Decoys in All Sizes at Craft Centre

Some of the many different styles of lifelike decoys created by Nova Scotia artists and craftspersons are on display this summer at the Nova Scotia Centre for Craft and Design in Halifax.

The exhibition opens this Thursday, July 15, and runs to Sept. 11. It will include "working" decoys, decorative decoys, "confidence" carvings, shorebirds, waterbirds, birds of prey, mammals and other animal carvings.

"The craft or art of decoy carving has been around for well over 100 years," said Dick Bone of the Nova Scotia Wildlife Carvers and Artists Association. "Current Nova Scotia carvers produce every type of carving from working decoys to decorative carvings, large birds such as herons to tiny hummingbirds, and deer, moose, elk, bears, whales, birds of prey, feathers and shorebirds, to name a few."

The centre, at 1683 Barrington St., is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Friday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.

The Nova Scotia Centre for Craft and Design is a program and resource centre of the Department of Education and Culture and is operated by the department's Cultural Affairs Division. The centre is a catalyst in the development of designers and craftpersons. It also functions as a visitor destination site.