Wood Of The Wye Oak Available To Maryland Artists

Wood Of The Wye Oak Available To Maryland Artists

ANNAPOLIS, MD — The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is pleased to announce that in cooperation with the Maryland State Arts Council, salvaged material from the Wye Oak will be made available to Maryland artists for creating new artwork.
In 2002, the Wye Oak, Maryland’s official state tree, fell during a thunderstorm. The Wye Oak, estimated to be 460 years old, was the largest white oak in the nation and possibly the world. Recognizing its historic significance, DNR and other state agencies salvaged as much of the wood as possible.

Artists are invited to select salvaged pieces at the John S. Ayton State Forest Tree Nursery in Preston (Caroline County) on Saturday, May 15, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Only Maryland artists may participate. Wye Oak wood will be offered on a first-come-first-serve basis, and artists will receive a certificate of authenticity with each piece.

Participating artists will be required to sign an agreement to:

Complete artwork within one year of salvage collection;

Provide DNR with visual documentation of the artwork created from the Wye Oak salvage; and

Be willing to loan the completed artwork to Maryland for use in future state-sponsored exhibitions.
DNR invites the general public to the Ayton Nursery on Saturday, May 22, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. to collect remaining Wye Oak salvage for personal use.
The address of the John S. Ayton State Forest Tree Nursery is 3424 Gallagher Road, Preston, MD 21655. Its telephone numbers are 410-673-2467 and 1-800-TREESMD.

Directions: From Easton, take Route 331 east to Route 318. Follow Route 318 towards Federalsburg. Turn left onto Gallagher Road, and drive 3/4 mile. The Ayton Nursery is on the left.

For more information, call Ellen Flacker-Darer, Wye Oak project coordinator, at 410-767-8831, or e-mail edarer@msac.org.

Posted April 9, 2004