John Byam
Untitled, n.d.
wood, glue, sawdust
1 1/2 x 4 1/4 x 6 1/2 inches


Born in Oneonta, New York in 1929, Byam spent a large part of his life assisting his
parents in the daily operations of the family-owned trailer court. In the late 1940s Byam
went to work for the Delaware and Hudson Railway, then served two years with the
U.S. military stationed in Japan during the Korean War. In 1952 he returned home to
his parents and took several jobs, including one as a part-time gravedigger for a local
cemetery. Working from memory, John Byam created dozens of boats, airplanes,
helicopters, figures, architectural elements, and other carved subjects during his lifetime,