Birds in American Art - From other websites

Birds in American Art

(above: Robert Havell after John James Audubon, American Flamingo, 1838, hand-colored etching and aquatint on Whatman paper plate: 97 x 65 cm (38 3/16 x 25 9/16 inches); sheet: 101.3 x 68.3 cm (39 7/8 x 26 7/8 inches). National Gallery of Art, Washington, Gift of Mrs. Walter B. James, 1945.8.431) See Audubon's Dream Realized: Selections from "The Birds of America" (9/6/05) The prints on view in the exhibition were selected from the National Gallery of Art's early edition of "The Birds of America". Audubon's double-elephant folio -- a standard term of measurement for the largest sheet of paper produced in the 19th century, approximately 39 1/2 x 261/2 inches -- consists of 1,065 images of birds and represents 449 different species.

From other websites:

American Avian Art is a text by ChatGPT whichsays: "American avian art has long been a captivating thread woven into the fabric of American cultural history -- a tradition where the majestic and the minute are celebrated through the lens of artistic expression. From early colonial illustrations to contemporary masterpieces, American artists have rendered birds as symbols of freedom, beauty, and the enduring connection between nature and civilization.

Anais Rumfelt: 108 Crows is a 2017 exhibit at the Harwood Museum of the University of New Mexico which says: "Anais Rumfelt's crows are painted with black ink on paper, in a repeating pattern of threes. Each is completely unique and individual, but in active relationship with its neighbors. The crow has significant symbolism for the artist, as well as providing stark and graphic shapes." Accessed 12/17

Audubon's Birds, Audubon's Words is an exhibition hosted by the Museum of Fine Arts Boston from July 27, 2013 through May 11, 2014. The Museum describes the exhibition as follows: "As author and illustrator of The Birds of America, John James Audubon (1785-1851) traveled thousands of miles throughout the United States and Canada to seek out and draw North American birds in their natural habitats. In the book's enormous pages-each more than three feet high-Audubon captured the full range of avian life in North America, including many exotic creatures. Produced in England and issued in a limited edition between 1827 and 1838, only about 120 complete copies exist today. This exhibition features prints from the MFA's copy of The Birds of America and some smaller works by Audubon. The artist was also a gifted writer, and the exhibition pairs his birds with his words, offering insight into Audubon's methods, obsessions, and the trials associated with his giant project." Accessed 9/23

Birds is a 2022 exhibit at the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture which says: "The exhibition looks at the roles our flying companions play by exploring the use of birds in daily life and their representation on pottery and in rock art. Whether through paintings on vessels or vessels shaped in the form of birds, there is no doubt that these creatures have been admired for ages." Accessed 8/22

The Art of Identification: David Allen Sibley is a 2019 exhibit at the University of Mississippi Museum which says: 'Mr. Sibley exhibits in museums very infrequently, so this is a particularly great opportunity for Oxford and [the University],' said Robert Saarnio, director of the University of Mississippi Museum. 'There is an appeal of partnering with such a wide range of organizations and we saw immediately the possibility of other related elements in the Permanent Collection supporting this show, such as recently-gifted, but not yet displayed, Audubon prints, and our Boehm ceramic birds collection.'" Accessed 11/20

CHRIS MAYNARD: FEATHERFOLIO is a 2017 exhibit at the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art which says: "Chris Maynard, from Olympia, WA, creates exquisite artwork using hand-cut feathers as his medium. His inspirations include a background in biology and devotion to the natural world." To read more after exhibit closes, go to "Past Exhibitions" section of museum website. Accessed 4/17

Cliff McGinnis: The Bird as Theme in American Art was a 2016 exhibit at the Butler Institute of American Art, which says: "Hubbard, Ohio-born Cliff McGinnis gained a regional reputation as a master carver. With hammer, chisel and other carving tools, McGinnis painstakingly sculpted exact representations of the birds of our region, adding accurate color to each piece." Accessed 12/16

Decoy Carving - sample of artists and works from askArt. Accessed August, 2015.

Ergo Sum: A Crow a Day is a 2019 exhibit at the Huntington Museum of Art which says: "On August 1, 2014 Canadian-born artist Karen Bondarchuk set out to mark the passing time that her mother -- diagnosed with dementia in 2010 -- no longer could. For 365 days, she produced an image of a crow each day on a hand-cut, hand-gessoed panel, remembering her mother as she once was and grieving her loss." Also see artist's website Accessed 1/20

Feathered Friends: Six Decades of Watercolor Painting of Birds by David Plank, an exhibit held at the Ashby-Hodge Gallery of American Art. Accessed April, 2015. Feathered Friends: Six Decades of Watercolor Painting of Birds by David Plank, Search online for a 13-minute gallery tour of the exhibit with narrative by the artist. Accesssed January, 2016.

The Greatest Bird Artists: John James Audubon and Earl Poole an exhibit held 2/16/08 - 6/6/08 at the Reading Public Museum. Includes online audio. Accessed April, 2015.

It Passes like a Thought is a 2018 exhibit at the Beall Center for Art + Technology which says: "Each artist in "It Passes like a Thought" represents the unique ways that birds enter our consciousness. They imitate their sublime sound, attempt to translate avian language, and/or represent their stunning likenesses, flight, and habitats. Perhaps we watch and listen to birds so intently and universally as a way to remind ourselves that we must protect them. Birds are the ultimate memento mori: a reminder of vulnerability of the world around us." Accessed 5/18

Joel Barber & the Modern Decoy is a 2019 exhibit at the Shelburne Museum which says: "This monographic exhibition is the first of its kind to focus on the life and artwork of architect, author, illustrator, and pioneering decoy collector Joel D. Barber (1876-1952)." Also see press release Accessed 5/20

Making Marks is a 2016 exhibit at the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum which says: "In Making Marks, you'll discover more than sixty drawings and sketches created for different purposes. Some were intended to inspire; others record detailed observations to preserve memories. Several are intricate; others comprise simple lines." Accessed 2/19

The Museum of American Bird Art at Mass Audubon (MABA) offers a variety of exhibits and education programs, plus conservation activities. Accessed 12/16

The Singing and the Silence: Birds in Contemporary Art is an ongoing online exhibit at the Smithsonian American Art Museum which says: "The steady rise in environmental consciousness has fostered a growing desire to connect with the natural world and a resurgence of interest in the winged wonders that surround us daily." Accessed 8/17

Tony Fitzpatrick: The Secret Birds is a 2016 exhibit at the DePaul Art Museum which says: "In his ongoing series The Secret Birds, Fitzpatrick meticulously draws and layers images, poetry and found materials onto the page. He combines inspiration from his working class roots in Chicago and influences from folk art, comic book characters and tattoo imagery. Each drawn collage depicts a specific species of bird, ranging from the peregrine falcon to the common starling." Accessed 2/17

Under Pressure - Birds in the Printed Landscape - Linocuts by Sherrie York is a 2019 exhibit at the Museum of American Bird Art which says: "Sherrie York is celebrated for her vibrant linocut and woodblock prints capturing the beauty of birds in their natural surroundings. Her work has been presented in national and international exhibitions, including the Woodson Museum's Birds in Art, SAA's Art and the Animal, and the Bennington Center's Art of the Animal Kingdom." Accessed 11/19

What It's Like to Be a Bird - Paintings by David Sibley is a 2020 exhibit at the Museum of American Bird Art which says: "David Sibley is America's pre-eminent field guide artist and author. His Sibley Guide to Birds, published in 2000, quickly became the new standard of excellence in bird identification guides, and the fastest-selling bird guide ever." Also see website of artist. Accessed 12/20

(above: George Cope, Hanging Woodcock, 1897, oil on canvas, 22.06 x 14.94 inches, Fogg Museum of Art, Gift of Daniel A. Pollack and Susan F. Pollack, Harvard Classes of 1960 and 1964. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons*)

April, 2023 screenshots via Google video search:

Screenshot images courtesy of Google

Books sampler:

Birds of America, by John James Audubon, was the first comprehensive publication of illustrations of paintings of hundreds of American birds. It was first published in a subscription format starting in 1827 and lasting through 1838. Each section for the subscription covered a limited number of birds. Later, Audubon worked with a publisher to sell a less expensive edition of his illustrations, completed in 1844. It included new material by him, his son and other artists. Source: Wikipedia.

DVD/VHS videos:

Birds of America, The Features the art of John James Audubon. 29 minutes (collection of Joslyn Art Museum)

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Geographic Tour of American Representational Art History a catalogue of articles and essays that describe the evolution of American art from the inception of the United States to WWII.

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TFAO's Distinguished Artists catalogue provides online access to biographical information for artists associated with this state. Also, Search Resource Library for online articles and essays concerning both individual artists associated with this state's history and the history of art centers and museums in this state. Resource Library articles and essays devoted to individual artists and institutions are not listed on this page.

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