class – Page 2 – Birds of Vermont Museum

A Naturalist’s Guide to Drawing and Painting Birds (July)

Colored pencil illustration of ducklings by Chris Selin

Explore the beauty of nature through art in this workshop at the Birds of Vermont Museum in Huntington, VT. We will be tapping into the rich resource of Bob Spear’s dioramas and the museum’s natural history library to draw and paint birds in their natural habitats. Touching on bird anatomy and reflecting on habitats, we will use watercolor and colored pencils for our artworks. 3–hour workshop (Includes all materials)

Instructor: Chris Selin, an instructor with the Davis Studio, and one of the Museum’s exhibiting artists.

Two options:
Tuesday, July 8, 2025 : Register for July 8
or Saturday, August 9, 2025: Register for August 9

Time: 10 a.m.–1 p.m.

Location: Birds of Vermont Museum, 900 Sherman Hollow Rd, Huntington, VT 05462

The workshop will begin with observing and sketching skeletons, feathers, and colors from the collection. Then, the Instructor will demonstrate techniques using watercolor, watercolor pencils, and regular colored pencils. Studio time will allow students to complete a realistic bird composition.

Davis Studio will supply sketch and watercolor paper, graphite pencils, watercolor pencils, watercolors, palettes, and brushes. Students will provide their own sketchbooks and any other art materials they wish to use. Optional/Recommended : phone with camera or camera and water bottle, lunch, and snacks.

Questions about this workshop or supplies? Please email Adult Program Director Kat Lawlis : klawlis@davisstudiovt.com

[rl_gallery id="7995"]

¾ Mallard Drake (August Woodcarving Seminar)

Two woodcarvings of mallards, a female (hen) and a drake. They are decoy-style, with detailed painting of their plumage. Image courtesy the Green Mountain Woodcarvers.

From August 14 – 16, the Birds of Vermont Museum is hosting the Green Mountain Woodcarvers’ annual three-day seminar. This year, carvers will carve a ¾-scale Mallard drake.

Matt Strong and Bob Lindemann will teach the course; Matt will cover the carving and Bob will assist with the painting. Each carver will have the option of creating the pieces from a simple working decoy, an antique piece, a smoothie, or a more detailed wildfowl carving.

If you are interested in taking the class, visit http://greenmountainwoodcarvers.org/class/class.html and follow the instructions there for more details and to register. The three-day course fee is $120 plus materials. Contact them soon as they need time to prepare blanks.

To become a member of the Green Mountain Wood Carvers, visit http://greenmountainwoodcarvers.org/membershippage.html

To become a member of the Birds of Vermont Museum, visit https://birdsofvermont.org/membership

And more about Mallards: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Mallard/

This event is part of the Festival of Woodcarving.

Feather Carving & Painting with Bob Lindemann

The outer end of a carved, burned, and painted wooden blue jay feather. Crafted by Bob Lindemann.

Thanks to the demand for the September class, we are able to offer one in October, also!

Create a wooden Blue Jay feather with Bob Lindemann. Not just woodcarving and painting; we will use a woodburner (pyrography) to create fine details. Open to all: beginning and experienced carvers both welcome!

Class is $45 (there’s a $10 discount for members – call to get your discount code or look in email).

Max 8 attendees

Three wooden feathers (painted, carved, and burned) and one knife. WIP by Bob Lindemann. — Tool and samples of wooden feathers at various stages.

Vermont Beetles

Two-spotted Lady Beetle —a small red beetle with two black spots on each wing covering—on a plant stem, facing the viewer. Photo by Julia Pupko and used with permission.

Beetles (Order: Coleoptera) are a fascinating yet vastly understudied taxonomic group. In Vermont alone, there are over 1,000 different species! Some groups provide important roles as pollinators, biological controls, decomposers, and more. Other beetles, such as the invasive Emerald Ash Borer (Agrilus planipennis) threaten the health of our ecosystems.

Join us to learn about the ecology and identification of different groups of beetles found in Vermont.

In this two hour workshop, we will spend about 45 minutes focusing on a few families, genera, and species of note. For the remaining hour and 15 minutes, we will go outside and search for beetles around the Birds of Vermont museum, identifying as we go.

About Julia Pupko (they/them):

Julia is the former coordinator of the Vermont Lady Beetle Atlas through the Vermont Atlas of Life at the Vermont Center for Ecostudies. Currently, Julia works for Vermont Forests, Parks and Recreation at the Forest Biology Lab, with a special interest on the intersection between forest health and entomology.

Additionally, Julia volunteers in a number of roles for Sosyete pou Rebwaze Duchity Haiti (SRDH) – a community-based reforestation and agroforestry organization operating in Duchity, Haiti. In their spare time, Julia enjoys painting, spending time with their birds, hiking, and (of course) searching for insects.

Images provided by Julie Pupko of Vermont Center for Ecostudies.

Feather Carving & Painting with Bob Lindemann

Class is $45 (there’s a $10 discount for members – call to get your discount code or look in email).

Max 8 attendees

Paint-a-carving: class with woodcarver Larry Bertrand

Ever wondered how some woodcarvings get their colors? Painting a carving is a skill practiced by amateur and professional woodcarvers to bring different dynamics and liveliness to many carvings. Join our class and try this for yourself.

Master woodcarver Larry Bertrand is providing a bird ornament for each participant to paint. He will guide attendees in techniques and tools used to color woodcarvings.

Designed for ages 8-118, open to all
Max: 10 people

Larry Bertrand is an award-winning woodcarver who has contributed to the Birds of Vermont Museum’s exhibits and gift shop.

See Larry’s work at the Museum and on Instagram at @BuzzardsBayBirds