'Birds in Art' exhibition begins Jan. 2 at Plum Creek

Paintings, sculptures and graphics created by an international cast of artists will be on display during a “Birds in Art” exhibition this winter at the Forest Preserve District of Will County's Plum Creek Nature Center.

The 60 works of art are part of a traveling exhibition culled from the larger “Birds in Art” exhibition that was on display at the Wausau, Wis.-based Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum in 2023. The admission-free museum, which was established in 1976, is internationally renowned for its “Birds in Art” exhibitions, which change each fall.

“This exhibition is absolutely a perfect fit for Plum Creek because it’s an established birding location,” said Jessica Prince, facility supervisor at Plum Creek.

Plum Creek Nature Center is the traveling exhibition's first stop on its 2024 tour. The exhibition will run from Tuesday, Jan. 2, through Sunday, Feb. 25. Nature center hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays and noon to 4 p.m. Sundays.

The exhibit will feature a wide variety of art techniques, including paintings in watercolor, oil, and acrylic; sculptures in stone, wood, wire, aluminum and bronze; and drawings in graphite, pastel, chalk, and charcoal. Various mediums, from textile art, cut paper and scratchboard to serigraphy, woodcut, linocut, and etching, also will be on display.

The larger Woodson museum exhibit included 111 artworks from across the world, said Bryce Cebula, the museum's marketing and communications manager.

"Thirty-three artists reside internationally, representing 12 different countries, including Australia, Belgium, Canada, England, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Scotland, Spain and Sweden," she said. "The exhibition also showcases work from 11 artists residing in Wisconsin."

Chicago artist Doug Stapleton also will have artwork in the Plum Creek exhibition. Some of the contributors are full-time artists and educators, others have backgrounds in ornithology and taxidermy, Cebula said.

Several exhibit-related programs have been scheduled at Plum Creek Nature Center including:

• Spot It – “Birds in Art”: Jan. 2-Feb. 25. Use your eagle eyes to spot specific details in the “Birds in Art” exhibition.
• Nature Play Day After Hours – "Birds in Art”: 6-7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 9.
• Nature Play Day – “Birds in Art”: 10-11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 10.
• "Birds in Art” – Birdhouse Gourd Painting: 6-8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 12. Create your own birdhouse masterpiece. BYOB (beer or wine only).
• “Birds in Art” – Crochet for Wildlife: noon-2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 20.
• “Birds in Art” – Bird Photography Tips and Tricks: 1-3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 4, Plum Creek Nature Center.
• Nature Painting Bird Nerd Edition: 6-8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 23, Plum Creek Nature Center. Get artsy and make some bird art in celebration of our 'Birds in Art' exhibit.

The exhibition is brought to the Forest Preserve through funding provided by The Nature Foundation of Will County.