Birds in Art 2013

Main entrance, Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum

I was on the road again almost all of last week, first for several stops on the Front Range to deliver work for upcoming exhibitions and then to the airport for the journey back to Wausau, Wisconsin for the opening of Birds in Art at the Woodson Art Museum.

Now in its 38th year, Birds in Art is one of the premier wildlife art exhibitions in the United States– drawing over 1,000 hopeful jury submissions from around the world. It's always an honor to have work included in the show and a delight to visit Wausau for the opening festivities.

I've waxed poetic about the Woodson and its outstanding staff many times before, and I'm going to do it again. This time I'll just say that if you look up the definition of the term "Class Act" you'll find a picture of the Woodson team. And if you don't, you should.

Artists' private preview reception. Hey... whose lino is that on the far wall?

 While Birds in Art holds pride of place in the museum's main galleries, there are several other beautiful exhibitions installed as well. This was one of my favorites:

Yes! These are the student-made steamroller prints from my Artist-in-Residence experience this past spring, lovingly displayed.

And in further honor of my time there, here's the museum's marketing manager Amy Beck, wearing her steamroller-printed shirt made from one of my linocuts. Crazy-fun.

The excitement didn't end there! This morning I learned that my linocut, "Coot du Jour," will also be included in this year's national tour to the Heritage Center, State Historical Society of North Dakota, Bismarck (March 1 – June 30, 2014); Steamboat Art Museum, Steamboat Springs, Colorado (July 19 – September 13, 2014); and Michelson Museum of Art, Marshall, Texas (November 4 – December 31, 2014).

"Coot du Jour," reduction linocut, 8" x 32"
Click to embiggen

The best part of all? The opportunity to share the experience with friends and colleagues from places near and far. Thanks, everyone... Fingers crossed that we'll meet again next year!