The Year of Wildlife in Wood 1999

Education and Culture Minister Wayne Gaudet has officially designated this as The Year of Wildlife in Wood 1999.

The official marking of the theme year will occur at the Colchester Historical Museum, 29 Young St. in Truro on Saturday Feb. 6, at 2 p.m.

It will coincide with the opening of two new exhibits at the museum. The first new exhibit, O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree, was developed at the DesBrisay Museum in Bridgewater. The touring exhibit highlights the Christmas tree industry of Nova Scotia. Wildlife in Wood is the second new exhibit and includes about 60 carvings by Nova Scotia wildlife carvers, as well as some wildlife prints and wood scenes by Bruce Wood.

Between 35 and 40 of the wildlife carvings will be shown across the province throughout the year, and each location will add work by local carvers. There will also be wildlife carving demonstrations at various locations during the year.

This is the 11th craft theme year in the province and it celebrates the 10th anniversary of the Nova Scotia Wildlife Carvers and Artists Association, who are organizing this year's theme year. This also marks the first occasion that the official marking of a theme year has occurred outside the metro area.

The theme year program is partly sponsored by the Nova Scotia Centre for Craft and Design, part of the Department of Education and Culture, in co-operation with the Nova Scotia Designer Crafts Council, Nova Scotia College of Art and Design, and Federation of Nova Scotia Heritage.