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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, In the Heart of the Sea, her first sculptures made alongside Master Carvers Paul McCarthy & Billy Rowe, were of the whales that played an integral part in both the book and the region’s survival.
Upon returning to her native Nova Scotia, Marlow established her own studio where she continues to practice the art of woodcarving. In 2005 she was invited back to Nantucket to join McCarthy in the project ‘Going on the Whale, an exterior 10 foot hand 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 outcome rich in promise and surprise. Interviewed by the British Woodcarvers Association, Marlow’s work made the cover and was featured in their publication, The Woodcarvers Gazette. Marlow participates regularly in exhibitions and enjoys working collaboratively with her peers. She is currently represented in Nova Scotian and Nantucket galleries and has commissioned work in the United Kingdom, the Caribbean, Japan, Eurasia and throughout North America. Marlow holds a BA in Music from Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia. |
