Holly Carr Exhibit at Museum of Natural History

The Terrarium, An Interactive Installation, by Nova Scotia artist Holly Carr, will open at the Museum of Natural History in Halifax Thursday, June 5 and run until September.

The Terrarium is a magical world of glowing plant-life painted on huge panels of silk with gigantic silk insects flying overhead.It was inspired by Holly's interest in the wonders of nature's beauty and is her interpretation of the sensuality of the natural world.

Visitors will find themselves encircled by luxurious hand-painted silk evoking a sense very much like the habitat in a terrarium.

"Holly Carr is a talented Nova Scotia artist whose colourful installation allows us to recreate our distinctive and diverse physical environment in a new way," said Rodney MacDonald, Minister of Tourism and Culture. "We are proud to host The Terrarium at one of our provincial museums."

World-renowned wildlife artist Robert Bateman has said that Holly Carr's gift is "inventiveness and verve."

"In her fabric and oil paintings, she seizes images from her life and her imagination and applies them with energy, colour, humour and excitement -- her work is at once playful and powerful," said Mr. Bateman.

Holly is well known for her originality and creativity in working with hand-painted silk. Chosen for their quality and absorption of dyes, the pieces of silk become the palette for Holly's interest in the world around her.

The Terrarium evolved from Holly's work with other large-scale creations, including her designs and paintings for two Mermaid Theatre's productions, an installation featuring Symphony Nova Scotia at Dalhousie Arts Centre, and Plays on Silk: Atlantic Theatre Festival. Holly's work has been featured in numerous solo shows and collaborative exhibitions. It is recognized nationally and is part of private and corporate collections.