Are You Leaving Your Mark?

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Berry Fritz, “Yellow-headed Amazon Parrot,” 2006, colored pencil on toned paper, © Woodson Art Museum 2017

Only a few weeks remain for a lovely exhibition featuring a stunning selection of avian-themed drawings. From quick sketches to intricately detailed illustrations, there’s something for everyone here.

On view through February 19, “Making Marks” is a diverse showcase of more than 60 drawings and sketches of birds by contemporary masters from across the United States. It’s hosted by the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum in Wausau, Wisconsin, an institution that is no stranger to avian-themed art. Each year, the museum hosts its flagship “Birds in Art” exhibition, a nationally known and highly competitive competition aimed specifically at artistic interpretations of birds and related subjects. “Making Marks” is slightly different, however, highlighting artists’ varied approaches to drawing birds and the importance of field observation.

Pete Marshall, “Emu Chicks,” 2009, pencil on paper, © Woodson Art Museum 2017
Pete Marshall, “Emu Chicks,” 2009, pencil on paper, © Woodson Art Museum 2017
Karen Bondarchuk, “Raven Yawking,” 2011, charcoal on paper, © Woodson Art Museum 2017
Karen Bondarchuk, “Raven Yawking,” 2011, charcoal on paper, © Woodson Art Museum 2017
Anne Senechal Faust, “Head Study: Ruppell’s Griffon Vulture,” 1981, pen and ink on paper, © Woodson Art Museum 2017
Anne Senechal Faust, “Head Study: Ruppell’s Griffon Vulture,” 1981, pen and ink on paper, © Woodson Art Museum 2017

The museum writes, “While working styles vary, many artists resolve their compositions and other details before moving to their chosen final medium, whether for a painting or a sculpture. For most preliminary work, a pencil and paper are the likely tools of choice. Why? Pencil marks are forgiving; they can be erased easily, allowing an artist to change elements to achieve the most pleasing composition. Many artists believe drawing and sketching are essential for successfully completing finished works.”

To learn more, visit the Woodson Art Museum.

This article was featured in Fine Art Today, a weekly e-newsletter from Fine Art Connoisseur magazine. To start receiving Fine Art Today for free, click here.


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Andrew Webster
Andrew Webster is the former Editor of Fine Art Today and worked as an editorial and creative marketing assistant for Streamline Publishing. Andrew graduated from The University of North Carolina at Asheville with a B.A. in Art History and Ceramics. He then moved on to the University of Oregon, where he completed an M.A. in Art History. Studying under scholar Kathleen Nicholson, he completed a thesis project that investigated the peculiar practice of embedded self-portraiture within Christian imagery during the 15th and early 16th centuries in Italy.

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