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SALISBURY, MD---The Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, Salisbury University, presents Drop-In Art Saturdays, a monthly family art program. Drop-In Art is held on the third Saturday of each month between 10 a.m. and noon. Join museum educators as they help families create projects related to the museum’s collections and exhibits. Return each month for a new project and theme.
This month children and families will get a chance to practice their metal working skills with Ward staff by making a unique foil relief waterfowl scene. There is no fee for the Drop-In Art program, but regular museum admission charges apply for entrance to the galleries. For more information call 410-742-4988 Ext. 110 or email wardeducation@salisbury.edu.
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SALISBURY, MD---The Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, Salisbury University, hosts “Artistic Expressions of Nature” featuring The Gallery of Artists June 8 – September 8. Opening weekend event and art sale: June 8th, 10 – 5 p.m. & June 9th, 12 - 5 p.m.
The Gallery of Artists, a collaborative group of award-winning wildlife artists diverse in medium and unique in style, will be joined together in an intimate and engaging atmosphere in the LaMay Gallery. The opening weekend will feature lectures by the artists throughout Saturday and Sunday, sponsored by Robinson’s family of businesses. A full schedule is available online. Works include oil, water and acrylic paintings, photographs, etchings, pyrography, sculptures, and pencil, utilizing varied styles, materials, and surfaces. A portion of the proceeds from all art purchased will benefit the Ward Museum and the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore’s Fund for the Environment.
The Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving and enhancing the legacy of native Eastern Shore brothers Lemuel and Steven Ward by exhibiting, collecting and promoting wildfowl art. For more information call 410-742-4988 ext. 110, or visit the Ward Museum Web site at www.wardmuseum.org.
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Nature Photography Workshop at Chincoteague NWR

SALISBURY, MD-The Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, Salisbury University will host a Nature Photography Workshop at Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, on May 31 - June 2, 2013. This three-day workshop is designed for those with a basic knowledge of operation of a 35 mm SLR digital camera and an interest in nature. Limited to 10 participants; Registration Deadline: Friday, May 17, 2013.

Cost: $298 Ward Museum member; $348 non-member. For more information visit wardmuseum.org, call 410-742-4988 ext. 110, or email the education department at wardeducation@salisbury.edu

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World Champions Announced

SALISBURY, MD---The Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, Salisbury University, held the 43rd Annual World Championship Wildfowl Carving Competition and Art Festival this weekend at the Roland E. Powell Convention Center in Ocean City, MD.

Over 1200 carvings were entered by carvers of all levels, from Youth to World Class, in 39 different divisions which include life-size and miniature decorative bird carvings, interpretive carvings and several categories of working decoys. At the award ceremony on Saturday night the winners of the World Champion Divisions were announced. They are as follows:

Division A - Decorative Life-size Wildfowl
1. Common Potoo by Keith Mueller of Killingworth, Connecticut
2. Cedar Waxwings by Larry Barth of Stahlstown, Pennsylvania
3. Long Tailed Hermit Hummingbird by Thomas Horn of Emmaus, Pennsylvania

Division B - Floating Decorative Life-size Waterfowl Pair –
Canvasbacks
1. Wayne Simkin of Elmvale, Ontario, Canada
2. Peter Dick of Chatham, Ontario, Canada
3. David Van Lanen of Green Bay, Wisconsin

Division C - Decorative Miniature Wildfowl
1. Willow Ptarmigan by Pat Godin of Paris, Ontario, Canada
2. Buff-breasted Paradise Kingfisher by Gerald Painter of Great Falls, Montana
3. Ornate Hawk Eagle by David Inglefield of Maraval, Port of Spain, Trinidad

Division D - Interpretive Wood Sculpture
1. “The Burl That Wanted to be a Bittern” by Lynn Branson of Courtenay, British Columbia, Canada
2. “Junkyard Heron” by Susan Dorsch of St. Clairsville, Ohio
3. “Crane Dance” by William Casto of Williamsburg, Virginia

Division SR - Shootin' Rig
1. Eastern Scaup Rig by Tom Christie of Lincoln, Nebraska
2. Gadwall/Wigeon Rig by Pat Godin of Paris, Ontario, Canada
3. Bufflehead Rig by Jeff Krete of Cambridge, Ontario, Canada

For more information call 410-742-4988, ext.106. or visit the Ward Museum web site at www.wardmuseum.org.

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Ward Museum Presents 40th Annual Benefit Auction

SALISBURY, MD---The Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, Salisbury University, presents its 40th annual benefit auction in two parts: the Champagne Waterfowl Silent Auction from 1 p.m. Saturday, April 27 to 3 p.m. Sunday, April 28, and a live auction 3 p.m. Saturday, April 27.

Highly sought after and prized by collectors, the live auction items encompass a variety of regional, national and internationally exhibited works by artists well known within the wildfowl art community. Adding to the excitement, the auction is being conducted in conjunction with the world’s premier carving show, the Ward World Championship Wildfowl Carving Competition. Registration for the auction is free and takes place from noon-3 p.m. Saturday, April 27.

Auction highlights include a bronze canvasback bust by renowned wildlife sculptor David Turner. Turner was born, raised and currently resides on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. He has created more than 60 publicly commissioned sculptures for the Washington National Zoo, Philadelphia Zoo, Brookgreen Gardens and Benson Sculpture Garden in Loveland, CO, among others.

Also offered is a Great Blue Heron portrait by Tim Donovan. Donovan, a sculptor, illustrator and painter, used the ancient method of egg tempera painting to create this one-of-a-kind work. Egg tempera is considered the world’s oldest painting medium and has been used since medieval times. It was preferred by many early Renaissance painters. Affording an unsurpassed luminosity and the finest details, this medium offers effects not available by other methods.

Another notable piece in the auction is a black-necked stilt carving by world champion carver Del Herbert. Well known for his shorebird carvings, Herbert has garnered more than 100 “Best in Show” awards at competitions across North America. He was selected as the Easton Waterfowl Festival’s 2012 Master Carver and has been named Ducks Unlimited Carver of the Year.

For more information call 410-742-4988, ext. 120, or visit the Ward Museum Web site at www.wardmuseum.org.

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Photo Caption: Bidders inspect a drake Harlequin decoy while participating in the benefit auction.

Ward Museum Announces Living Legends Award Recipients

SALISBURY, MD – The Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, Salisbury University, the carving community’s recognized leader, has announced that carvers Delbert “Cigar” Daisey, Robert “Bob” Guge and Ernest “Ernie” Muehlmatt will be honored with the museum’s inaugural Living Legends Award. The presentation will take place in conjunction with the Ward World Championship Wildfowl Carving Competition and Art Festival award ceremony on Saturday, April 27 at 5 p.m., at the Roland E. Powell convention center in Ocean City, MD.

The award recognizes individuals who have been long-time advocates for wildfowl art and the Ward Museum; are generous in spirit and commitment to teaching others and passing on their knowledge, skills and talents; and have created an impact on the field of wildfowl art and/or the Ward World Championship Wildfowl Carving Competition.

Daisey, born in 1924, lives and works on Chincoteague Island, VA. He worked as the instrument man on a survey crew for 13 years, fished in the summers and hunted wildfowl in the winters. His first decoys were a rig made with his father, Herbert Daisey, in 1941, using a recycled World War II submarine raft. He describes his early carving career as “making decoys on the side,” in combination with other jobs, but he finally began carving as a full-time career in the 1960s.

His nickname “Cigar” was given to him by a game warden when he lost some cigars while stealing ducks from the warden’s traps (some say he left the cigars to taunt the warden). One of the last surviving people who made a living as a market hunter, Daisey became an avid conservationist later in his life, serving as the resident carver at Chincoteague Island’s Refuge Waterfowl Museum. His work appears in the Smithsonian Institution, the Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art and the Chincoteague Refuge Waterfowl Museum.

Born in 1952 and current resident of Sleepyhollow, IL, Guge is a self-taught artist, and has been carving since 1972. He was strongly influenced by his father, Roy, a carver of hunting decoys. As his father's pieces became more sophisticated and entered competitions, Guge’s interest in birds and art grew. By age 12, he already had carved a few birds. His first career, however, was not carving, but house painting.

In 1973, Guge and his wife visited Chincoteague Island and met with Daisey. From then on, Guge kept his day job as a painter, but carved at night and on the weekends with a new determination to make a career in wildfowl carving. Eventually, he stopped painting houses and took off to pursue the professional, artistic pursuit of wood sculpture fulltime. Along the way, the work of Harold Haertel and other artists influenced Guge’s style.

Guge has been teaching carving since the mid-1980s and has won the Ward World Championship’s Miniature category five times, in addition to top prizes in many other major carving competitions.
 

Muehlmatt was born in 1927 in Springfield, PA. He has spent over 30 years as a professional carver as well as a graphic and sketch artist, painter, florist and inventor. He is a firm believer that his work ethic, taught to him by his father while working on the family farm, is the reason that he has been successful in the fields he has chosen. He served for two years in the U.S. Army, stationed in the Aleutian Islands during World War II. He returned home and attended a two-year program in commercial art at the Advertising and Art Student League in Philadelphia. He put his skills to good use in the family’s floral business. Eventually, Muehlmatt and his brother closed the retail end of the business, and Muehlmatt’s true love for carving began.

He took over the space and used it as a studio, carving six days a week. On the seventh he took his carvings to the Jersey Shore and sold them for a few dollars each, making about $50 a week. He slowly made his wildfowl carving a full-time job as demand for his work grew. His journey to national recognition came when he called the Philadelphia Sunday Bulletin, disguised as a neighbor, and told the newspaper staff that there was a wood carver in Springfield who should be interviewed.

In the 1972 Ward Championship Wildfowl Carving Competition, Muehlmatt won first, second and third place in different divisions. Since that time he has won the World Championship, Best in Show, on three different occasions. He has published four wood carving books and regularly teaches woodcarving and design. He is a member of the Carvers' Hall of Fame and has created more than 6,000 wood carvings. Muehlmatt resides in Salisbury, MD with his wife, Kathy.

The Ward Museum strives to lead the way for advancing the understanding of wildfowl art and the interrelationships of art, nature and culture. Through educational programs, exhibits and events, the museum builds upon the legacy of Lem and Steve Ward to bring young and old to a greater understanding of the human relationship to the natural world.

For more information call 410-742-4988, ext. 120, or visit the Ward Museum Web site at www.wardmuseum.org.

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Photo Caption: Living legend, Delbert “Cigar” Daisey, in his workshop

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Ward Museum - Summer Camps
SALISBURY, MD---The Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, Salisbury University, will host two summer day camps beginning in June.
Nature Photography Camp, for youth ages 14-18, is June 18-21. Campers learn techniques for capturing nature through digital photography and editing software. Cameras, lenses and other equipment are provided. Each participant will leave with two 8x10 prints and a collection of digital photos. Registration deadline is Monday, June 10.
Campers in the Young Birders Camp learn about all aspects of birds through outdoor exploration, journaling, and art projects. For burgeoning birders ages 7 to 13, camp is held July 8-11 from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Registration deadline is Monday, July 1.
Cost for the camps is $125 for members, $150 for non-members. Pre-registration is required. For more information, to register, call 410-742-4988, ext. 110, or visit www.wardmuseum.org to register online.
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Ward Museum- Drop-In Art Saturdays

      SALISBURY, MD---The Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, Salisbury University, presents Drop-In Art Saturdays, a monthly family art program. Drop-In Art is held on the third Saturday of each month between 10 a.m. and noon. Join museum educators as they help families create projects related to the museum’s collections and exhibits. Return each month for a new project and theme!

      This month join the Ward Museum and paint a Piping Plover to submit for this year's Youth Division of the Ward World Championships! There is no fee for the Drop-In Art program, but regular museum admission charges apply for entrance to the galleries. For more information call 410-742-4988 Ext. 110 or email wardeducation@salisbury.edu.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 26, 2013

FORTY-THIRD ANNUAL WARD WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WILDFOWL CARVING COMPETITION AND ART FESTIVAL

Carvers from around the world will gather in Ocean City, MD, to showcase their work at the 43rd annual Ward World Championship Wildfowl Carving Competition and Art Festival

SALISBURY, MD--- Each year the Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, Salisbury University, hosts the Ward World Championship Wildfowl Carving Competition and Art Festival, during which over 1,000 talented artists from the United States, Canada, Europe and Asia gather in Ocean City, MD, to showcase their carving skills.

This year’s event is April 26-28 at the Roland E. Powell Convention Center. The wildfowl carvings range from highly decorative works of art to functional hunting decoys. These spectacular sculptures, coveted by celebrities and avid collectors alike, mimic wildfowl species such as red tail hawks, bald eagles, saw whet owls, wood ducks and thousands of other waterfowl species from around the world.

On display are more than 1,400 wildfowl carvings by artists representing all levels of experience -- from youth to world champions. Nearly $70,000 in cash and prizes is awarded, in addition to the honor of having their work on display at the Ward Museum for one year.

For the second consecutive year Skyhunters in Flight, a demonstration of the ancient art of falconry, with master falconer Brian Bradley is presented Saturday, April 27. Sponsored in part by a grant from the Lower Eastern Shore Heritage Council, Bradley presents an educational lecture with live birds on display, followed by free flight demonstrations with a variety of raptors from around the world. Audience members have the opportunity to watch a hawk and a falcon sharpen their hunting skills while experiencing the silent flight of an owl. They also learn about the raptors’ many adaptations for survival, and how they play a vital role at the top of the food chain in the environment. Because many of these majestic birds hunt only in remote places or at night, bird lovers and photographers will have a rare opportunity to interact with and observe these raptors.

Event participants will be able to attend educational classes, seminars and workshops for all skill levels on multiple aspects of carving and related topics, as well as enjoy bird-watching on an early morning walk at Assateague Island or a sunset cruise on the Sinepuxent Bay.

Visitors of the event have the opportunity to shop at nearly 100 vending booths to purchase paintings, photography, carvings, bronze sculptures, jewelry, folk art, home decorating items and carving supplies.

For the avid decoy collector, or anyone wishing to begin their own collection, Saturday’s live auction provides a chance to bid on original carvings by top artists from around the world. A silent auction for the two winning carvings from the Champagne Waterfowl and Champagne Waterfowl Champion divisions also is scheduled. Additionally, visitors may purchase carvings directly from the artists at the Carvers Art Shop.

Activities for children are plentiful at the Kids Corner, where they may create soap carvings, carve feathers using power tools, and receive instruction from a world champion carver and decoy painter, among others.

A list of hotels offering special rates to visitors attending the show is available on the museum’s web site. Show hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday, April 26, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, April 27, with the awards ceremony beginning at 5 p.m. On Sunday, April 28, show hours are 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and students. Children 12 and under are admitted free when accompanied by a paying adult. Three-day passes to the event are available for $18.

For more information, call 410-742-4988, ext. 120, or visit the Ward Museum Web site at www.wardmuseum.org.

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Photo Caption: 2012 Best in World, Decorative Life-size Wildfowl, Thomas Horn, Emmaus, PA, Violet Saberwing Hummingbirds

Salisbury, MD. The Ward Museum of Wildlife Art, Salisbury University is proud to present the works of renowned wildlife painter Matthew Hillier on display in the museum’s LaMay Gallery through June 2, 2013.

Hillier was born in the United Kingdom and was brought up in West Sussex on the English South Coast. He now lives in Tunis Mills, Maryland with his artist wife Julia Rogers and son Patrick. Matthew studied wildlife art at Dyfed College of Art in West Wales. He spent many years working as a wildlife illustrator and traveled the world studying and painting wildlife. His work was taken up by various art publishing companies in the United States, and he has had many of his paintings produced in limited editions. Matthew has won multiple awards in both the United States and the United Kingdom and has work in many private collections and several museums, including the Hirem Blauvelt permanent collection in New Jersey and the Raymond James Collection in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Matthew moved to the Eastern Shore six years ago and has been profoundly influenced by the wildlife, waterscape, and culture of the Shore. Although he still loves to paint wildlife, he has expanded his repertoire to paint any subjects that inspire him. He and Julia spend the summers sailing around the Miles River looking for things to paint. What he really enjoys is capturing people having fun on the Shore – people sailing, watermen crabbing, kids fishing or bridge-jumping, or people having fun on the beach. Matthew also loves painting the ocean, the birds and wildlife of the Eastern Shore, and of course its dramatic skies and water.

A complementary opening reception will be held on Friday, February 22, from 5-7pm.

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Ward Museum- Drop-In Art Saturdays
SALISBURY, MD---The Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, Salisbury University, presents Drop-In Art Saturdays, a monthly family art program. Drop-In Art is held on the third Saturday of each month between 10 a.m. and noon. Join museum educators as they help families create projects related to the museum’s collections and exhibits. Return each month for a new project and theme!
This month join the Ward Museum in learning about and making Beeswax candles!
There is no fee for the Drop-In Art program, but regular museum admission charges apply for entrance to the galleries. For more information call 410-742-4988 Ext. 110 or email wardeducation@salisbury.edu.
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Nature Photography Workshop at Chincoteague NWR

SALISBURY, MD-The Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, Salisbury University will host a Nature Photography Workshop at Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, on May 31 - June 2, 2013. This three-day workshop is designed for those with a basic knowledge of operation of a 35 mm SLR digital camera and an interest in nature. Limited to 10 participants; Registration Deadline: Friday, May 17, 2013.

Cost: $298 Ward Museum member; $348 non-member. For more information visit wardmuseum.org, call 410-742-4988 ext. 110, or email the education department at wardeducation@salisbury.edu

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Ward Museum – Screen Painting in the Baltimore Folk Tradition With John Iampieri

SALISBURY, MD---The Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, Salisbury
University, presents "Screen Painting in the Baltimore Folk Tradition With John Iampieri". Iampieri will lead a screen painting seminar on Saturday, March 2nd, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Seminar participants discover the history and functionality of the painted screen as they create a door-sized screen. Space is limited and pre-registration is required. Cost is $80 for members, $95 for non-members, $55 for youth (Between the ages of 8-18.)

For more information call 410-742-4988, ext. 110, email wardeducation@salisbury.edu, or register online at www.wardmuseum.org
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Ward Museum- Salt Marsh Stories with Pickering Creek Audubon Center

SALISBURY, MD--- The Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, Salisbury University, will host an introductory presentation called “Salt Marsh Stories with Pickering Creek” on March 14, from 4:00 p.m. – 4:45 p.m. at the Ward Museum. Pickering Creek Audubon Center is engaging the Lower Eastern Shore in taking pride and action in the salt marshes of the Shore through lectures, hands-on experiences, restoration projects and storytelling. The remote marshes of the Shore of the Chesapeake are known to few, and yet their local, regional and even global impact is immense. Salt Marsh Stories is about sharing these stories to highlight the role salt marshes play in our lives and in those of the wildlife that depend on them. Free - (Registration required.)

For more information or registration, call 410-742-4988 ext. 110, email wardeducation@salisbury.edu, or register online at www.wardmuseum.org

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Ward Museum- Advanced Hot Glass Workshop – Registration re-opened!
SALISBURY, MD--- The Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, Salisbury University, hosts an advanced six hour hot glass workshop on February 16, 2013. Take this opportunity to build on your experience and learn advanced techniques for glass blowing while creating multiple works of glass art in the Salisbury University hot glass facility. Participants must have previous hot glass experience. Register by contacting the Ward Museum, 410-742-4988 ext 110 or WardEducation@salisbury.edu, or online at: http://tinyurl.com/ckg4kfc

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Ward Museum- Black and White Photography Workshop on Tangier Island

SALISBURY, MD--- The Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, Salisbury University, will host a Black and White Photography Workshop on Tangier Island on April 5th through April 7th, 2013. The itinerary includes an orientation to Tangier Island, instruction from expert photographers Brian Zwit and Bill Wallen, field sessions and critiques. The workshop fee includes round-trip ferry service from Crisfield to Tangier, all meals, instruction, and boat charter for waterfront photography field session. Departure for Tangier is Friday, April 5th at 10 a.m. from Crisfield, returning to Crisfield on Sunday, April 7th at 5 p.m. $395 Members; $445 Non-members. The registration deadline is Friday, March 29.

For more information or registration, call 410-742-4988 ext. 110, email wardeducation@salisbury.edu, or register online at www.wardmuseum.org

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Lecture – Bluebirds Forever

SALISBURY, MD-The Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, Salisbury University, is hosting a talk about the conservation of the Eastern Bluebird on March 7^th from 5:30 – 6:30 pm. Learn about the remarkable recovery of a species that was in danger of extinction several decades ago. Learn how to become a part of a team of citizen scientists dedicated to saving these birds. Purchase lecture tickets at the door. ($5- members, $7 – nonmembers).

Continue celebrating birds at the Bluebird Festival on March 9^th from 1 – 4 pm with arts, crafts, and entertainment celebrating birds and bird conservation.

For more information visit wardmuseum.org, call 410-742-4988 ext. 110, or email the education department at wardeducation@salisbury.edu

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Event – Bluebird Festival

SALISBURY, MD-The Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, Salisbury University, will host a Bluebird Festival at the Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art on Saturday, March 9, 2013, from 1-4 p.m. Celebrate and learn about birds and bird conservation through arts, crafts, presentations and entertainment. The event will include a performance from the Snow Hill Middle School Glee Club and presentation by the Maryland Bluebird Society.

For more information visit wardmuseum.org, call 410-742-4988 ext. 110, or email the education department at wardeducation@salisbury.edu

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Ward Museum- Living Off the Land: Beekeeping on Delmarva with Debra Goerger

SALISBURY, MD- The Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, Salisbury University, will host an expert presentation on beekeeping. On February 7, explore the ancient art of keeping honeybees and see how a modern hive works with beekeeper Debra Goerger, who will show a group of bees at work, the equipment used by beekeepers, discuss their natural history and some of the products that the bees allow us to enjoy.

Children and adults will enjoy this talk. Return to the Ward Museum on February 16th to make beeswax candles at our regular FREE monthly Drop In Art program from 10 am to 12 pm.

Purchase lecture tickets at the door. ($5 – members, $7 – nonmembers, children 18 and under are FREE) For more information, call 410-742-4988, ext. 110, or e-mail wardeducation@salisbury.edu.
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Ward Museum- Grapevine Series “Living Off the Land: The Lost Sheep of Assateague Island" with Nancy Ferguson

SALISBURY, MD--- The Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, Salisbury University, will host the Grapevine Series, a series of lively discussions focused on expert presentations featuring wine from local vineyards. On December 6, 2012, the Grapevine series will feature "Living Off the Land: The Lost Sheep of Assateague Island” with Nancy Ferguson.

First brought to the island in the 1600s, sheep provided wool for local women to knit and crochet warm garments for their families. Join spinner, researcher, writer, and educator Nancy Ferguson to see how the spinning wheel works and how wool is prepared for spinning.

Each month enjoy a new topic and taste a new wine as we celebrate art, nature and tradition through our Grapevine Series. Mingle from 5:00-5:30, listen or observe 5:30-6:30, discuss 6:30-7pm. Purchase tickets at the door. ($5 – members, $7 – nonmembers, plus a cash wine bar.)
For more information, call 410-742-4988, ext. 110, or e-mail wardeducation@salisbury.edu.
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Delmarva Birding Excursions
SALISBURY, MD---The Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, Salisbury University, hosts a Birding Excursion on Saturday, December 15, 2012. Travel with the Ward Museum to locations throughout the Delmarva Peninsula to witness remarkable bird migrations. Expert bird guides and local specialists will guide you to both popular and little known locations that provide refuge to thousands of migrating birds.

This trip offers the unique opportunity to see some of the most inaccessible waterfowl habitats in Delmarva. A 45 foot research vessel will explore the guts and sounds of Queen’s Sound where birds rest and feed on undisturbed sand bars and waters as eagles and osprey hunt overhead.

Meet at the Marine Science Consortium, Wallops Island, VA, at 9 am; return to Ward Museum at 4 pm. $70 members; $85 non-memebers.To register or for more information call 410-742-4988 ext 110 or email the education department at wardeducation@salisbury.edu

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Warren Saunders Receives Maryland Traditions Award

SALISBURY, MD---Warren Saunders, of Hurlock, Maryland was honored by Maryland Traditions, the folklife program of the Maryland State Arts Council, with its annual Master-Apprenticeship award, which spotlights living traditions and rewards master artists in the performing, material, and building arts. The hallmark of the Master-Apprentice relationship is the time-tested method of passing on knowledge by example with mentor and student working side by side. Warren will pass his decoy carving and painting skills on to his apprentice, Roger Webster of Wicomico County.

“The Maryland Traditions Apprenticeship and Project Awards play a vital role in preserving Maryland’s traditional art forms,” said MSAC Executive Director Theresa Colvin. “We are pleased to be able to support our individual artists in passing their unique skills on to future generations, as well as provide arts organizations with the funding they need to better serve their communities”.

Warren Saunders is a master decoy carver who was born and raised on a farm in Dorchester County in Maryland. Early on he studied waterfowl spending time in their natural habitat. He studied with noted carvers, spent long hours at the zoo and wildlife sanctuaries and sat in duck blinds in 5-degree weather to capture the realism of the beautiful migrating species of birds, ducks and geese of the area. Warren has been described as an old hand at this art. “I’ve been carving for 50 years,” he says. Warren draws and carves his own patterns, "sort of in the style of the Ward brothers" he explains. "They were the ones who really got this started on the lower Eastern shore." Saunders designs slightly oversized, flat-bottomed decoys with heads bearing somewhat exaggerated features; the birds look life-like and ride the water well.

Warren teaches classes in power carving, decoy carving, and painting. He also judges some competitions and continues to compete and win numerous awards. He participates in exhibitions and shows throughout the eastern United States, including the Ward World Championship Wildfowl Carving Competition in Ocean City, MD and the Waterfowl Festival in Easton, MD.

Maryland Traditions develops statewide infrastructure for folk arts and folklife through the MSAC with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts. The program identifies, documents, and celebrates living traditions, communities and practitioners that constitute the state’s folk and traditional arts and folklife; supports the dissemination of information to wider audiences through publication, presentation and other educational activities; and works directly with individuals and cultural institutions in order to sustain living traditions and folk arts.

Maryland Traditions Master-Apprentice Awards began in 2003 and are designed to offer the opportunity each year for successful applicant teams to benefit from intensive, systematic encounters of their own design, culminating in a specific product or goal. A total of ten master-apprentice teams practicing folk arts and traditional occupational skills have been chosen to receive the award. The awards will help cover apprenticeship-related expenses to help ensure the continuity of Maryland’s diverse living traditions for future generations. Apprenticeship Award recommendations were made by a jury of regional folklife experts for artists who express and practice traditional folk arts, including traditions in music, dance, boat building, duck decoy carving and metalwork.

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Ward Museum- Drop-In Art Saturdays
SALISBURY, MD---The Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, Salisbury University, presents Drop-In Art Saturdays, a monthly family art program. Drop-In Art is held on the third Saturday of each month between 10 a.m. and noon. This month, on Saturday, October 20, 2012, join museum educators and artist John Iamperi in painting screens, a folk-art from Baltimore. John is an amazing artist and eductor, you will be sure to come away from this event with a smile on you face, and a masterpiece in your hands.

There is no fee for the Drop-In Art program, but regular museum admission charges apply for entrance to the galleries.

For more information call 410-742-4988 Ext. 110 or email wardeducation@salisbury.edu.
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 Ward Museum- Glass Blowing Workshops

SALISBURY, MD--- Starting on Friday, October 19, and running through December 8th, The Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, Salisbury University, and the SU Glass Program will host a series of Hot Glass Workshops. The Ward Museum is proud to offer the opportunity for visitors to make their own glass art at the Salisbury University Hot Glass Facility.
Participants receive a short orientation to the technique of glass blowing, then work on their own glass piece, each workshop will focus on a new project. Choose the one that fits your schedule best: October 19- Glass Flower; November 2- Paperweight; November 16- Glass Float; December 8- Ornament ball. All workshops are from 4 p.m. – 6 p.m., and cost $70 for museum members, $85 for non-members. EXCEPT the December 8 workshop, which will be a series of short, 1- hour sessions starting on the hour, every hour from 10 a.m. – noon, and from 1 p.m. until 6 p.m., and cost only $25 per session for Members; and $30 per session for Non-Members.
Registration is required. To register or for more information, call 410-742-4988, ext. 110, or e-mail wardeducation@salisbury.edu.
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Ward Museum- Grapevine Series “Dark side of the Loon” with Dr. Paul Spitzer
SALISBURY, MD--- The Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, Salisbury University, will host the Grapevine Series, a series of lively discussions focused on expert presentations featuring wine from local vineyards. On November 1, 2012, the Grapevine series will feature “Dark Side of the Loon” with Dr. Paul Spitzer
Since 1988, Dr. Spitzer has studied the non-breeding biology of the common loon. Join us as we explore the fascinating “dark side” – the migration and winter biology – of the common loon.
Each month enjoy a new topic and taste a new wine as we celebrate art, nature and tradition through our Grapevine Series. Mingle from 5:00-5:30, listen or observe 5:30-6:30, discuss 6:30-7pm. Purchase tickets at the door. ($5 – members, $7 – nonmembers, plus a cash wine bar.)
For more information, call 410-742-4988, ext. 110, or e-mail wardeducation@salisbury.edu.
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Educator Happy Hour
SALISBURY, MD---The Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, Salisbury University, will host an Educator Happy Hour on October 25th, from 4:30-6:30 pm. The event will be free for educators interested in learning about what programs and resources the Ward Museum has to offer, including Teacher Professional Development Training, Field trip programs and opportunities, and Pass It On, a K-12 Curriculum about the Eastern Shore produced by the Ward Museum.
To register or for more information call 410-742-4988 ext 110 or email the education department at wardeducation@salisbury.edu

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Ward Museum- SPECIAL GUEST at Grapevine Series with John Juriga: Nancy Richards West
SALISBURY, MD--- The Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, Salisbury University, will host the Grapevine Series, a series of lively discussions focused on expert presentations featuring wine from local vineyards. On October 4, 2012, the Grapevine series will feature “Bob Hines: National Wildlife Artist” with John Juriga and SPECIAL GUEST Nancy Richards West doing a Painting Demonstration from 5 - 5:30 pm. Nancy Richards West has been painting since 1971, with a focus on depicting the quiet beauty of wildlife and nature.
Bob Hines was a gifted, self-taught illustrator and painter, who found his calling to be the first National Wildlife Artist during the Great Depression. Wildlife enthusiasts, Duck Stamp collectors, art lovers, and those interested in the history of conservation will enjoy celebrating the centennial of Bob Hines’ birth with biographer John Juriga.
Each month enjoy a new topic and taste a new wine as we celebrate art, nature and tradition through our Grapevine Series. Mingle from 5:00-5:30, listen or observe 5:30-6:30, discuss 6:30-7pm. Purchase tickets at the door. ($5 – members, $7 – nonmembers, plus a cash wine bar.)
For more information, call 410-742-4988, ext. 110, or e-mail wardeducation@salisbury.edu.
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 Ward Museum- Glass Blowing Workshops

SALISBURY, MD--- Starting on Friday, October 19, and running through December 8th, The Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, Salisbury University, and the SU Glass Program will host a series of Hot Glass Workshops. The Ward Museum is proud to offer the opportunity for visitors to make their own glass art at the Salisbury University Hot Glass Facility.
Participants receive a short orientation to the technique of glass blowing, then work on their own glass piece, each workshop will focus on a new project. Choose the one that fits your schedule best: October 19- Glass Flower; November 2- Paperweight; November 16- Glass Float; December 8- Ornament ball. All workshops are from 4 p.m. – 6 p.m., and cost $70 for museum members, $85 for non-members. EXCEPT the December 8 workshop, which will be a series of short, 1- hour sessions starting on the hour, every hour from 10 a.m. – noon, and from 1 p.m. until 6 p.m., and cost only $25 per session for Members; and $30 per session for Non-Members.
Registration is required. To register or for more information, call 410-742-4988, ext. 110, or e-mail wardeducation@salisbury.edu.
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Ward Museum- SPECIAL GUEST at Grapevine Series with Dr. John Juriga: Nancy West
SALISBURY, MD--- The Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, Salisbury University, will host the Grapevine Series, a series of lively discussions focused on expert presentations featuring wine from local vineyards. On October 4, 2012, the Grapevine series will feature “Bob Hines: National Wildlife Artist” with Dr. John Juriga and SPECIAL GUEST Nancy West doing a Painting Demonstration from 5 - 5:30 pm. Nancy Richards West has been painting since 1971, with a focus on depicting the quiet beauty of wildlife and nature.
Bob Hines was a gifted, self-taught illustrator and painter, who found his calling to be the first National Wildlife Artist during the Great Depression. Wildlife enthusiasts, Duck Stamp collectors, art lovers, and those interested in the history of conservation will enjoy celebrating the centennial of Bob Hines’ birth with biographer John Juriga.
Each month enjoy a new topic and taste a new wine as we celebrate art, nature and tradition through our Grapevine Series. Mingle from 5:00-5:30, listen or observe 5:30-6:30, discuss 6:30-7pm. Purchase tickets at the door. ($5- members, $7 – nonmembers, plus a cash wine bar.)
For more information, call 410-742-4988, ext. 110, or e-mail wardeducation@salisbury.edu.
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Ward Museum- Grapevine Series - Bob Hines: National Wildlife Artist with Dr. John Juriga
SALISBURY, MD--- The Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, Salisbury University, will host the Grapevine Series, a series of lively discussions focused on expert presentations featuring wine from local vineyards. On October 4, 2012, the Grapevine series will feature “Bob Hines: National Wildlife Artist” with Dr. John Juriga.
Bob Hines was a gifted, self-taught illustrator and painter, who found his calling to be the first National Wildlife Artist during the Great Depression. Wildlife enthusiasts, Duck Stamp collectors, art lovers, and those interested in the history of conservation will enjoy celebrating the centennial of Bob Hines’ birth with biographer John Juriga.
Each month enjoy a new topic and taste a new wine as we celebrate art, nature and tradition through our Grapevine Series. Mingle from 5:00-5:30, listen or observe 5:30-6:30, discuss 6:30-7pm. Purchase tickets at the door. ($5- members, $7 – nonmembers, plus a cash wine bar.)
For more information, call 410-742-4988, ext. 110, or e-mail wardeducation@salisbury.edu.
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Immediately through October 13, 2012

Calling All Vendors for Buy, Sell and Trade

Salisbury, MD---- The Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, Salisbury University, is hosting the annual buy, sell and trade of antique decoys, collectibles and furniture, and modern hunting, fishing and kayaking supplies in the museum’s parking lot on Friday and Saturday, October 12 and 13, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The buy, sell, trade market is one of the festivities taking place during the 15th annual Chesapeake Wildfowl Expo held the same weekend.

Over thirty vendors gather and display decoys, folk art, antiques, and boating, hunting and fishing supplies. Visitors are encouraged to stop by with their decoys for appraisal and identification.

Food will be sold in the parking lot during the event.

For more information, interested vendors may call 410-742-4988, ext. 114, email WardEvents@salisbury.edu or visit the Ward Museum website at wardmuseum.org.

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Immediately through October 12

SALISBURY, MD – The Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, Salisbury University, hosts a benefit seafood dinner Friday, October 12, from 4:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m.

Guests will be treated to an assortment of local seafood and sides, including steamed Maryland blue crabs, oysters on the half shell, steamed shrimp and a selection of side dishes, provided by Linton’s Seafood. Tickets are $40 and can be purchased in advance at the Ward Museum.

After dinner, guests may enjoy a slice of Smith Island cake and a cup of coffee while taking in a “Carving Out Future Decoy Makers” symposium. Master carvers from across the country discuss their experience as instructors in this project, which is made possible through a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.

The dinner kicks of a full weekend of activities as part of the 15th annual Chesapeake Wildfowl Expo, which includes decoy competitions, carving demonstrations, decoy appraisals, children’s activities, buy-sell-trade vendors and more.

All proceeds from the dinner benefit the Ward Museum and museum projects.

Admission to the museum and symposium are free and the public is invited. For more information visit the Ward Museum Web site at www.wardmuseum.org or call 410-742-4988, ext. 106.

Chesapeake Wildfowl Expo

SALISBURY, MD---The Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, Salisbury University, hosts the 15th annual Chesapeake Wildfowl Expo Friday-Saturday, October 12-13.

This event pays tribute to old decoys while encouraging the carving of new ones. The museum, located on Schumaker Pond, provides the setting for this annual celebration of waterfowling events, which are an important part of the Delmarva Peninsula’s history.

On Friday and Saturday, vendors will convert the front parking lot into a festive marketplace for the Buy, Sell and Trade, which offers an eclectic mix of fine antique decoys, collectible hunting items, folk art, outdoor memorabilia and antique furniture. Traditionally, vendors and collectors are excited to see what “new” treasures will be brought to the marketplace. The public is encouraged to bring their antique decoys for free identification and appraisals.

Friday evening from 4:30-6:30 p.m., guests will be treated to an Eastern Shore Seafood Feast under the pond-side pavilion. Menu items include steamed crabs, steamed shrimp, oysters on the half shell, and a selection of side dishes and drinks. Tickets, which may be purchased in advance at the museum’s gift shop, are $40. Proceeds benefit the museum. A50/50 raffle will also take place during the dinner.

Saturday is a day for competition and family fun. Decoy shows and competitions have been taking place for more than 100 years and have become a tradition within the American culture. Honoring these traditions, the museum holds its annual Chesapeake Challenge on Saturday from 11 a.m.-4 p.m., overlooking Schumaker Pond. During the challenge, working waterfowl decoys are judged in the water so their qualities and usefulness for hunting may be evaluated. There are separate competitions for shorebirds, woodpeckers and contemporary antique decoys. Prior to the start of the challenge, a separate youth competition for ages 17 and under takes place, with waterfowl decoys being floated and competing against one another for top honors. Competitors from Maine to California migrate to Salisbury to participate in the challenge.

Made possible through a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Chesapeake Challenge will again be enhanced by the Carving Out Future Decoy Makers Project. Fifteen master carvers, representing each of the four flyways across the United States, teach six students how to carve a traditional working decoy; bringing the finished decoys to be entered in the challenge. This year, a master carvers’ forum takes place Friday evening, offering the public a chance to interact with the carvers as they discuss their experiences during the project. Students participating in the Carving Out Future Decoy Makers Project range from youth to grandfathers.

Also held on Saturday is the “Old Birds” Antique Decoy Competition. Collectors from across the region enter their antique decoys (carved prior to 1950) for evaluation. This contest differs from the Shootin’ Stool Competition in that the decoy is no longer judged for its usefulness as a hunting tool, but is judged for its collectability as a decoy with historical value. This year there are 10 regional categories of Scaup, offering the public a unique opportunity to compare various collectible styles from around the country.

Other Saturday activities include a duck head-carving contest and a power- versus hand-carving demonstration. Children may participate in a variety of free activities and crafts including painting a piping plover silhouette, coloring and using Dremel tools. Concessions, including a bake sale, are available to expo attendees on both days.

The exhibit “Great Lakes Decoys and Folk Sculpture” is in the museum’s LaMay Gallery. The five Great Lakes, in the heartland of North America, have provided natural habitats, easily navigable waterways, and abundant food fresh water since their formation over 10,000 years ago. Humans and wildlife alike have thrived along the shores of lakes Erie, Huron, Michigan, Ontario and Superior, as well as the smaller St. Clair, which together form the largest system of freshwater lakes in the world. The exhibit presents many individually-made and commercially-produced wildfowl and fish decoys, patent drawings and related folk sculpture from Ontario, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and Minnesota, along with a history of exclusive hunt clubs in those regions.

The museum’s Welcome Gallery showcases the exhibit “Something to Crow About: A Cultural History of the Chicken.” One of the most common and widespread domestic animals, chickens have been providing meat and eggs for humans for at least 5,000 years. In fact, there are more chickens in the world than any other species of bird. From the backyard to the table, chickens have played an important role in the culture of the Eastern Shore for generations. This exhibit examines the history of this staple of farm life and traditional food ways through art, archival photographs and ephemera, and oral histories and folklore.

Admission to the museum and event are free. For more information visit the Ward Museum Web site, www.wardmuseum.org, or call 410-742-4988, ext. 106.

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Ward Museum- Grapevine Series - Living Off the Land: The Cultural History of the Chicken with Dr. Cindy Byrd
SALISBURY, MD--- The Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, Salisbury University, will host the Grapevine Series, a series of lively discussions focused on expert presentations featuring wine from local vineyards. On September 6, 2012, the Grapevine series will feature “Living Off the Land: The Cultural History of the Chicken” with Dr. Cindy Byrd.
This discussion, led by Ward Museum curator and folklorist Dr. Cindy Byrd will examine the history of this staple of farm life and traditional foodways through art, archival photographs and ephemera, and oral histories and folklore.
Each month enjoy a new topic and taste a new wine as we celebrate art, nature and tradition through our Grapevine Series. Mingle from 5:00-5:30, listen or observe 5:30-6:30, discuss 6:30-7pm. Purchase tickets at the door. ($5- members, $7 – nonmembers, plus a cash wine bar.)
For more information, call 410-742-4988, ext. 110, or e-mail wardeducation@salisbury.edu.
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Ward Museum- ABA Young Birder Conference Scholarships

SALISBURY, MD--- The Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, Salisbury University, and the Tri-County Bird Club, a chapter of the Maryland Ornithological Society, are sponsoring eight young birders to attend the ABA Young Birder Conference. On September 22, 2012, the Mid-Atlantic Young Birder Conference will be held at the Ashland Nature Center in Hockessin, Delaware, and is sponsored by the American Birding Association and Leica Sport Optics.
Featured guest speakers include Marie McGee, the 2012 ABA Young Birder of the Year; and Bill Thompson III, Editor of Bird Watcher's Digest and author of the Young Birders Guide to the Birds of Eastern North American, among other great publications.
If you know a young birder that would like to attend this conference, don’t miss this opportunity for them to attend free –transportation from the Ward Museum included! Call or email the Ward Museum at 410-742-4988, ext. 110, or WardEducation@salisbury.edu

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Delmarva Birding Excursions
SALISBURY, MD---The Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, Salisbury University, hosts a Birding Excursion on Saturday, October 27, 2012. Travel with the Ward Museum to locations throughout the Delmarva Peninsula to witness remarkable bird migrations. Expert bird guides and local specialists will guide you to both popular and little known locations that provide refuge to thousands of migrating birds.

Our series will kick off with a trip to Kiptopeke State Park to observe the fall migration of songbirds and raptors. The Coastal Virginia Wildlife Observatory will host a special presentation and visit to a bird banding station.

Round-trip transportation from Salisbury to Kiptopeke, lunch, expert birding instruction, and special presentations are included in the program fee. Depart Ward Museum at 6 am; return to Ward Museum at 4 pm. $70 members; $85 non-memebers
To register or for more information call 410-742-4988 ext 110 or email the education department at wardeducation@salisbury.edu

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Adult Workshop: Carve and Paint a Hunting Decoy with Bill Veasey

SALISBURY, MD---The Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, Salisbury University, hosts a Carve and Paint a Hunting Decoy Seminar with instructor Bill Veasey.

All aspects of the hunting decoy will be discussed throughout this two day class. Many carving and painting techniques will be demonstrated. Students can choose from a variety of species to carve and paint. Students will be encouraged to enter their competition grade finished birds in the 2012 Chesapeake Challenge. Blanks, paints and other materials are provided. Students must provide brushes and Foredom tool (limited quantities are available upon request).

Pre-registration is required. Space is limited.

Price: M$80, NM$95, Youth $70

To register or for more information call 410-742-4988 ext 110 or email the education department at wardeducation@salisbury.edu

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Ward Museum- Introduction to Backyard Bird Feeding

SALISBURY, MD--- The Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, Salisbury University, hosts a Backyard Bird Feeding workshop 4:30pm – 6:30pm, Thursday, September 13.
In this introduction to backyard bird feeding, sponsored by Rommels Ace Backyard Bird Center, participants learn about different feeder types and food options for birds, how to create bird-friendly backyard habitats, and how to provide safe bird-feeding environments. They learn about identification, distribution and food preferences of the top 20 birds that visit local feeders. All participants receive a bird feeder, bird seed, and tote bag.
To register contact the Ward Museum at 410-742-4988, ext. 110, or WardEducation@salisbury.edu
Cost is $10 for Ward Museum volunteers, $15 for members, $20 for non members ; Youth (17 and under) are admitted free. For more information visit the Ward Museum Website at www.wardmuseum.org.

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Ward Museum- Grapevine Series - Living Off the Land: The Cultural History of the Chicken with Dr. Cindy Byrd
SALISBURY, MD--- The Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, Salisbury University, will host the Grapevine Series, a series of lively discussions focused on expert presentations featuring wine from local vineyards. On September 6, 2012, the Grapevine series will feature “Living Off the Land: The Cultural History of the Chicken” with Dr. Cindy Byrd.
This discussion, led by Ward Museum curator and folklorist Dr. Cindy Byrd will examine the history of this staple of farm life and traditional foodways through art, archival photographs and ephemera, and oral histories and folklore.
Each month enjoy a new topic and taste a new wine as we celebrate art, nature and tradition through our Grapevine Series. Mingle from 5:00-5:30, listen or observe 5:30-6:30, discuss 6:30-7pm. Purchase tickets at the door. ($5- members, $7 – nonmembers, plus a cash wine bar.)
For more information, call 410-742-4988, ext. 110, or e-mail wardeducation@salisbury.edu.
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For more information or registration, call 410-742-4988 ext. 110, or email wardeducation@salisbury.edu

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Salisbury, MD – Beamie Young of Dickerson, MD was awarded the Grand Prize in the Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, Salisbury University, second annual Art in Nature Photo Festival’s photography contest with her photo Veiled.

Nearly 1000 entries were received from more than 180 photographers representing ten states, some as far away as California.

Cam Miller of New Market, MD, won Best in Division for Professional with her photo Leaf Tipper, Kathleen Furey of South Riding, VA, won Best in Division for Amateur with her photo White Flower Among Waves, and thirteen year old Alex Lenhart of Rocky River, OH, won Best in Youth with his photo Rest Stop.

Beamie Young’s prize package included a new Nikon D7000 camera outfit, Adobe Creative Suite 6 Design Premium and a Wimberley gimbal head. Cam Miller’s prize package included a Nikon COOLPIX P7100 and Adobe Photoshop CS6. Kathleen Furey’s prize package included a Nikon COOLPIX P510 and Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 4. Alex Lenhart’s prize package included a Nikon COOLPIX 310 and Adobe Photoshop Elements 10. Adobe, Nikon and Wimberley, official sponsors of the Art in Nature Photo Festival, provided the prizes. Additionally, ribbons were awarded to first, second and third place winners in all divisions and categories.

Cathy Holland of Salisbury, MD, won the People’s Choice award with her photo titled Twin Deer.

Salisbury University photography professor Jeanne Anderton, Blue Ridge Workshops instructor Brian Zwit and nature photographer Bill Wallen served as volunteer judges.

For more information call 410-742-4988, ext. 120, or visit the Ward Museum Web site at www.wardmuseum.org to view the complete winners list.

(Photo Caption: Grand Champion Veiled by Beamie Young of Dickerson, MD)

SALISBURY, MD (July 18, 2012) - National Geographic photographer and Delaware native Kevin Fleming keynotes the second annual Art in Nature Photo Festival, hosted by the Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, Salisbury University, Friday, August 10.

In his 10 years as a photographer for National Geographic, Fleming’s assignments have taken him to 26 countries, photographing subjects as diverse as the sub-atomic world of high-energy physics and New Zealand sheep ranchers. These assignments have plunged him into war-torn and famine-stricken Somalia and to the Mediterranean for a re-creation of the voyage of Ulysses, and put him on a dogsled while crossing the Canadian arctic. Under the gunfire of assassins who killed Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, he escaped with some of the only images of the tragic moment.

Fleming attended Wesley College before beginning his career as a newspaper photographer, leading to his decade with National Geographic. Most recently, he has concentrated on creating books, including The Heart of America, Wild Delaware and Wild Delmarva. Fleming’s photography has won many national and international awards, and he was named “America’s Best Observer” by Reader’s Digest.

For more information call 410-742-4988, ext. 120, or visit the Ward Museum Web site at www.wardmuseum.org.

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Ward Museum- Art In Nature Photo Fest Educational Conference
SALISBURY, MD- The Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, Salisbury University, presents Art In Nature Photo Festival Educational Conference from August 10th through 12th at the Ward Museum.
Don't miss out on this opportunity to enhance your photographic skills through workshops like Macro Photography with Corey Hilz, Photo Editing with Brian Zwit, and a Bird of Prey field photo session with Bill Wallen that will include live raptors.
During the Photo Festival a wide range of free seminars covering topics such as composition, photo editing, and successful bird photography will be included with the price of admission. Registration is required for all workshops, field sessions and free seminars.
For more information about these programs and the Art In Nature Photo Festival visit www.wardmuseum.org. Call 410-742-4988 x110 or email wardeducation@salisbury.edu to register.

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The Ward Museum Presents The Photography of A. Aubrey Bodine

SALISBURY, MD--- The Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, Salisbury University is proud to present The Photography of A. Aubrey Bodine, on display in the LaMay Gallery July 13 - September 30. In photographic circles around the world, A. Aubrey Bodine (1906-1970) was regarded as one of the finest pictorialists of the twentieth century. His pictures were exhibited in hundreds of prestigious shows, in scores of museums, and he won awards against top competition. His photographs were seen in the Sunday Sun, numerous books and magazines, on calendars, as murals, and as framed prints decorating homes. This exhibit showcases a selection of Bodine’s work in the Chesapeake Bay region.

Aubrey Bodine's photographic career began in 1923 when as an office boy with the Baltimore Sun he submitted photographs of the Thomas Viaduct at Relay to the editor of the Sunday paper, and they were published. From first to last Aubrey Bodine was a newspaperman covering all sorts of stories with his camera: news events, famous people, unusual places and curious activities. This gave him opportunities to travel throughout the region and learn about it in every tide, wind, weather and season. Out of this experience came remarkable documentary pictures of farming, oystering, hunting, decoy making, blacksmithing, bricklaying and dozens of other occupations; student nurses, Amish children, pilots of ships and planes, country folk, and city folk; wood sheds and cathedrals, wagons and railroad engines, and, in short, almost everything of interest. Moreover, the documentary pictures are of the very finest quality, often artistic in design and lighting effects far beyond the usual standard of newspaper work.

But Bodine's talent ran deeper than this, and so did his ambition. He submitted photographs to national and international salon competitions and consistently won top honors. Bodine believed that photography could be a creative discipline, and he studied the principles of art at the Maryland Institute College of Art. The camera and the dark room equipment were tools to him like the painter's brush or the sculptor's chisel.

Bodine was a romantic pictorialist and this shows in his choice of subjects - the old times and the old things, the beauties of nature, man as an individual, and similar ideas. The pictures are usually quiet in mood partly because of the subdued tones and partly because of a low tension design made of open curves and natural perspective.

Not the least of Bodine's artistic ability was his craftsmanship. He was always experimenting with his tools, but seldom made a mistake. Some of his best pictures were literally composed in the viewfinder of the camera. In other cases he worked on the negative with dyes and intensifiers, pencil marking, and even scraping to produce the effect he had in mind. He added clouds photographically, and made other even more elaborate manipulations. Bodine's rationale for all these technical alterations of the natural scene was simply that, like the painter, he worked from the model and selected those features which suited his sense of mood, proportion and design. The picture was the thing, not the manner of arriving at it. He did not take a picture, he made a picture.

An opening reception with special guest Jennifer Bodine will be held on Friday, July 13, 5-7pm. Ms. Bodine, who carries on her father’s legacy through the production of prints and publications of his works (available at aaubreybodine.com), will share stories of life with her father and insights into his artistic process. Her book Bodine’s Chesapeake Bay Country and the brand-new Bodine’s City will be available for sale in the gift shop.

2nd Annual Art in Nature Photo Festival

SALISBURY, MD (July 2, 2012) – Enjoy taking photographs of scenery, wildlife or plants and flowers?  The Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, Salisbury University, hosts its second annual Art in Nature Photo Festival Friday-Sunday, August 10-12.

Photographers of all levels are invited to submit their photos for the competition in one of three divisions: youth, amateur or professional, and in any of the five categories; birds, plants and animals other than birds, landscape/scenery, threatened wildlife or environments, and macro photography.

Photographers of all skill levels also have an opportunity to participate in lectures, seminars and workshops led by professional photographers from August 11-12.

Vendors selling fine art photography occupy a marketplace while a wide variety of cameras and equipment will be available at the festival’s public trade show.

Photo Contest Rules:

1. To enter the contest: Mail-ins accepted July 16-August 10. On-site registration at the Ward Museum is Friday, August 10, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
    
2. An initial entry fee of $15 non-member, $10 Ward Museum member for up to three photos with an additional $3 for each additional photo; a maximum of 7 photos per person.
    
3. The contest is open to any amateur or professional photographer except contest judges, employees or board members of the Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art and their immediate families.
    
4. All photos are to be submitted in printed format with a minimum length of 8 inches on the shortest side and a maximum length of 14 inches on the longest side. Matting, mounting and framing are not allowed.
    
5. The entries are displayed on Friday 5-7 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. Entries are judged on Saturday evening and hung in the museum for Sunday viewing. Division-winning photographers, including Grand Champion, must provide the Ward Museum with a high-resolution digital file, 240 dpi or better, of the winning photograph. Winning entries remain hung in the museum for up to three months.
    
6. All photographs must have been taken within two years before the date of entry. All photographs must accurately reflect the subject as it appeared through the viewfinder. Nothing shall be added to the image, and aside from dust spots, nothing shall be removed. Normal processing of image files including minor dodging and burning, adjustments to color and contrast and minimal cropping are acceptable. HDR and focus stacking are permitted, so long as all manipulation is disclosed upon entry. Entrants must not infringe on the rights of another photographer or person, or submit images which involve the willful harassment of wildlife or damage to the environment by the photographer. Failure to comply with any of the contest provisions will result in disqualification of the entry.
    
7. There are three divisions: professional, amateur and youth. The professional and amateur divisions are divided into the five categories listed below. A professional is defined as a photographer who earns 50 percent or more of his or her income from the publication of his or her own images. Youth division is for non-professional photographers, ages 17 and under as of August 10, 2012. Youth entries must fit into contest categories.
   Categories:
   • Birds
   • Plants and animals other than birds
   • Landscape/scenery
   • Threatened wildlife and environments
   • Nature macro/micro photos
    
8. Entries will be judged on basis of originality/uniqueness, creativity, content, composition and photographic quality. All decisions by the judges are final.

For more information call 410-742-4988, ext. 120, or visit the Ward Museum Web site at www.wardmuseum.org.

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Ward Museum- Youth Photography Club Field Outing
SALISBURY, MD--- The Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, Salisbury University, hosts a field excursion to the Asaateague Island State Park and National Seashore, 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., Saturday, July 28th. This outing, led by photographer Bill Wallen, targets nature photography and is for photographers of all skill levels between the ages 13- 20. Throughout the day he will be demonstrating techniques for improving photography skills, and providing one on one help for those in attendance.
Participants will meet at the Ward Museum at 8:00 a.m. and will bring their own cameras, lenses and tripods. An assortment of Nikon lenses, from wide angle to 600 mm will be available for students with compatible cameras. There is no cost for the workshop.
Registration and signed release forms on file are required.
To register or for more information, call 410-742-4988, ext. 110, or e-mail wardeducation@salisbury.edu by Wednesday, July 25.

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Salisbury, MD (June 26, 2012) – The Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, Salisbury University, hosts a Photography Market Place in conjunction with the second annual Art In Nature Photo Festival, August 10-12.

The Photography Market Place provides a venue for nature photographers to showcase and sell their fine art photography.

Single spaces for the Market Place are first come, first serve and cost $25 for the weekend. Each space includes one 6-foot-by-30-inch table and two chairs. Vendor setup is 8-10 a.m. Saturday, August 11, with hours of operation from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday.

For more information call 410-742-4988, ext. 120, or visit the Ward Museum Web site at www.wardmuseum.org.

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Ward Museum- Drop-In Art Saturdays
SALISBURY, MD---The Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, Salisbury University, presents Drop-In Art Saturdays, a monthly family art program. Drop-In Art is held on the third Saturday of each month between 10 a.m. and noon. Join museum educators as they help families create projects related to the museum’s collections and exhibits. Return each month for a new project and theme!

This month join the Ward Museum and artist Heidi Wetzel to hand woven baskets!

There is no fee for the Drop-In Art program, but regular museum admission charges apply for entrance to the galleries.

For more information call 410-742-4988 Ext. 100 or email wardeducation@salisbury.edu.
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Family Workshop: Bird of Prey Day