An Artist I
N JUNE 1971, the
roamed and fished, camped, hunted
superb and virtually unknown
popular New Hanover
and explored every lonely spit of
talent. He was a woodworker and
Fishing Club Magazine
beach, every winding cut of water,
decoy maker, and the only noted
featured a photograph
and all the wind-torn, tide-ravaged
artisan, working decoy carver
of its secretary-treasurer,
salt guts and bays from Bald Head to
ever to emerge from the Cape
Nick Giovinetti, one of
Bear Inlet. If anyone in this world
Fear Valley. Precious few of his
the Cape Fear region’s
ever felt the draw, saw the power, and
decoys remain today, and while
most colorful outdoor per-sonalities.
heard the harmony of wind, and sea
they might perch on Cape Fear
Tanned, rugged, in his late
and wild, it was Giovinetti.
mantles and shelves, they are just
20s, with aquiline features and dark
That this rough-and-tumble
as svelte and lovely and workable
eyes that flashed when he spoke of
man was an artist might seem
in the water as they were 50 years
his experiences in the wild, Giovinetti
strange to those who did not know
ago when he carved
enjoyed an enviable reputation as a
him. Most readers of that 1971
them.
journeyman outdoorsman, fisherman
journal never knew he had a
and waterfowl hunter. Wrightsville
Beach was his base, but from there he
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WBM january 2019