Since Jim Harkness began carving in 1975, his artwork has been characterized by a strong graphic simplicity. Jim’s white pine or basswood carvings are rough cut on a band saw, then shaped by hand with files. The wood, the choicest of its kind, provides a pale canvas to which mostly transparent stains and oil enamels are applied, before it is washed and varnished--all by hand.

Jim’s signature style - a composite of abstract line, lack of carving or painting detail, and vivid colours - has been inspired by the finest of late 19th and early 20th century decoy design.