Michelle "Mike" Ochonicky is an award-winning artist whose
work includes murals, drawing, illustrations, sculpture and
photography but, for the past twenty-nine years, she has carved
herself a reputation as a master of the early American art form of
scrimshaw.
Awards:
 | Best of Missouri Hands Juried Artisan | |
| Award of Excellence- St. Louis County | |
| Purchase Award- Mitchell Museum | |
| Best of Show- Evansville, Indiana | |
| Best Craftsman Award- Olney, Illinois | |
| Demonstration Award- Evansville, Indiana | |
| National Directory of American Craftsmen | |
| Best in Fine Craft - Bloomington, IL |
Ochonicky graduated with a degree in art, with an emphasis on
started carving when her father, who collected scrimshaw,
suggested she give it a try. For Ochonicky, it was the perfect medium
to combine her love of art and history. Additional graduate studies
in a variety of mediums continued to enrich to her work, giving it a
distinct style.
In the late 1700's and early 1800's sailors created scrimshaw as a
way to pass time on long whaling voyages. Intricate pictures were
etched using only a pocketknife or sail needle. Today, animal
protection laws ban the importation of ivory whale's teeth or
elephant tusks. Instead, Ochonicky uses cow bone or horns, deer
antlers, ostrich and emu eggs, fossilized ivory and manmade polymers
with the look and feel of ivory. She has even etched on tagua palm
tree seedpods. As a result, Ochonicky has received recognition as an
environmentally conscious artist. Like the sailors, she uses no
patterns, stencils, transfers or power tools. Each piece is truly
hand-done and original. Working from her tiny Stone Hollow Studio
deep in the woods near Eureka, Missouri, Ochonicky's subjects
include the very traditional nautical themes along with the wildlife
she loves so much. Her sculpture-based skills infuse her scrimshaw
with a three-dimensional quality, making the images appear alive.
To view a recent PBS-television segment about Mike and her work,
click: watch show.
Ochonicky is a former three-term president of Missouri Artisans
Association, better known as The Best of Missouri Hands. She is
currently the Executive Director of this statewide group dedicated
to promoting Missouri artists;
Best of Missouri Hands
Her scrimshaw is on permanent display in the Missouri Governor's
Mansion as well as in private, corporate, state and university art
collections in the U.S., Europe, Asia, South American, Africa and
Australia.
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| About the Artist |
