Artist Bob Batchik

“I have a Fine Arts Degree from Northern Michigan University and background as a professional graphic designer.  Positions held have been as diverse as an artist at a tee-shirt screen printing shop to a computer graphic designer with the Xerox Corp. Using this background I established Sunfish Woodworks, which gives me the opportunity to pursue my passion for woodcarving and custom design. I specialize in fish carvings, custom carved signs, wood furniture, and wood-cut prints.

I am a lifetime fisherman who loves fly fishing for anything that swims. I started woodcarving in 1991 as a way to combine my love for fishing with my desire to carve. I can create lifelike painted carvings of fish in fine detail but prefer to express myself in a more relaxed and much larger style.  A traditionalist at heart, my carvings are created using only hand tools such as draw knives, spoke shaves, gouges and chisels. Tool marks are not sanded smooth because I like to see the facets and planes left  behind by the tools. I want to show that this piece of art is indeed a one-of-a-kind, hand carved item. Paint is applied with both paint brushes and air brush.  Working on a larger than life scale is exciting and the visual impact of a 5-foot trout or bluegill always brings a smile to people’s faces.

Adding to the versatility is the ability to display these larger than life sculptures outdoors. I am carving my oversized creations out of Extira^TM, a LEEDS certified wood product used in the commercial sign business.”