where his father resides. He loves sharing his love of carving and is very proud when he sees the simles on the faces of his students as they learn to carve.