After the September Birds in Art opening each year, the Woodson Art Museum takes on the role of a mail house prepping packages for delivery. This year, to become more eco-friendly, we acquired a paper-tape dispenser; the clickety clack of its crank added to the ambiance.
With Birds in Art 2021 catalogues hot off the press, they were tucked into boxes and readied with postage for delivery around the world. We gave big props to our mail carrier; each day she came prepared with more USPS mailing boxes, ready to fill up her truck with more of our packages.
The many and varied recipients include Birds in Art 2021 artists, who receive multiple complimentary catalogues. Because Covid mitigations and travel restrictions kept many at home, we enthusiastically assembled special packages containing catalogues for artists who couldn’t make it to the opening.
Working wherever we could find space for our makeshift mail house operation, Rachel Hausmann Schall, curator of education, Holly Van Eperen, education assistant, and I, ensured production with extra Woodson Art Museum creativity. We hand-crafted three linocuts that reminded us of autumn in Wausau and cut out a stencil to send warm wishes. These were printed on either side of each box before being filled with the catalogues and extra items.
Woodson Art Museum staff are grateful for the time spent with the twenty artists who did attend the Birds in Art opening. The mail-house production team also became a hospitality team, utilizing similar techniques to prepare gift bags for attending artists.
Since the opening, more artists have made their way to Wausau. Tom Hill spent two weeks at the Woodson creating wire birds with the community. His residency culminated with the installation of the wire-bird flock, “Murmuration,” at the Museum. Staff are excited to welcome another Birds in Art artist, Paul Rhymer, for pop-up events later this week; check our online events calendar and social media for details.
Our warm wishes extend to all to visit the Woodson Art Museum through the fall.
