Michelle “Mike” Ochonicky
NATIVE ST. LOUISAN MICHELLE “MIKE” OCHONICKY discovered scrimshaw after her father acquired a few scrimshaw art pieces. The bone surface, etched into and darkened with ink, captivated her. She was drawn to this long-forgotten form, first created by British South Sea whalers as a way to pass time.
Mike’s first piece was meant to be a buck. “I made my husband a knife handle. It’s supposed to be a deer, but it looks like a beagle with antlers.” The craft was much more complex than she’d thought.
After almost 50 years of practice, Mike has become a master at this art form, but not without having to evolve. “When laws changed regarding ivory—as rightly they should have—that’s when a lot of people really just dropped scrimshaw,” Mike explains.
Instead of giving up, Mike began a process of elimination, etching scenes into synthetic plastic materials, shells, and even other animal bones. She broke tools and ruined pieces along the way, but eventually found her etching soulmate: cow bone. Cow bones are widely accessible and can be carved in a similar way to ivory.
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For scrimshaw artists, the process consists of three main steps: polishing, carving, and filling with ink. After polishing, Mike begins carving: cracking the surface of the bone with tools and making porous trails for the ink to lay in and bond to. As the ink settles, it becomes permanent and will eventually wipe off of the surface.
“Everything is dependent on what lines you just cut,” Mike says. Her art rests in her ability to be precise, patient, and adaptable. Mike sells her scrimshaw artwork at several places, including Missouri Life Mercantile and her online store.
Runner Up: Bryan Haynes
Missouri native Bryan Haynes grew up along the Missouri River and has an eye for capturing the state’s beauty. Bryan’s regionalist paintings depict the lives and history of the Midwest, including a focus on Native American Indians and nature. Visitors are welcome at the Bryan Haynes Studio and Art Gallery by appointment.
10 West Second Street, Washington • ArtByBryanHaynes.com
This article was orginally printed in the January 2026 issue of Missouri Life.
