About the Artist

For World Champion avian artist Michael R. Braun, bird carving is both a lifelong legacy and an elite art form. Michael carved his very first decoy at the age of nine under the guidance of his father, Edward Braun Jr., a revered New Jersey carver known for his highly sought-after black cork black ducks. Raised with a deep reverence for the outdoors, Michael translated his love for hunting and fishing into formal artistic training, earning a scholarship to study Illustration and Design at Philadelphia's University of the Arts. 

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After working as a commercial designer, Michael stepped away to follow his passion full-time. Fifteen years of refinement and competition on the national stage culminated on April 27, 2024, when Michael won the World Championship at the Ward World Wildfowl Carving Competition. His victorious rig—a masterwork consisting of a King Eider pair and a Common Eider x King Eider hybrid—cemented his status at the peak of his field. Whether crafting traditional service-grade decoys or decorative museum-quality sculptures, Michael’s profound connection to waterfowl comes vividly to life in every piece.