Carving Demonstrations Both Days

Step in and look closely. Although appearing animated, perched, and ready for flight, their wings are wooden, their feathers painted.  Exquisitely carved songbirds, raptors, waterfowl, and other wildlife will be showcased at the 8th Annual Bird and Wildlife Carving Exposition hosted by the Audubon Society of Rhode Island on October 18 and 19, 2008, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Audubon Environmental Education Center, 1401 Hope Street (Route 114,) Bristol, Rhode Island.    

Twenty of New England's finest wildlife carvers will display their work at this annual exposition of bird and wildlife carving. A popular two-day event, acclaimed and award-winning artists from throughout the region, including Connecticut, Cape Cod and other regions of Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island, will exhibit their incredibly lifelike carvings of birds and other wildlife throughout the facility. Carving demonstrations and workshops will be held throughout the weekend. Many carvings, which range in value from the hundreds into the thousands of dollars, will be offered for sale.  Work by various artists will also be raffled off.   For many collectors, this exposition is one of the most admired in New England and a highlight of the year.

New York carver and falconer, Al Jordan, recipient of more than 25 Best of Show awards nationally, will exhibit his carvings at the exhibition. An accomplished carver with meticulous attention to detail, he was commissioned to create the centerpiece for the new visitors' center in Denali National Park - a magnificent life-size golden eagle in flight.

Admission is $8/adult and $5/children ages 4-12, ASRI member discount $7/adult and $4/children ages 4-12.  For more information, call (401) 245-7500.

Carving Workshops and Demonstrations (free with admission)

Saturday, October 18th
11:00 a.m.:     "Basics of Bird Carving" by John Mello
2:00 p.m.:        "Feather Dynamics - Shape, Volume and Flow" by Al Jordan

Sunday, October 19th
11:00 a.m.:     "Basics of Bird Carving" by John Mello
1:00 pm:     "Carving a Better Bird" by Lee Brown