The Artist Behind the Carves
My Story
How a friendly contest, a foam pumpkin, and the memory of a great friend built Illuminated Carves.
How It Began
Since youth, Mike Pickett's favorite holiday has been Halloween. That coupled with his artistic talent has brought Illuminated Carves to where it is today.
Mike is a PGA Golf Professional originally from Northeast Ohio and currently residing in Painesville, Ohio. He has two beautiful children — a daughter, Ella Brynn, and a son, Griffin Alexander. One good thing that came out of 2020 was that Mike also married his longtime partner, Elizabeth.
Mike has always had a strong passion for the arts and enjoys creating enjoyment in others. The uniqueness of Illuminated Carves is the light.
The Contest That Started It All
Mike has always enjoyed carving pumpkins around Halloween time. When he moved down to Columbus, he met a fellow artist who also turned out to be a close friend — Neil Ingle. Neil carved pumpkins but was even better at pencil portraits and painting.
Having a huge competitive spirit, Mike challenged Neil to a pumpkin carving contest in the Fall of 2007, with the golfers from Cumberland Trail Golf Club voting on the winner. Halfway through, Neil was easily winning. In an effort to try something new, Mike experimented with carving a portrait into an artificial pumpkin. It took a couple of test carves, but the finished product turned out to be a picture of his two-year-old daughter.
In Memory of Neil Ingle
Over the next few years, Mike and Neil continued to carve pumpkins and continued to outdo each other. In the Summer of 2011, their good friend and artist Neil Ingle suddenly passed away.
Later that Fall, Mike had more motivation than ever to carve pumpkins — not only to continue what he and Neil had done, but to get better in his honor. It seemed that with every pumpkin Mike carved, he improved. Using new techniques and new tools, Mike wanted to take it to the next level.
After custom carving and selling over 40 pumpkins that year, and with the overwhelming support from friends and family, Mike decided to create this website and move forward with Illuminated Carves.
Today
Now, Mike carves between 300–400 pumpkins per year and his work appears on local and international media platforms every Fall. What started as a friendly contest between two friends has become a nationally recognized art form — all illuminated by the glow of a single light.
Life Beyond the Pumpkin
When he's not carving, Mike is a full-time PGA Golf Professional — a career that has taken him across the country and fueled a deep love of the game. He's a devoted fan of The Masters at Augusta National, and that same appreciation for precision, artistry, and tradition carries directly into every carve he makes.
Want a Carve of Your Own?
Every pumpkin Mike carves is a one-of-a-kind piece of art. Reach out to start your custom order.