Hooded Merganser Carving by Ted Mayac Jr., Inupiaq

Ted Mayac Jr. is one of the finest walrus ivory carvers in Alaska working today. He was born in Nome on November 22, 1966. Originally from King Island, the Mayac family gained an international reputation for their beautiful and realistic ivory carvings.

Ted Jr. learned to carve from his father Ted Sr. "He just let me work on my own and then helped me when I needed a hand." Fascinated by the beauty and the variety of bird life in the arctic, Ted Jr. continues the family tradition of carving birds. Today, he carves birds from around the world with exacting accuracy to the traits of a variety of species, adding incredible detail to each. He has over 68 birds that he meticulously carves from walrus ivory in a variety of poses. It is his attention to detail and use of color that has made his work unique and a favorite among collectors around the world.

Loons are one of his most popular bird carvings; he makes them in a variety of sizes, from small single birds up to mothers with babies 4-5 inches or more. When asked which his favorite is, he says he likes them all but enjoys the challenge of the Wood Duck. "Wood Ducks have such amazing colors, it is a challenge to refine them and really make them lifelike."

Ted Jr. does the cutting, drilling and messy work in his garage workshop and the etching, painting, and buffing in the studio in his basement. He has created stencils for each of his birds to help him get started. He stencils the form and then cuts the body shape. He uses drills and files to round out the shape and then files and sands to refine the detail on the birds. Then, the figure is ready for etching.

He begins with a single line-etching tool to set the boundaries. His favorite single line tool was made by his father and then passed on to him. He has 14 different hand etching tools he uses to get different lines, textures and effects. Occasionally he'll use fine point drills for some etching. The grooves made by the etching helps the piece hold the inks and paints in more than 200 different colors. The finishing process includes more sanding, polishing and buffing.

"I never really thought of myself as an artist," says Ted. "Carving is just something I've always done. When I'm not carving, I'm hunting or fishing. In the summer, I fish for salmon and whatever else that is running. In the fall, I hunt for caribou or moose."