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LIDGERWOOD, ND – Acclaimed North Dakota artists Rick and Connie Whittier, known nationally for their hand-carved and painted spearfish decoys, will be featured in a landmark exhibition titled State Fairs: Growing American Craft at the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s branch location for contemporary craft in Washington, D.C. The exhibition will be on view August 22, 2025 through September 7, 2026.
Coinciding with the upcoming 250th anniversary of the United States, the exhibition surveys American state fairs’ extraordinary and unconventional crafts from the nineteenth century to the present. The Whittiers were selected to represent North Dakota for their masterful artistry and deep-rooted connection to regional traditions of fishing and woodcarving.
The exhibition will feature a sweeping installation of 108 spearfish decoys created by the Whittiers, including small, medium, and large carvings of 12 fish species native to North Dakota and surrounding waters. Their intricate representations include bluegill, pumpkinseed, walleye, northern pike, paddlefish, white sturgeon, rainbow trout, and more—each rendered with extraordinary detail and craftsmanship.
“Rick, along with his wife Connie who works alongside him, are among the nation’s most talented, prodigious, and recognized figures in one of the oldest folk traditions in the country – spearfish decoy carving and painting with roots at least 3,000 years old,” said North Dakota State Folklorist Troyd Geist. “With their work sought after for individual collections around the world and featured in esteemed organizations like the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and, now, the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s Renwick Gallery – we are deeply grateful for their dedication and contributions to our state, country, and this long-held tradition.”
The Whittiers will visit Washington, D.C. in 2026 to lead public presentations and hands-on workshops, sharing their process and passion with museum visitors from around the world.
“When we were initially contacted a year and a half ago by the Smithsonian it was so surreal. In fact, we were doubting it was real,” said the Whittiers. “As we received more information and contacts with each passing day, we talked about what a huge honor it is. We get more and more excited literally every day. Now that the Renwick Gallery officially has all 108 decoys, we can relax a bit.”
This extraordinary opportunity places the Whittiers' work—and North Dakota folk art—on the national stage in one of the country’s most prominent art institutions.
Learn more about the State Fairs: Growing American Craft exhibit by visiting the Smithsonian's website <AmericanArt.si.edu>.
About the Artists:
Rick and Connie Whittier of Lidgerwood, ND, are among the nation’s foremost spearfish decoy carvers and painters. Their collaborative work honors the historic practice of ice spearfishing while elevating it to fine art through precise carving, vivid color, and respect for aquatic life. Their decoys have been exhibited and collected throughout the U.S.
North Dakota Council on the Arts is the state agency responsible for the support, development, and preservation of the arts throughout North Dakota and is funded by the state legislature and the National Endowment for the Arts.
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For More Information Contact:
Rhea Beto | 701.328.7594 | rbeto@nd.gov
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