Call to Artists: Common Grounds

 

Common Grounds

A Call to Artists from the Birds of Vermont Museum
in recognition of 100 years of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and its conservation consequences

Birds link us.  We need the same things: food, water, air, places to live. We humans have sometimes used laws to protect those needs we have in common. In 1918, the US Congress put into place the Migratory Bird Treaty Act—one of the first laws setting limits on what we could and could not do specifically with respect to migratory birds. Since then, we’ve asked new questions, discovered new ramifications, and come to new understandings about what the work of conservation entails. In order for the Migratory Bird Treaty Act to be successful, people have to work together across geographic, political, socioeconomic, and ecological boundaries. We need to find—or create—common ground. What does that look like?

We seek bird-oriented artworks that involve themes of commonality, conservation, migration, habitat, protection, and/or coordination among peoples, species, places, and/or time.

The show runs from May 1 to October 31 in the Museum’s multi-purpose room, halls, and foyer. Most art will be hung on the walls. We have shelf space for smaller three-dimensional works and some ceiling space if your work is suitable there. Feel free to visit and scope out the options.

Art in any media, by new or returning artists, of any age, may be considered.  Artists are invited to submit up to 3 works, by sending no more than three (3) .jpgs showing your work to museum@birdsofvermont.org. Please put “Submission for Common Grounds art show” in the email subject. If you do not have email, you may send up to three prints to the Museum, attention Common Grounds art show. Please include your contact information and a description of work (media, artwork size, when made, etc.).

Entries are due by Tuesday, March 27, 2018.

In choosing works for a show, we strive to integrate diversity of work into a cohesive whole. Museum staff will select pieces by April 5 and will let artists know by email if possible. The Museum asks for permission to reproduce images of the selected works in print and online as part of publicity for the exhibit; if you prefer partial or cropped images for this, or have preferred images, please tell us or supply them.

Selected pieces should arrive at the Museum on or before April 20 and be ready to hang (if applicable). Artists are responsible for shipping or drop-off/pick-up. Pick-up should occur by November 30, 2018.

Artists who show their work here are invited to sell originals, prints, and/or cards through us on consignment. Details are available on request. We are always thrilled to arrange artist workshops at the Museum with our exhibitors. Please tell us if you are interested in this.

Please call or email Kir Talmage or Allison Gergely with any questions. We can be reached at 802 434-2167 or museum@birdsofvermont.org.

Annual Appeal 2017

Guest post from Board Member, Ginger Lubkowitz

Vermont has many treasures but one of my absolute favorites is the Birds of Vermont Museum. Each time I visit, I am amazed by the carvings and the setting. I am also amazed by the creative programs and talented staff that carry forward and embody Bob Spear’s legacy every day. We are so fortunate that adults and children have such a special venue to learn about birds, their songs, and their habitats.

All of this is possible thanks to the generosity of you, the Museum’s members and donors. Because of you, 2017 was a pivotal year for the Museum as it celebrated its 30-year anniversary and looked to the future. Here are a few highlights of our activity and progress:

Thanking some shoppers

Thank you to AmazonSmile shoppers! Your shopping choice helps us a lot. If you shop Amazon.com, try the Smile program instead at http://smile.amazon.com/ch/03-0277302 —Amazon will donate to the Birds Of Vermont Museum. #YouShopAmazonDonates

Thank You Volunteers!

On Sunday, September 10, many volunteers chose to spend a beautiful sunny day helping out in and around the Museum.

We are beyond grateful.

With everyone’s help we trimmed trails, cut trees, weeded gardens, organized storage areas, sorted donated items, entered bird lists into ebird, cleaned and dusted exhibits, updated signage, replaced window netting, prepped for programs,  photographed pollinators, updated bulletin boards, and removed invasive plants.  Many thanks to Darlene, Erny, Bob, Shirley, Elizabeth, Pat, Ginger, Brian, Owen, Hunter, Rita, Justin, Chase, Bill, Mae, John, Lori, Josh, Morgan, Abi, and Levi.

We ended the day with Mike Kessler, another volunteer, leading a tracking walk where the group found signs of bear, bobcat, moose, red squirrel, deer, and porcupine.

Thank you!

Art Review: ‘Birding by the Numbers,’ Birds of Vermont Museum

Most art shows can be viewed without particular attention to their settings, but ‘Birding by the Numbers’ is inseparable from its locale. The Birds of Vermont Museum in Huntington organized the community art exhibit to celebrate its 30th anniversary. …Numbers are the key to ornithology… The artists’ responses to this intersection of ideas range from literal to literary.

Source: Art Review: ‘Birding by the Numbers,’ Birds of Vermont Museum

<!– BACKUP : PDF:  Art Review: Birding by the Numbers : Seven Days 2017-08-16 –>

 

Volunteer Work Day 2017

We have awesome volunteers.
On Saturday, April 15, we accomplished over 100 hours of work together!

Take our survey, enter our raffle

Take our survey, please!
(And perhaps win a gift certificate!)

Preview (we can’t embed it at the moment):

 

Our Annual Appeal for 2016

Thank you and Happy Holiday Season
from the Birds of Vermont Museum

There’s still time to make a tax-deductible donation to the Museum for 2016!
Please consider sending a contribution during our year-end appeal
—whether $1 or $5000— we happily accept donations online through JustGive, NetworkForGood, and PayPal. You can also call (802) 434-2167 with your credit card info, or send a check in any amount at any time to

Birds of Vermont Museum 900 Sherman Hollow Road Huntington, Vermont 05462

We welcome your support in any and every form:

Call to Artists: Birding By the Numbers

Birding by the Numbers

A Call to Artists from the Birds of Vermont Museum in celebration of our 30^th Anniversary

We at the Museum like to say we are “where natural history meets art.” But flip through the files of time while birding in the last 30 years… what would ornithology be without math? What new facts and figures about feathered phenomena do you most appreciate? Join us as we play with birds and numbers!

We seek bird-focused art that incorporates a feeling for number with artistic expression. We are open to any media. Let your art—from imaginary to irrational, with birds silly and significant—populate our creative space!

Here is a tiny fraction of funky factoids to tickle your fancy and perhaps illustrate what we mean:

• There are over 25,000 feathers on a Tundra Swan, some 80% of them on its head and neck alone. (from “Waterfowl Feathers” at Ducks Unlimited)
• It takes four and twenty blackbirds to make a pie suitable for a king. (Mother Goose, with more info at Wikipedia)
• Barred Owls are home-bodies. Of 158 banded Barred Owls, none had moved more than 6 miles. (from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology)
• Bob Spear spent 1,230 hours carving and painting the Wild Turkey: that’s almost 31 weeks of a full-time job (assuming no coffee breaks) (and Bob didn’t drink coffee).

The show runs from May 1 to October 31 in the Museum’s multi-purpose room, halls, and foyer. Most art will be hung on the walls. We have shelf space for three-dimensional works and some ceiling space if your work is suitable there. Feel free to visit and scope out the options! In choosing works for a show, we strive to integrate variety into a harmonious whole.

Both new and returning artists are invited to submit up to 3 works, by sending no more than three (3) .jpgs showing your work to museum@birdsofvermont.org. Please put “Submission for Birding by the Numbers” in the email subject. If you do not have email, you may send up to three prints to the Museum, attention Birding by the Numbers. Please include your contact information and a description of work (media, artwork size, when made, etc.).

Entries are due by Tuesday, March 21, 2017.

Museum staff will select pieces by March 29 and will let artists know by email if possible. The Museum asks for permission to reproduce images of the selected works in print and online as part of publicity for the exhibit; if you prefer partial or cropped images for this, or have preferred images, please tell us or supply them.

Selected pieces should arrive at the Museum during the first weeks of April and be ready to hang (if applicable). Artists are responsible for shipping, or drop-off/pick-up. Pick-up should occur by November 30, 2017.

Artists who show their work here are invited to sell originals, prints, and/or cards through us on consignment. Details are available on request.

We are always thrilled to arrange artist workshops at the Museum with our exhibitors. Please tell us if you are interested in this.

Please call or email Kir Talmage or Allison Gergely with any questions. We can be reached at 802 434-2167 or museum@birdsofvermont.org.

Need more inspiration? We found some — in numerals and nonsense, tesselation and tattoos, geometry and gaggles. Thanks to Google image search and some collaging from our staff:

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This weekend is Open Studio part 2

This weekend is Open Studio part 2! We’ll have carvers here https://www.facebook.com/events/298761720499359/ As well as artists, birders, kids… visit and enjoy!