Art and bird lovers take note: On September 19 at the Massachusetts Archives’ Commonwealth Museum in Boston, Mass Audubon will present “The Art of Birds,” a rare, one-night exhibition displaying 28 original watercolors by Louis Agassiz Fuertes.

These pieces, commissioned for Edward H. Forbush’s Birds of Massachusetts (and Other New England States) in 1925, have not been seen by the public for more than 30 years. Members of Mass Audubon’s Bird Conservation program will present the paintings and share the stories of the birds shown.

About the Artist
Louis Agassiz Fuertes (1874-1927), whose skill at depicting birdlife was arguably greater even than that of John James Audubon, was meticulously accurate. His bird portraits convey a sense of the living bird by showing them in active poses within appropriate habitats. He set a new standard for bird illustration that had a profound influence on the great bird artists that succeeded him such as George Miksch Sutton and Roger Tory Peterson.

Connecting Art, Birds, and Conservation
Protecting birds for future generations was central to the founding ethos of Mass Audubon back in 1896, and many of our programs today carry on that heritage. From its earliest years, Mass Audubon used the power of art to promote conservation through the publication of numerous books, pamphlets, periodicals and posters. In fact, Forbush, who hired Fuertes, was one of the founding members of Mass Audubon and our president for 12 years.

Our continuing belief in the power of art to enable people to see the value in protecting the natural world is now most prominently on display at our Museum of American Bird Art (MABA) in Canton.

Mass Audubon’s Bird Conservation department is on the forefront of understanding the ever-changing patterns of bird populations, and what these changes may mean for the nature of Massachusetts.

Proceeds from the exhibit will help support Mass Audubon’s Bird Conservation program as well as the Museum of American Bird Art at Mass Audubon.

From the moment our “founding mothers” chose to name our organization after the iconic bird artist, John James Audubon, Mass Audubon and art have been closely connected. Now, 116 years later, Mass Audubon’s art museum in Canton connects people and nature through art, educates about the beauty and significance of the natural world, and engages new audiences for our conservation mission.

The museum also stewards our extraordinary art collection including paintings, sculptures, and works on paper by some of the most acclaimed bird artists of Europe and America: Louis Agassiz Fuertes, Charley Harper, Robert Verity Clem, Lars Johnson, and Frank W. Benson, among others.

Bird conservation was the focus of Mass Audubon’s founders, and although the organization’s mission has broadened over the years, our art collection remains consistently focused on American birds. It spans many styles and categories, including fine art, illustration, impressionism, folk art, even pop art.

Since an art museum within a conservation organization is an unusual, if not unique, concept, it is critically important to have a name that clarifies what we do. This is why we have decided to change our name from the Visual Arts Center to the Museum of American Bird Art at Mass Audubon (MABA).

While our name may have changed, our focus remains the same. Our rotating exhibitions feature renowned professional artists from around the world. And we will continue to offer programs in many formats, including hands-on art classes in drawing, photography, watercolor, and other mediums; gallery talks, summer day camp, and nature exploration. On- and off-site programs serve children, adults, families, and school and community groups.

If you haven’t had the chance to come check us out yet, now is a wonderful time. Our current exhibition, Nests, Eggs, Heartbreak & Beauty (through January 13) is centered around a rare 19th-century book, with stunning illustrations and a dramatic history.

Image: Frank Benson’s Pintails, part of the MABA collection