|
|
Ninety years ago, long before the term 'Atlantic Flyway' was coined or Nova Scotia became known as a 'birding destination,' an amateur artist and bird watcher in Bridgewater began a series of watercolour paintings depicting birds that were native to the province. Some forty years later, he donated the results of his 'favourite hobby' – nearly sixty pictures – to the Public Archives of Nova Scotia, in hopes that his amateur but faithful renditions might introduce others to the province's rich flora and fauna.
This virtual exhibit celebrates the accomplishments of that artist, S. Edgar March (1870-1967) and reminds us that our provincial heritage includes documentary art created by everyday Nova Scotians – often for their personal interest and pleasure only – but fortunately preserved across the years for future generations to experience and enjoy.
If you like this exhibit, you'll want to visit the 'East Coast Birds' section of the Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History Website. Be sure to explore Robie Tufts' Birds of Nova Scotia – originally published in 1961 and the best book ever written on the subject, it has been digitized and is presented there in its entirety, complete with outstanding colour illustrations by Roger Tory Peterson and John A. Crosby.
|
print version