Based in Minocqua, Wisconsin Sullivan creates decoys from old barn timbers and other vintage woods that are retrieved from the countryside. A play on the word “boondocks,” his “boonducks,” “boonfish,” and “boonswans” are folk-inspired sculptures that showcase the way he sees these creatures. Hand carved rather than using any electrical power tools, Sullivan’s decoys reflect an old-world way of crafting. Textured with a special hammering technique and coated with beeswax, they take on an interesting tactile quality as well. As someone with a major vision impairment caused by Stargardt Disease, Sullivan grew up carrying many pejorative labels but now enjoys the title of artist. “No one likes being defined by what they cannot do,” he says. “Thanks to AFA, I now carry the moniker of artist, a validating label based entirely on ability rather than limitation.”
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