where natural history meets art
WCAX Channel 3 news interviewed Executive Director Erin Talmage this morning.
(You’ll have to click; I couldn’t embed it because it’s not hosted by YouTube, Google, or Vmeo; it’s on WCAX’s own site. Sorry! –Kir)
Welcome to our May-June 2011 exhibiting artist: Lori Hinrichsen. Her show, “Familiar Ground: monotypes, intaglios and photography inspired by nature”, opened at the Museum May 1st, with the opening day of our 2011 season.
Lori grew up in Iowa and attended the University of Kansas, graduating with a degree in Theatre, Film and Video. Lori spent several years exploring the US, living and growing her art from California to Vermont. This included being a resident artist in Mendocino, at the Vermont Studio Center, and at the Virginia center for Creative Artists. She first joined the Museum community last fall as a judge for the 2010 Annual Youth Art Contest.
Lori has a studio at Shelburne Pond Studios, where she works with printmaking, painting, fabric, and ink. She writes:
Much of my time is spent exploring and connecting with the land and the sky, from meandering paths along the rugged coastline, to breathing in the intoxicating smells of evergreens and fresh rain, to the star-filled desert skies that touch the earth. I feel a deep reverence for the ordinary, for the sensual ecstasy as each season unfolds. My work is in response to this intimate awareness and observation of nature which reflects the moment, engaging the present.
Come by and view her art and photography any day from now through the end of June. We are open from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Free with admission to the museum ($6 for adults, discounts for children, seniors, and members).
About the artist: http://lorihinrichsen.com/
The Birds of Vermont Museum bustles with activity all year long but the pace really picks up during our regular season from May through October. We can always use extra hands around here! We welcome and appreciate your skills, interests, ideas, and elbow grease, and have a number of ways you can help.
As an intern you might find yourself helping regularly with general museum operations, such as introducing the Museum to visitors and working in the gift shop. In addition, Museum interns work closely with staff members on filling and maintaining the feeders, documenting or cataloging Museum property, assisting with memberships or publicity, write press releases or blog entries, assist with school groups or childrens’ programs, creating supplemental exhibits, or providing outdoor trail or garden work. Interns also develop and pursue a special project according to their interests, one which will enhance the Museum experience for our visitors. Internships may also earn academic credit, depending on the needs and programs at your school, college, or university.
As a volunteer you might serve as a docent for the Museum’s visitors, including introducing the video and handling admissions and gift shop purchases, help with outdoor trail maintenance and signage or painting chores, research and update species’ information cards, help with mailings, write articles for our Chip Notes newsletter, monitor and post bird population stats, participate in bird and nature events, donate native plants for our interpretive (and growing!) garden spaces, help post publicity flyers for upcoming events, and more!!
Please take a look at our website for more information. Interns are asked to complete an application process. Volunteers can contact us right away to set up a work assignment.
You do not have to be a member to intern or volunteer! You don’t have to know about birds or woodcarving either, but we hope you’ll want to learn a bit about both.
Call (802) 434-2167 or e-mail (interns should review the internship information page on our website first). Thanks!
Signs of spring around the Museum
Signs that spring is still far away
Dick Allen has always been fascinated by birds and started carving about 25 years ago. He is self-taught through books and carving magazines, with “lots of trial and error”. His carvings have been given to friends and family; some have been donated to charity. Many are on display in his home.
Dick considers himself an advanced amateur, and greatly admires Bob Spears’ work. “Bob is a master carver,” Dick says. About his own carvings, he adds, “I’m still waiting for one I consider ‘really good.’ ”
In addition to carving for the Museum’s exhibits, Dick serves on the Board of Trustees, and volunteers for the Museum. His work is much appreciated.
To see more photos of Dick’s work, check out his page on our website: http://birdsofvermont.org/dickallen.php
While in his winter residence, Bob Spear met Steve Deam, a photographer. Steve’s been kind enough to send us a few photos to keep track of Bob’s recent work. Enjoy!
These two photos were taken in January (I’m a little slow getting them publicized –the webmistress). There are more recent ones in Steve’s online photo gallery about Bob: http://www.deamshots.com/Nature/Wood-Carver/15679358_PcFJb#1175207671_ZQRPb
Would you like to see more of Steve’s work? Check it out at http://www.deamshots.com/, or browse through his blog at http://www.see-cedarkey.com/. You can even encourage him to add more videos of his work.
A great big shout-out thank you to the volunteers and staff that made our March 5th Painting Party busy, cheerful, and incredibly successful.
We had more than the usual number of volunteers (some even came a day or more early to help prep) , and much more was accomplished. The museum is cleaner and fresher. We went through three and a half gallons of paint, and wow, can we tell! We’ve also taken the opportunity to refresh both what’s on our walls and where we’ve put it, so be sure to come by and admire the results.
All told, we logged over 50 hours of volunteer time. THANK YOU!
Many thanks to Northeast Delta Dental for their recent generous donation. Since 2005, they have helped the Birds of Vermont Museum by supporting our thrice-yearly newsletter.
Jeffrey Landa, a former Board of Trustees member and Board President who also serves on the Museum Advisory Board, dropped by last week to bring us this good news. Shirley Johnson, President of the Board of Trustees, and Erin Talmage, Executive Director, were here to accept it.
We will use these funds to cover printing and mailing costs of Chip Notes. Older editions are made available online as PDF files; if you would like to receive current ones by mail, become a member!
Join our Painting Party on March 5th from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Help us paint part of the museum. Lunch will be provided.
Please let us know you’re coming so we can feed you! Call us at 802 434-2167 or email us at museum@ birdsofvermont. org. You can find driving directions to the museum on our website, at http:// birdsofvermont.org/ map.php
Free.
Appropriate for teen and adult volunteers–we thank you!
Bob Spear, Master Woodcarver and Founding Director of the Birds of Vermont Museum, turns 91 on February 21st!
In 1979, he started a collection of bird carvings in hopes of someday establishing a location where people could come to see them and learn about birds. Bob is still carving and the Museum will open this spring with over 500 birds!
We like as many excuses for birthday cake as possible, so we plan to celebrate Bob’s birthday again in the summer when it is sunny and warm. Watch the Museum’s calendar of events for details.
Many people have already donated $91 to the Museum to honor Bob on his birthday. The Museum greatly appreciates these donations. For those wishing to make a donation in honor of Bob, please send a check to
Birds of Vermont MuseumThank you!!
Bob’s first carving was completed in 1938 when he carved a parakeet with just a penknife. This carving is on display at the Museum. He is also the author of the book, The Birds of Vermont, published in 1969 by the Green Mountain Audubon Society. In 1962 he was active in establishing the Green Mountain Audubon Center in Huntington and served as its first director for seven years. In 1987 the Birds of Vermont Museum opened, finally showcasing the collection he’d started in 1979. In addition to creating all the bird carvings on display, Spear also built the museum building and all the display cases. At the time of the opening, the museum housed only 231 bird carvings.
The length of time required for Spear to complete a carving varies widely, depending on the size of the bird. The Wild Turkey carving required 1,230 hours, while a small warbler might take only 20 hours. Can you identify the bird he’s working on above?
For more information about Bob’s accomplishments see http://www.birdsofvermont.org/carver.php