By Neil Taylor Owner and guide, www.strikethreekayakfishing.com

Meet Scroll Saw Artist Alex Berg, the talent behind “Portraits In Wood.”  This is a unique angle on art and collectibles that is something that people can utilize and treasure for many years.   The possibilities for his work are very interesting.    For the fishing folks, Alex can commemorate a great catch or otherwise capture the essence of the situation.    As you will see below with the tournament trophies and my business plaque, he has some very detailed skills with recreating an image in wood.

Alex has been making scroll saw portraits and other wood projects for 4 years. He grew up watching his father in woodshop, making his father his chief influence. Alex is a self-taught scroll artist.   In this age of  products made overseas, Alex’s craft is 100% American  “hand made” from his home base in Indiana.

Alex finds solitude in making portraits knowing the finished pieces have sentimental value to the people who receive them.  Alex has created many custom reproductions in wood and his projects include crosses, retirement plaques, clock mounts plus other requests are accepted.    Through mutual friend Ryan Bell, Alex created a scroll piece of my new business logo in 2010 from simply looking at a photo of the logo.   This finished piece leads me to believe that Alex can make very nice signs for businesses, something that would be much nicer than a standard sign.  Here is that plaque:

From there, and the birth of the Captain Mel Classic, I asked Alex to do the trophies for the first place winners in all divisions for longest redfish, longest trout and the Grand Prize category of “longest combined inches” of one redfish and one trout.   The 2011 winners were impressed with the great craftsmanship of Alex’s talent.   Open Division Trout champion Mark Knowles won this one: The 2012 trophies are again provided by Alex and are made from yellowtail, walnut and birch woods in the shape of the tournament species (trout & redfish).   Three trophies for each division and five divisions, Alex created fifteen great trophies for our winners to enjoy.

Here are more examples of items Alex has done:

Alex can take this photo:

Alex is very easy to work with and will ask all the questions he needs to have answered to make your project what you envision.    If you would like to consider getting Alex to do a project for you, his contact information is below.    To my fishing and hunting friends:  For a special item for yourself or a pal, you can work with Alex to recreate something fabulous handcrafted out of wood. To contact Alex: Alex Berg- Scroll Saw Artist Portraits In Wood Email:  lxbrg24@gmail.com Phone:  317-493-9795