Master wood carver Thomas Cote's work on display at Acadian Archives exhibit room

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FORT KENT – The Acadian Archives/Archives acadiennes of the University of Maine at Fort Kent will feature an exhibit by Master Wood Carver Thomas Côté and his apprentices from Thursday, April 19 through Friday, May 25.

THOMAS COTE

The public is invited to an opening reception at the Archives on Thursday, April 19 from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. During the reception, you will see the master artist Côté in action, sculpting away.

Côté, who lives in Limestone, comes from a long line of talented wood carvers. His great-great grandfather, Jean Baptiste Côté, was a famous artist and carver in Québec during the 1800s. His father, Lenwood Côté, also was a wood carver and his mother, Rena Côté, showed him how to use a jackknife when he was 12-years-old. He studied wood sculpting in Saint-Jean Port Joli, Québec.

His roots go deep in the French and Acadian heritage. Côté has won many awards for his carvings in competitions throughout New England and Eastern Canada. Côté uses     

hand tools exclusively, no motorized tools. He works with mallets, chisels, and knives.

Thomas Côté has been an art teacher for more than 30 years, teaching students from age 5 to 90 in many types of visual arts, but states that his main art form is wood sculpting. The Maine Arts Commission has recognized him as a “Master Carver” and has awarded him many teaching apprenticeships throughout the years. He has carvings in private collections all over the world.

The Acadian Archives/Archives acadiennes is open Mondays through Fridays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and on weekends and week nights by appointment.

For more information on the exhibit or reception, please contact Archives Director Lise Pelletier at 834-7536.