The Rocky Neck Art Colony kicks off the 2016 exhibition season with an extraordinary six-week exhibition and fundraising event at the RNAC’s Cultural Center at Rocky Neck. Juried by Amy Montague, the Director of the Museum of American Bird Art at Mass Audubon, in Canton MA, the exhibition “For The Birds” features multi-media avian art. The public is invited to a reception on Sunday, January 31 at 2-4 PM. Save the dates for a talk on the life and art of John J. Audubon by noted local author Chris Leahy, Bertrand Chair of Field Ornithology at Mass Audubon, at the Cultural Center on Thursday, February 11 at 7:00 PM, a talk about the Birds of Cape Ann by local photographer and filmmaker Kim Smith, and “The Artful Birdhouse,” an auction of original, artist-created birdhouses on Sunday February 21, beginning at 1:00 PM. A raffle of a basket full of birding-related items concludes the events with a drawing of the winning ticket on Sunday, March 6 at 2:00 PM. A portion of all events proceeds will support Mass Audubon’s mission to protect the flora and fauna of Massachusetts.
Concurrent with RNAC’s “For The Birds” exhibition, The Trident Gallery, Director Matthew Swift, presents “Nest” its third annual exhibition in partnership with Mass Audubon’s Museum of American Bird Art offering artworks from the Museum’s collection. Exhibition dates: January 30 – March 6, 2016.
The songs, vivid colors and enormous variety of bird species attracted to Cape Ann’s coastal waters, marshes, and waterways often bring with them both birding enthusiasts and artists, each drawn by their vibrant visual appeal. Come to The Cultural Center at Rocky Neck to view the aesthetic heights their wildly patterned beauty has inspired in the work of New England artists’ multi-media offerings in painting, drawing, photography, sculpture, assemblage, and more.
This spectacular melding of the avian and the artistic is juried by Amy Montague, Director of the Museum of Bird Art at Mass Audubon, the only museum dedicated to art inspired by the beauty, science and wonder of birds. In her 23 years at Mass Audubon, Ms. Montague has stewarded and grown the organization’s broad and eclectic art collection that embraces fine art, folk art, sporting art, illustration, and more. She has curated more than thirty exhibitions exploring the intersection of art and nature focusing on artists as varied as John James Audubon and Andy Warhol. She has twice been a juror for the internationally renowned “Birds in Art” exhibition at the Woodson Art Museum in Wisconsin.
The Artful Birdhouse Auction: Sunday, February 21. Preview 1-2PM, Live Auction at 2:15 PM. The Cultural Center at Rocky Neck, 6 Wonson Street, Gloucester MA. Engaging the charm and appeal of birdhouses as a foundation, the imagination of friends and members of the Rocky Neck Art Colony will soar in creating whimsical, modern, traditional, fantasy and completely unexpected “artful” birdhouses. The following artists have donated their time and talents for an auction of their birdhouse creations in support of Mass Audubon and in conjunction with the “For The Birds” art exhibit at The Cultural Center. Promoting the Auction, early bird creators will have the opportunity to display their works at several venues in and around Gloucester.
Artists participating in the auction event are Kathy Gerdon Archer, Deborah Barnwell, Carol Mansur Benesh, Lisa Carlson, Joy Dai Buell, Elizabeth Gauthier, Rachel Gauthier, Joy Halsted, Jane Keddy, Mindy Lind-terk, Ron MacNeill, Tom Nihan, Sinikka Nogello, Christy Park, Hans Pundt, Kenny Riaf, Karen Ristuben, Sally Seamans, Pam Stratton, Karen Tibbetts, and Karen Tusinski among others.
“For the Birds” A Juried Exhibition of Avian Related Art, January 28 to March 6, 2016, Opening Reception: Sunday, January 31, 2–4 PM.
John J. Audubon: The Man and His Art, A talk by Chris Leahy, Bertrand Chair of Field Ornithology at Mass Audubon, Thursday, February 11, 7 PM.
Birds of Cape Ann, Talk,photos, and short films by local filmmaker and photographer Kim Smith, Thursday, February 18th, at 7PM.
The Artful Birdhouse: An auction of artist-created birdhouses, Sunday, February 21, Preview: 1-2 PM, Live Auction at 2:15 PM.
Raffle Drawing for a basket of birding related items, Sunday, March 6 at 2 PM
The Cultural Center Gallery
6 Wonson Street, Gloucester, MA 01930 Gallery hours: Thurs-Sun, 12:00-4:00 PM
Bonaparte’s Gulls Preening Lighthouse Beach
Good Morning Gloucester 