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Sadler His business, producing handâ€"carved wooden replicas of ducks for decorative purposes, continues to grow at a healthy rate, supplying a customer base stretching across Canada. He‘s also been chosen as a supplier of souvenir decoys to the Canadian pavilion at Expo‘86â€"which could lead to a contract to provide decoys to a major international hotel chain. 4 And, perhaps the most significant event, Sadler has set the wheels in motion to fulfil his longâ€"held dream of establishing, probably in Uptown Waterloo, a combinaâ€" tion gallery/workshop dedicated to the art of woodcaryâ€" ing. "It‘s a real tense year we‘ll be having," said Sadler. "Let‘s put it this wayâ€"it won‘t be dull around here." All that is happening is even more amazing when you learn that only two years ago Sadler knew absolutely nothing about woodcarving, and very little about the decoy business. _ *"To make a confession I didn‘t know anything about woodcarving two years ago. Its taken a lot of research and long hours to take it this far," he said. Born in the Windsor area, Sadler came to Waterloo as a student, and eventually earned a degree in economics and accounting from the University of Waterloo. Like many others he didn‘t leave Waterloo after graduation, but instead settled here, ending up working for such local companies as Electrohome and Leigh Instruments. It wasn‘t long before Sadler realized that he wanted more out of life than to work for someone else. Thus, he and his wife Nancy went into business for themselvesâ€"â€" they opened Traditional Interiors, a furniture store specializing in traditional oak and pine furniture, and he produced wooden furniture accessories and decorative accent pieces. "I wanted something lasting. I wanted to come into work everyday and enjoy being thereâ€"â€"even knowing at the same time that I could fail at any time," recalled Sadler. "The other aspect was that if I failed, it was of my own accord, as opposed to someone else pulling the strings from somewhere else. Sadler admits that the furniture business proved to be more than he expected, which is why about two years ago he‘started the search for other investment opportunitesâ€"â€" decoys was what he hit on. And, although the decoys have become a major component of his business, he and his wife continue to operate Traditional Interiors. | "I was looking for something I could do for little money; something that was labor intensive rather than requiring a lot of equipment. I was looking for something I could develop in both manufacturing and retail, and ducks seemed to fit the bill," he said. _ "&Etivnvg' into ifiefi:lveéb’y business wasn‘t an easy step for the Sadlers. Applications for government assistance, Sadler said, were rejected outright. S ‘What the government is interested in is high technology. It‘s got to be showy. If you‘re doing something labor intensive and it creates normal jobs, they‘re not interested," he said. ‘"One comment I got from the Ontario Development Corporation summed it upâ€"â€"‘What do you do with it.‘ Obviously there‘s a degree of ignorance here." 1986 is shaping up to be a year like no other for Ron At Sears. no appointmi@nt is necessary to get professional quality photographic portraits. We welcome adults and family groups Each additional subject is only QMES OUR SELECTION. These attractive options savailable in addition to ofter: White Background. 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Sadler designs all of his decoys himself and has six other carvers working with him in his Weber St. N. shop, producing the ducks which he sells across Canada. _ Sadler stressed that creating the replica ducks is more than production in a business senseâ€"rather, it is an art and every bird is unique. 1: 1 W! . 3 puoeine ons k ul h h lt ds dn Pb ocincivs inio iescs Avautel "It‘s a very demanding artform in that every piece of wood is different and reacts differently to the carver. It‘s a labor of loveâ€"â€"it‘s certainly not anything that anyone could expect to get rich quickly at," said Sadler. B;s;int;vf;'c\';lges't'iff é;n:;ezifion from Taiwanese firms, which control 80 per cent of the decoy market and are able to produce their birds at a much lower cost because but dull for wood carver Ron Sadler Insoles custom moulded to cushion and support. 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He explained that Country Traditions centrally warehouses, markets and distributes the decoys for association members ‘"who only have to make them." L That‘s why the decoys he carries in his shop vary from highlyâ€"detailed painted birds, costing hundreds of dollars, to his own "stylized‘"‘ decoys, which have and average retail price of $60. And if you think decoys is a limited field to get into, you don‘t know Sadler. In the future he plans to expand County Traditions by recruiting new carvers and introducing other forms of art. Bl‘;t"r;ml?e Im;;oxzt-antire his plans to open what he calls a "gallery/workshop/showroom featuring woodcarving of all varieties. â€" â€" S Sadler isn‘t releasing much information about the centre, other than to say it will require about 10,000 square feet of space and that he‘s working with Waterloo‘s business development department to find a location. How he will finance the project, how much it will cost and the expected date of opening, Sadler will not reveal. "I can only say that the stage is set. I‘ve done a lot of background research; I know how to build it; I know how to arrange it; I have the contacts. Right now I only need the building to make it happen," said Sadler, adding that if : site cannot be found in Waterloo, he will look elseâ€" where. Sadler envisages a twoâ€"storey structure with a walkâ€"through gallery on the second floor which would permit visitors to safely watch working carvers. A booth area would be set up in the form of miniature shops where each carver could display his work, demonstrate his craft and chat with the public. "It‘s something that would be unique to this area and could be as much of a tourist attraction as The Seagram Museum," said Sadler. "There‘s nowhere else in Canada that you can see a carving shop in work. Sadler believes such a centre would attract woodâ€" carvers of all types, not just those involved in making decoys, and he maintains is could eventually evolve into a carving museum. He added that it is a natural for Waterloo Region which has a rich heritage in carving and today is the home of several ‘"worldâ€"class carvers." "What this will do is expose the public to the assets that are right here and now and the heritage that is ours,"" he said. "It will be a catalyst because there are a number of carvers in the area that nobody knows about. This is not a flash in the panâ€"â€"I‘m not after a quick buck. I‘m after something lasting that I can pass on to the next generaâ€" tion." _ All of which is why Sadler can‘t help but laugh at those who said the decoy business was strictly for the birds. 2 or 3 pc. Matching Suites Available Free Area Delivery