Making Friends through Birds and Art

In her blog last week, educator Jayna Hintz wrote about friendships forged during Birds in Art opening weekend events. She spoke about how old friendships are renewed and new ones develop.

Despite the hustle and bustle of the Birds in Art opening, I was fortunate to spend quality time with this year’s Master artist John Busby and his wife Joan. They arrived from Scotland on Tuesday evening, September 8. I picked them up at their hotel on Wednesday afternoon after they were rested and refreshed so that I could help John put together a PowerPoint for his talk, The Subtleties of Drawing.

Knowing how busy the weekend would be, I asked John and Joan if they wanted to make a quick stop at a local park to see if we could spot a few birds before heading to the Museum. Bluegill Bay Park is located on Lake Wausau and the bay’s stagnant water is filled with duckweed this time of the year.

When we arrived, we walked to the edge of the pond and could see a great blue heron standing in shallow water before a narrow island of tall grasses and reeds. John viewed the still bird with binoculars as it scanned the water for its next meal. Over head, birds were darting from the trees, and as soon as I heard the high-pitched “stweeet,” I knew they were cedar waxwings.

As we stood there, Joan noticed something on the island in the grass and weeds behind the heron. It was another heron only smaller – a green-backed heron. What a treat to be able to show our guests birds of northcentral Wisconsin.

At the Museum I helped John with his PowerPoint and took him to our breakroom where I scrambled to find tea for him and Joan. Fortified, John then signed copies of his books and I asked if he would sign a copy of Drawing Birds for me. On the title page he drew a picture of two herons and a cedar waxwing and signed it “Lake Wausau, 9 Sept. 09 John B.” What a wonderful drawing by a great artist to remind me of our visit to Bluegill Bay Park.

On Sunday, I had the pleasure of introducing Julie Zickefoose to a filled-to-capacity audience for her presentation Letters from Eden. Julie’s exhibition A Naturalist’s Journal, comprising drawings and watercolors, is on view in the gallery adjacent to the Museum’s entrance. Her lecture included nature stories from observations on her eighty-acre sanctuary at the foot of the Appalachian Mountains in Ohio. I was thoroughly impressed with Julie’s presentation as was the audience.

Following her program and many questions, Julie signed copies of her book, Letters from Eden: A Year at Home, in the Woods. Of course, I had to have a copy and Julie wrote a gracious comment about her experiences in Wausau. We had lunch and another great conservation prior to her flight home.

The combination of birds and art is a terrific catalyst to bring together people who observe and enjoy nature and who make and enjoy art. It’s also a great opportunity to meet wonderful people and make lasting friendships.

Meet and Greet

Ca·ma·ra·der·ie (käm-räd-r, kämräd-r): Goodwill and lighthearted rapport between or among friends.

When I think about of the Woodson Art Museum’s annual Birds in Art opening weekend events, it’s the word camaraderie that comes to mind. For thirty-four years the opening festivities have brought old and new friends to Wausau, Wisconsin.

The Thursday and Friday evening receptions make for long days for staff. After we finish our “day” jobs, we get revved up and dressed up for the evening events. It’s “all hands on deck” for all of us.

A typical evening reception kicks into high gear when the buses arrive from the Midway Hotel loaded with artists and their spouses/guests. Inside we’re at the ready to greet and answer questions. Smiling comes easy. I look for familiar faces while also making eye contact with those new to Birds in Art. Without exception the return looks are filled with joy, excitement, and anticipation.

Socializing has never been my favorite pastime. I prefer a good book and a quiet corner. However, Birds in Art has changed my feelings. I find myself cruising the galleries eager to chat with those I know or meet artists new to the exhibition.

Every year during the receptions I especially look forward to running into two of my high school teachers. This year I was chatting with Tim O’Conner about future Museum events and our plans to identify a comic book artist to lead workshops next summer. I learned that one of Tim’s former students now creates comic book art. What a great connection for me . . . just one of the many benefits of socializing or even more correctly, networking.

The camaraderie throughout this year’s Birds in Art opening weekend could not have been better. The time goes so quickly and before we know it, we’re back to our everyday routines. The memories are great and the many new friends made will make for even more opportunities to socialize next year.

Ah, to be 34!

When Birds in Art opens later this week – Saturday, September 12, at 9:00 a.m., to be precise – the Woodson Art Museum’s flagship exhibition turns 34.

Sounds good to me. I recently celebrated my 57th birthday.

No complaints. I couldn’t be happier or more energized by my work. Okay, I could be happier if it was easier to raise money and if the economy in general would begin to show real signs of improvement.

That said, life is good at the Woodson Art Museum. Fall is in the air and Birds in Art is about to begin its nine-week run.

Birds in Art came together beautifully this year. The exhibition is filled with surprises . . . artists new to Birds in Art side-by-side familiar friends and a range of approaches to the subject matter that never ceases to amaze.

I’m especially excited by the watercolors and drawings of John Busby, the Scotsman who will be honored as the 2009 Master Artist. John’s work has both a gentleness and a power. He insists on drawing “from life” and the resulting artworks sparkle and intrigue as they pique our curiosity and tell us more about the subject than we could have imagined possible.

John “tells all” on Saturday morning, September 12, at 10:00 a.m., under the big tent, when he takes to the podium to share his thoughts about drawing, painting, and “living” birds.

If you miss John’s talk, you can see his artworks – nineteen of them – in the Woodson’s galleries along with the entire 2009 Birds in Art exhibition through Sunday, November 15.

If you’re a blog follower from afar, treat yourself to the fully illustrated, 134-page Birds in Art catalogue. It’s a deal at $20 (plus shipping and handling) and can be ordered through the Museum’s secure website.

Thirty-four years is a remarkable run for an art exhibition. And I’m feeling great at 57 even though 34 sounds better!

An Ad Man I'm Not

Have you ever seen or heard a really funny or heart-wrenching television, print, or online ad that makes you laugh out loud or reach for a tissue or get off the couch and DO SOMETHING in response to a “call to action”?

When I do, I often wonder what it feels like to be part of the creative team that comes up with the concepts or the perfect words to convey the message. Were they sitting around yukking it up? Were they deadly serious? Did the ad concept just spring up or did a bunch of ideas have to be massaged into one pithy communication piece?

With five major exhibitions each year to promote, it seems like I’m always working on ad copy, proofreading another ad, trying to beat an ad deadline. Fortunately, I get a lot of help from creative sorts all over the community.

First and foremost is designer Richard Wunsch. He generally gets things started by looking at exhibition images and coming up with ideas for me and my colleagues to review. He’ll often throw a “ringer” in the mix just to see if we’re paying attention!

After that, I rely on pros to help get the Woodson Art Museum message out to north central Wisconsin and beyond. I couldn’t do my job without John Flesch and Terry Stevens at Midwest Communications and my WIFC/WOFM marketing consultant Sarah Keene. Or Rick Reyer at Wisconsin Public Radio. Or Anna Moua at the Wausau Daily Herald, Malibu Springer at City Pages, and Loie Raether at the Wausau Buyers’ Guide.

A little farther afield are Karen Wilbershide at Wisconsin Trails and ad reps at newspapers stretching from Waupaca to Eagle River, and Medford to Shawano.

As the only art museum in Wisconsin north of Hwy. 29, the Woodson serves a huge geographic region – about fifteen counties. That’s why I readily accept help and advice from the creative folks above to stretch my limited promotions budget and get the “Woodson Word” to as big an audience as possible.