"An artistic network of techniques used when working with wood; it combines chip carving with inlaying, painting, staining, insets and many other possible combinations..
Mike Bergauer spent the majority of his life performing, teaching, creating and arranging music. For 35 of those years he taught for the Waterloo Catholic District School Board endowing generations with his passion for music. The creativity of Mike Bergauer manifested itself in many areas of his life. Upon his retirement from the School Board, this prolific artist found time to create wondrous gardens, extensive collections of his many interests, and the creation of a new carving technique.
He began honing his craft in 1989 and quickly discovered that the standard carving techniques were too limiting for his vision. By 1995 he had developed a new technique and on May 19, 1995 christened it "Decarvage". He defined it as, "an artistic network of techniques used when working with wood; it combines chip carving with inlaying, painting, staining, insets and many other possible combinations". Mike was only limited by his imagination and growing skill set.
All of his designs are Mike Bergauer originals. He first created them on graph paper and then meticulously redrew the grid on to the wood. After the three dimensional carving was completed Mike replicated the design using various mixed mediums. The boxes were then assembled with a craftsman's exactitude.
Many of his boxes were specifically created and gifted to special people in his life.