Who says animals can’t have a sense of humor?

Humor and art are what humans do best — that’s what makes us who we are, agree Rick and Linda Bachman, whose company is The Laffingstock. Combining their individual love of woodworking and painting, they work jointly on their kinetic wood sculptures.

The Bachmans agree the best part of working side by side is always being together. They believe in collaborating their ideas into separate visions of the finished piece.

“Being able to laugh at what you do while doing it is what I appreciate,” Linda Bachman said. “I paint these wonderfully humorous designs that make myself chuckle, as well as others. But the real talent lies with Rick, the creator and woodworker. He has always looked at life differently than most, and that has helped to make him who he is.”

The theme of their creations is animals and characters in bizarre predicaments, such as “Unleashed,” a dog riding in a Dodge with his ears blowing in the wind. The use of bright, happy colors and a wild, creative imagination work together to make even the “humorless” person smile.

“We think we began doing Mark Beling’s shows in 1993 or 1994,” Linda Bachman said. “It was one of his first shows, and there weren’t all the stores around. At that time, we made pictures marquetry style, and I did a whitewash watercolor on the pieces. Over the years, we have participated in approximately 15 to 20 of Mark’s shows.”

The Bachmans do about 15 to 20 shows per year. They are among 136 juried artists here for the 12th Annual Breckenridge Main Street Art Festival, happening through Sunday in the Wellington and East Sawmill parking lots on North Main Street and Wellington. Admission is free.

The Bachmans said they love Summit County and enjoy the small town and the engaging people and love the welcome feel that they always get from the locals. They also enjoy seeing all of the tourists from such a variety of places.

Nestled in Aurora, near Denver, with three daughters, Rick and Linda Bachman have been full-time artists since 1982. Maintaining the self-employed artist lifestyle, along with kids and the mortgage, has been a challenge, they admit.

Is laughter the best medicine to combat artist stress?

A fabulous sale is the best medicine, but laughter is definitely a close second, said the Laffingstock couple.