
James B. Mense was born in Chicago 1942 and didn't develop a fascination for waterfowl until he attended Iowa State U. to study Wildlife Biology. The large flocks of ducks and geese that gathered on the remnants of the once vast glacial marshes of central Iowa captured his spirit. Many weekends were spent watching the courtship activities of these spring migrants.
After completing his PhD at Michigan State U., Jim took a position with MI Dept. of Natural Resources. It was during this period that Jim began carving and painting waterfowl. The Midwest Decoy Contest (now the N. American Wildfowl Carving Championship) and his association with two nationally-recognized carvers - Jim Foote & Larry Hayden - served as his inspiration.
Since 1968, Dr. Mense has won over 30 ribbons and awards in contests, including the World Championship Decoy Contest, Louisiana Wildfowl Carvers & Collectors Guild, and the Midwest Decoy Contest.
He has displayed at numerous art festivals including the Oklahoma Wildlife Art Festival, Oklahoma City Festival of the Arts, and the National Wildlife Art Festival. Since the spring of 1995, Jim and his family have resided in Colorado.
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