Jennifer Marlow discovered her woodcarving skills 30 miles off the coast of Massachusetts on the island of Nantucket. Drawn to the island by Nathaniel Philbrick's fascinating book, In the Heart of the Sea, her first sculptures were made alongside master carver Paul McCarthy. These carvings depicted the whales that played an integral part in both the book and the region's survival. Upon returning to her native Nova Scotia, Marlow opened her own workshop where she continues to practice the art of maritime carving. In 2005 she was invited back to Nantucket to join one of her mentors in the restoration project 'Going on the Whale', a 10 foot carved whaling scene that welcomes visitors to the Nantucket Whaling Museum. The maritime carving tradition holds numerous attractions for Marlow as an artist. It embraces heritage, environment and art while demanding implicit trust between hand and eye, intricately linking the tactile with the aesthetic. It also encourages improvisation, whether in style or practice, the uncertainty of the outcome rich in promise and surprise.

Secord Gallery
Upstairs at 6301 Quinpool Road, Halifax, Nova Scotia
(902) 423-6644    info@secordgallery.com

Monday through Friday: 9:30 to 5:30
Saturday: 10:00 to 5:00
Sunday: closed