FORT PIERCE FOLKS
RANDY ARD
Age: 71
Lives in: Fort Pierce
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Family: Two brothers and
one sister
Education: Associate in arts
degree, Indian River Junior
College; associate in science
degree in dental lab technology,
Indian River Community College
Hobbies: Woodwork and fishing
Who inspires me: “Jesus Christ inspires me. He keeps me
going on.”
Something most people don’t know about me: “I don’t own
a TV or a computer.”
FORT
back. Wood is a hard medium. You have to be careful not to
take too much off.”
The fish he creates are lifelike and beautiful. One of his
creations, a 71/2-foot swordfish carved from black walnut,
red oak and white poplar, was recently exhibited in the
Pelican Yacht Club lobby. A more recent creation, a 6-foot
dolphin carved from elm wood with African red mahogany
fins and eyes from a piece of red mangrove he found on the
beach, recently sold for $3,500. The proceeds raised go to
cancer research.
A couple of years ago, Ard carved from a cedar log an
18-inch tall marlin leaping from the water. He added water
splashing up from the base as the marlin emerged. The piece
was auctioned off, raising $2,000, at a fishing tournament
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Ard gives all his carvings
a name. This snook
carving is named Junior
and was requested by
Lenny Schelin Jr., who
died of brain cancer
before its completion.
/www.vbmuseum.org