Changing Exhibits

Charley Harper’s highly stylized wildlife prints, posters, and book illustrations have captivated generations of viewers. Readers and art enthusiasts may know his work from The Giant Golden Book of Biology, Ford Times, or any of the over 50 ecological and conservation posters he created for non-profit conservation groups, nature centers, zoos, U.S. national parks and monuments, and international wildlife sanctuaries and biosphere reserves. The Ward Museum is excited to display a large collection of Charley Harper prints as part of Charley Harper’s Bird Extravaganza! This whimsical exhibit is sure to be fun for the whole family.

Oliver “Tuts” Lawson: A retrospective, will feature pieces that tell the story of a living legend among decoy carvers. From his days as a teenager carving birds using strawberry baskets found while working at a grocery store in Crisfield, MD, to eclectic commissions and the many masterful birds made over a lifetime of dedication to craft, this exhibit in the LaMay Gallery  is rich with beautiful work and a unique history rooted in local cultural tradition.

During the COVID-19 pandemic new methods of teaching, shopping, dating, and creating art became the byproducts of necessity. The world was forced to adapt. . Artists, along the with rest of the world, had to pivot. Pivot!—a  new exhibit in the Ward Museum’s Welcome Gallery—will feature the work of established local artists whose subject matter and media were approached through the lens of a “new normal,” since the pandemic began.

A showcase of original pieces of art created by student artists from across the Eastern Shore. Displayed in the Welcome Gallery, the Student Art Show is a non-competitive display of student artwork, open to all students (PreK-12). The theme – as chosen by participating students for this year’s show is recycling, and will feature artwork made entirely from recycled materials.
Learn how to enter the Student Art Show

Local painter, Patrick Henry, has gained a reputation as one of the Shore’s most influential artists. For decades, his snapshots of life on Delmarva; seascapes, landscapes, local attractions from the boardwalk and small-town living, have been highly sought after by both local fans and collectors from all over the world. But from the events of 2020, a shift in perspective and a new body of work evolved. This exhibit focuses on the generational history of black families and their communities on the lower Eastern Shore. Using archived black and white photographs as reference, the paintings will be translated through the style and use of color that has come to define Henry’s work. “Another View” will be exhibited in the LaMay Gallery.

Colorful, iridescent, and multi-textured bird feathers have long been used for ornamentation on clothing; they are featured in art work in a variety of media; and have been used creatively as an artistic medium themselves. This summer’s exhibit in the LaMay Gallery will spotlight a variety of artwork interpreting or showcasing feathers—from traditional uses in Native American regalia to modern art featuring intricately cut bird feathers in abstract design.

Fishing flies are designed as bait, to imitate insects and other treats at the end of a fly fisherman’s line. They are made from feathers, fur, and other delicate materials in a dazzling array of colors and textures. They require refined skill to create, and often look to be as much an art form as lure. Get to know the history and art of tied flies in this summer’s Welcome Gallery exhibit at the Ward Museum.