Yellow Garage show promoters are excited to announce that local legend J. P. Jamie Hand will demonstrate duck decoy carving at the Fall Festival of Antiques on Saturday, Sept. 30. James Perry Hand, known as both J.P. and Jamie, has been a traditional decoy maker for over 40 years. He has lived all his life in Cape May County, where hes able to trace his lineage back to English whalers who came down from the Hamptons of Long Island in the late 17th century. Hands decoy carving mentors were Harry Shourds III of Atlantic City and Hurley Conklin of Manahawkin. Hand sold his first decoy from Harry Shourds table at a decoy show in Point Pleasant, N.J., which is when he decided to make decoys for a living. Throughout his career, Hand has paid it forward by teaching others to carve, as his mentors had done for him. Hand still makes his decoys the way his predecessors did. He uses a band saw to create the rough shape from his own pattern and then chops with a sharp hatchet. He hollows it out with a mallet and a gouge and then spoke-shaves the outside and creates the finishing details with a knife. The final shape is painted by Hand in his Sam Hunt banjo chair. Several years ago, Hand was inducted into the New Jersey Decoy Collectors Associates Hall of Fame. Upon accepting the honor, he reflected on the countless decoys he has made, ranging from shorebirds and ducks, to geese and swans, to doves and crows. Hand stated, What I value the most about my career isnt the decoys I made but the people behind me that Ive helped and taught to carve. Years ago, Hand became involved with the Cape May County Historical and Genealogical Society, for which he has researched and written articles and also edited the annual journal of history called The Blue Book. Hand also co-authored and released a book with his cousin, Daniel Stites, The Cape May Navy: Delaware Bay Privateers in the American Revolution. Hand will be showcasing his craft during the Fall Festival of Antiques at the Gloucester County 4H Fairgrounds, located at 275 Bridgeton Pike, Mullica Hill, N.J. Event tickets can be purchased on www.Ticketleap.com or at the gate. To learn more, call The Yellow Garage Antiques at 856-478-0300 or email antiques@yellowgarageantiques.com.