At this time of the year, Birds in Art is in full swing. It’s always been the Woodson Art Museum’s most popular exhibition. When I pass through the galleries, I’m constantly impressed by the many visitors who make their way to the Museum to take in our annual avian exhibition.
O
nce in a while I stop and talk with a visitor about an artwork. I offer a little pearl of knowledge about the artist or subject to help put the artwork in context.
Earlier this week, after asking if I worked at the Museum, a visitor asked what a serigraph was. She was looking at Anne Senechal Faust’s, A Gathering of Owls. I explained that a serigraph is a silkscreen print and that each color is applied using a different screen masked to allow the ink to only pass through only the unmasked areas as per the artist’s design. I explained how an artist typically prints the lighter colors first, applying darker colors later that cover the earlier colors in places.
I really enjoy talking to the visitors in the gallery. When I travel, I often seek out staff at other museums to see if they can share a pearl or two. It certainly makes the visit a little more special when I’m able to connect with someone and benefit from their knowledge and point of view.
With four weeks remaining before this year’s Birds in Art exhibition closes. I invite you to bring friends and family to see the best indoor birdwatching on the planet and all the Museum has to offer. If you are in the area, be sure to check out bronze sculptor George Bumann, who begins his four-day artist residency tomorrow morning.
Perhaps I’ll see you in the gallery.
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