James T. Cottle

James Cottle’s life began in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, at the foot of Lake Superior. His years stationed in the U.S. Army in Germany led to his study of languages and linguistics, a PhD, and the career path he would follow as an educator in those fields. It also led to his world-wide travels and working and teaching abroad. Growing up in a Finnish American culture, his academic background, career as an educator, and his travels figure prominently in the stories in his latest book You Really Ought to Learn Some Finnish: Ruminations of a Well-Traveled Northern Boy—Stories Told in Verse.

As the author of Carving Fish Decoys: A Traditional American Folk Art, he has lectured and held seminars and workshops on the craft of the fish decoy in myriad places that include the American Folk Art Museum in NYC; the National Museum of American Art and the Smithsonian Associates program in Washington, D.C.; and the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Michaels, Maryland. He and his carvings have been featured in several local, national, and international newspapers and magazines that include The Washington Post and Field & Stream, Japanese edition. James and his craft have also been featured on Washington, D.C., area television stations. The following link contains one example.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMiZHr7iJns