We are so inspired by the amazingly talented young bird artists that are exhibiting in this year’s Taking Flight exhibition. Since we all have to be isolated to stay safe, we wanted to bring you a virtual exhibit and a little background about the artists. We still hope to have a physical exhibition of the original art, but we want to share this wonderful work now.
We are so inspired by the amazingly talented young bird artists that are exhibiting in this year’s Taking Flight exhibition. Since we all have to be isolated to stay safe, we wanted to bring you a virtual exhibit and a little background about the artists. We still hope to have a physical exhibition of the original art, but we want to share this wonderful work now.
Today, we feature Eleanor Smith and her artwork, Northern Harrier. She is 16 and lives in Utah.
Artist’s Message
“Without a doubt, there are relatively few animals more majestic than birds of prey. Whenever I watch Northern Harriers fly overhead, I am captivated by their graceful beauty. I wanted to convey this power and gracefulness in my piece, ‘Northern Harrier’.” ~ Eleanor Smith
Eleanor Smith (Age, 16)
I’ve been making art since I was just little, but I didn’t really get serious about it until middle school. One of my favorite things about art is exploring new media.
I love to experiment with new and unconventional art forms like paperclay sculpture or block printing.
Growing up in Utah has given me access to a unique natural environment. I love being outdoors, and most of my art is influenced by the nature around me. I especially love drawing birds; when I was in elementary school, I would spend hours walking around the lake near our house and looking for sandhill cranes and pheasants. My dad, an avid birder, would help me identify different birds, and I would use field guides to draw the birds I saw. Even today, I’m fascinated by the diversity and beauty of wildlife.
We are so inspired by the amazingly talented young bird artists that are exhibiting in this year’s Taking Flight exhibition. Since we all have to be isolated to stay safe, we wanted to bring you a virtual exhibit and a little background about the artists. We still hope to have a physical exhibition of the original art, but we want to share this wonderful work now.
Today, we feature Mackenzie Casto and her artwork, Blue Majesty. She is 14 and lives in Massachusetts. Learn more about Mackenzie at her website and facebook page.
Blue Majesty by Mackenzie Casto (Age 14)
Artist Message about Blue Majesty
“I find the Boat-billed Heron fascinating! I love how the Boat-billed Heron has such vibrant blue-blackish colored feathers. This bird is unusual because it is one of very few birds that are nocturnal. This bird also has a powder down special type of feather that never molts and grows continuously! For all these reasons this is one of my favorite birds!” ~ Mackenzie Casto
Artist Statement
“I believe that art has the magic of bringing people together and making them happy. Even though I am only fourteen years old, I feel that I can make a positive difference in life through my artwork. I think the most important thing for me to do as an artist is to give people a feeling of strength when they look at my artwork and a feeling of being taken away from their troubles even if just for a minute. I like to paint animals because I think animals are full of love and are really interesting. I hope to someday help animals and people with my artwork.” ~Mackenzie Casto
We are so inspired by the amazingly talented young bird artists that are exhibiting in this year’s Taking Flight exhibition. Since we all have to be isolated to stay safe, we wanted to bring you a virtual exhibit and a little background about the artists. We still hope to have a physical exhibition of the original art, but we want to share this wonderful work now.
Today, we are featuring Caroline Pollan and her artwork, Resplendent Quetzal. Caroline has had her excellent artwork exhibited in Taking Flight for the past three years.
Resplendent Quetzal by Caroline Pollan
Caroline Pollan (Age 14)
Artist’s Message: “One of my favorite species of bird is the Resplendent Quetzal. These birds, who are native to Central and South America, are considered one of the most beautiful in the world. And though their bright green plumage may stand out in captivity, they are extremely well camouflaged in their forest home. I used colored pencils to get the detail of the feathers and to have the amazing colors of the quetzal in my artwork for the bird itself. For the sky in the background I used acrylic paint.”
The Museum might be closed, but we’re still accepting submissions for Taking Flight, our youth bird art exhibition. Not sure where to get started with drawing birds? We’ve got you covered!
The goal of the Taking Flight exhibition is to create a greater awareness, conservation, and appreciation for birds while fostering the development of young artists and sharing their work with the public. Submissions will be accepted until June 15, 2020. Click here for more information.
Sandpiper, Maris Van Vlack (Age 16)
Getting Started With Nature Drawing
Advice for Young Bird Artists from Barry Van Dusen
Barry Van Dusen at Felix Neck, Martha’s Vineyard (Photograph by Sean Murtha)
We are so inspired by the amazingly talented young bird artists that are exhibiting in this year’s Taking Flight exhibition. Since we all have to be isolated to stay safe, we wanted to bring you a virtual exhibit and a little background about the artists. We still hope to have a physical exhibition of the original art, but we want to share this wonderful work now.
Enjoy learning about each artist in this series of blog posts. Our first artists are sisters, Iris Rosenhagen (age 14) and Cayla Rosenhagen (age 14). This post contains their artwork and why art is important to them.
Spotted Sandpiper by Cayla Rosenhagen
Artist’s Message: “On one of our frequent family birding outings, we were lucky enough to find this Spotted Sandpiper, hunting for food, on the rocky North Shore of Long Island. These birding adventures are such an important part of our lives. As they bring us closer as a family, they also bring us closer to nature. The search for rare, new, beautiful birds to spot, while being in the serene company of the untamed scenery around us is just such a powerful thing. A great wish of mine is that everyone could experience and enjoy this marvel, not only for their personal experience, but for the world. If everyone was out enjoying the beauty of nature, they would see more and more reasons to protect and conserve it.”
Crow and the Pitcher: Iris Rosenhagen
Artist Message: “From the blue jays in our yard that have trained me to feed them peanuts daily, to watching the tender courtship of a pair of crows, Corvids have always captivated me. More and more studies are showing that this family of birds possess remarkable intelligence that rivals that of apes. They exhibit an amazing memory, can recognize people’s faces, utilize tools, form strong social bonds, and even teach each other complicated tasks. One scientific study involved the use of a contraption that dispensed treats. Ravens were given a stone to drop into it and as a result, a treat dropped out. One raven figured out how to hack the experiment. He wedged twigs into the machine (removing the need to be given a stone) to receive an endless supply of treats. This raven had to be excused from the experiment because the scientists were afraid he’d teach the other participants.”
Artist Profiles: Iris and Cayla Rosenhagen
Cayla Rosenhagen and Iris Rosenhagen Cayla Rosenhagen
Why Art is Important to Me
“My art gives me an outlet to express my love of nature and share it with the world. I’ve always been inspired to draw the amazing wildlife around us, especially birds. Birds have always been such an important part of my life. Watching and drawing them gives me such peace.” ~ Cayla Rosenhagen
Why Art is Important to Me
Iris Rosenhagen
“I have loved both art and birds for as long as I can remember. The beauty and diversity of birds enchant me and warms my spirit. Similarly, watching birds fulfills me, just as art does. Take a walk among nature through the eyes of an artist and you will see that birds, along with all flora and fauna, are living pieces of art.” ~ Iris Rosenhagen
Iris and Cayla Creating an Ocean Mural
Thank you so much for reading this post and be on the look out for more coming soon!
We are excited to announce our Nature Story Time video series, so even in times where we need to be isolated, we can still be together. We hope to bring you a few nature story times each week along with a little art project or nature exploration that you can do at home. Please comment and let us know what stories you’d like to hear, what you like about the program, and most importantly how we can improve.
“There are no greater treasures than the little things… ~ Little Bird”
Learning to Fly, From “Little Bird” by Germano Zullo and illustrated by Albertine.
Our first story is Little Bird, by Germano Zullo and illustrated by Albertine. Just like in Little Bird, these days it is restoring to look for the little treasures in nature and discover spring come alive right outside your door, on the sidewalk, little gardens, and in your neighborhood. Enjoy the story.
Enjoy Nature Story Time
“May my heart always be open to little birds who are the secrets of living…”
~ E.E. Cummings
Eastern Bluebird Art Project
Enjoy this wonderful art project created by Dan Boudreau, MABA’s incredible TerraCorp service member.
It’s spring and that means that Eastern bluebirds are headed back our way to make their nests and raise their young! The meadow behind the Museum has several bird boxes that bluebirds sometimes build their nests in. Want to make your own bird box scene with a brightly colored bluebird?
Here’s what you’ll need:
Watercolor paints, a brush, and clean water
A paper grocery bag (or brown construction paper)
Oil pastels, crayons, or colored pencils
Glue
A sturdy piece of paper or cardstock for your background
A small piece of cardstock or an index card for your bird
Black marker
Step 1:
Draw your bird shape onto the small piece of cardstock (I used an index card), then cut it out.
Step 2: Watercolor the bird!
First, wet the paper enough that it shines in the light. Be careful not to overwet it, though, or the paper will start to fall apart. Then, paint on blue for the back and orange for the chest. We’ll do the eye later. Put the bird aside to dry while you work on the box.
Step 3: Making the bird box
Cut a rectangle out of the grocery bag and use a black marker to draw a hole for the bluebird to get in and out of.
Step 4: Draw your background
Using pastels, crayons, or colored pencils, draw the sky and meadow onto your large piece of paper. Make sure to leave a blank spot to glue your bird box onto, since glue won’t stick well to crayon or pastel. I used pastels because I love being able to smudge and blend them to make a cool texture for the sky.
Step 5: Assemble!
Now’s the time to glue it all together! To make a perch for the bluebird, I just cut a piece of the handle from the grocery bag and glued it right on. I did the same to make the post for the box. Now that your watercolors have dried, it’s also a good time to draw an eye on the bluebird. I used a black marker.
And voila! You’ve made an eastern bluebird in its spring habitat! The bird box provides important shelter for the bluebird and the chicks that will come soon. Can you think of anything else that bluebirds might need to live? Draw them in to your own art project!
Join us on Saturday, May 30, from 1:00-4:00 pm for a celebration of all things owl!
Bring the family to MABA for an afternoon filled with fun activities and a chance to see live owls from Mass Audubon’s Blue Hills Trailside Museum. Find out what makes these animals so unique, and discover which owls you can find in your own backyard!
Saturday, February 15 1:00-5:00 Reception with light refreshments 2:00-4:00 Meet the Artist
Book Signing
Saturday, April 18 2:00 Talk by David Sibley 2:30-5:00 Book signing
David Sibley
David Sibley is America’s pre-eminent field guide artist/author. His Sibley Guide to Birds, published in 2000, quickly became the new standard of excellence in bird identification guides, and the fastest-selling bird guide ever. His newest book, to be published in April 2020, is What It’s Like to Be a Bird, about the amazing science of birds’ lives.
The exhibition at the Museum of American Bird Art displays Sibley’s delightful original art from the new book, accompanied by captions with fascinating new scientific research about birds. In non-technical language, Sibley answers some of the most common questions asked by both seasoned birders and the general public, such as “how do eagles see so well?,” “why do birds sing?,” and “how much does a feather grow in one day?”
Visitors to the exhibition will see more than 40 of Sibley’s paintings, including 29 bird portraits, painted double life-size. The exhibition will be on view February 15 through May 31, 2020, Tuesday – Sunday 1-5pm. The exhibition gallery is located on a 121-acre wildlife sanctuary with trails, open Tuesday – Sunday 9am-5pm. Admission is free for Mass Audubon members, $4 adults, $3 children (2-12) and seniors (65+).
