Local carver brings art alive in wood, bone

For more than three decades, Stephen Fracul has made his passion, carving, into intricate and delicate art.

Using gorgeous pieces of wood and antlers as his canvas, Fracul wants to use his talent to add another part to Troy’s ever-growing Old Fashioned Fourth of July.

“I’m hoping to see this turn into a fine-art show,” Fracul said. “We’re going to keep it on the upper end.”

Fracul is quick to point out that being a fine-art show doesn’t mean he’s going to make the show exclusionary and snooty. The down-to-earth carver wants people to come, see the art of local talent and, if they and their pocketbooks feel up for it, take home a piece of their own.

During the Labor Day weekend, Fracul held a one-man show in Troy to help promote the fledgling idea of the Fourth of July show, which he would like to run the weekend before the actual holiday. He displayed a full range of his work at the Troy Museum while he live-carved a large piece.

The pieces of art, from the walnut and antler Christmas ornament-sized works priced at about $50, to the intricate juniper wall reliefs jumping up several-hundred dollars to the grand, dramatic, explosive work that Fracul had on display as his star piece.

The multi-colored block of black walnut reached several feet toward the sky, with leaping trout and grasping grizzlies creating a dazzling work of art. As may be expected, it isn’t cheap, running $8,000.

“’More drama’ is my motto,” grinned Fracul. “When I started it, I was thinking of having a few fish and maybe one bear. I kept adding more and more.”

   His art, in what he described as a western wildlife theme, features bears, fish, elk, deer and Inuit carvings, nods to his experience not only in Montana but part of his training in Alaska. He learned under masters of their craft who specialized in whale and walrus bone carvings.

  His history in the Lincoln County area reaches back 32 years, when he first started at the Cedar Creek Store.

   His studio, just over the county line into Sanders County, is close enough where he spends as much time in Troy and Libby as he does in Noxon. Being so close, he has made connections with local politicians and has endorsements from the county Commissioners to help make this art show happen.

   Fracul hopes to get 20 local artists to display their works in a two-to-three day art show, with a location and bathrooms provided by the county or the city of Troy. The cost to Fracul will be in security, which he plans out of pocket.

   “It’s all going to be high-quality,” he said. “Maybe we’ll try for ones in Libby and Eureka next.”