The renowned Leigh Yawkey Woodson Birds in Art exhibit, said to be the top avian wildlife show in the world. Artists from all over the world wait with anticipation, hoping they will receive the large brown envelope signifying their acceptance in the show. This year 112 works of art were accepted out of 884 entries.
This was the first time I had entered the show, and I was very much expecting to get the small “thank you, we love you, but please try again” letter. When I received the “big” envelope. I was thinking, why is the rejection envelope so large? Maybe they wish to tell me at length how bad my painting is and please do not apply again… Oh dread, do I open it?
When I realized it indeed was an acceptance package it literally took my breath away. With tears in my eyes, I had an emotional moment sitting in my driveway. Had my neighbors seen me, I am sure they would have locked their doors.
There is a lot to do to get ready for the show, a lot of paperwork to fill out and deadlines to meet. The amount of detailed information seemed a little excessive to me. After all, even though a very prestigious show, it is still an art exhibit, right? But after attending the show, I understood. The museum puts on an event that is incredibly well-organized, down to every detail. There are large full-color show catalogs to print (each artist has his or her own page), elegant meals for 375 people to prepare, hanging the show, press releases, master artist awards and presentations, and the list goes on and on. Just transporting the artists was a logistical marvel. It involved meeting and transporting artists from the airport to the hotel and back, from the hotel to the museum — and back (repeatedly), to several special meals, to getting ALL of us to the family compound a couple hours north of the hotel. In order to pull all of this off, the museum enlisted an army of incredibly gracious volunteers from the Wausau area for different events and several tour buses and hotel buses to provide transportation. I have to say that every one of the volunteers was so nice and so helpful. No, it is not just an art exhibit; it is a colossal event that is INCREDIBLY well organized and presented. I commend the museum staff for their effort, talent, and logistical savvy!
This year the event included paintings from artists representing over 10 different countries not including the USA. Around 60 of the artists actually attended the show. Attending artist came from Canada, Scotland, Sweden, Netherlands, Norway, Japan, and Australia, and of course the United States. It was a real treat to be able to meet people from so many different cultures. All of the artist I met were so nice and very welcoming to those of us who were attending for the first time.
 |
On Thursday we had lunch at a local country club before going to the museum for the artists' private viewing. Some of the folks at our table were (from left) was Artist James Coe, Artist Hap Hagood, Jacob Faust, and his wife, master artist Anne Senechal Faust. |
After lunch at the country club, it was off to the museum for the artists' private viewing which was the only time the artist were able to see the exhibit without the public there. It was also the only time we were allowed to have cameras in the museum. When the public was present there were hundreds of people in the exhibit so this also presented a great opportunity to meet and talk with the other artist as during the public openings your attention was necessarily on the guest. |
 |
This is Robert Bateman’s acrylic painting “Immature Bald Eagle”. I was hoping to meet Robert as he was someone who gave me a love for painting wildlife but he could not attend this year.
|
Friday Artist private viewing: artists James Coe from Hannacroix, NY (left) and Hap Hagood from Clover, VA. We met James early in the trip when riding from the airport with him. Hap is a great sculptor/carver and became a good friend during the exhibit. His carving is the dove that you see next to his elbow. |
Masahiro Tabuki from Tokyo, Japan and his wife Minako. Masahiro had an absolutely incredible pencil drawing of a Great Blue Heron. He also does work in other mediums. Several other artists and their spouses came from Japan. |
Me during the artists' private viewing next to my painting.
|
 |
I love this piece. “Tundra Swan” is carved from big leaf maple burl and it truly is big, over 4 ½ feet tall. It is a magnificent piece by artist Gene Reineking from Almond, Wisconsin. |
On the bus. We spent a lot of time on the bus. Two tour buses transported us to and from all of the events. It was actually a good thing as it was one of the rare down times we had and also another time to meet people. |
Master artist Lars Jonsson and his wife Ragnhild from Burgsvik, Sweden at the Friday night opening reception. They were some of the first people we met as we were all picked up from the airport together. This night the attending public consisted of museum members, corporate donors, media representatives, and other invited guest. After the opening we were transported to a local corporate dining facility for a fabulous meal for 375 guests and artists.
|
“Seacoast Pelicans” by master artist Guy Coheleach from Stuart Florida.
Friday night: Master artist Walter T. Matia from Dickerson, Maryland. Walter is a mess, always has a joke. He was very encouraging to me during the show. Thank you Walt. |
|
 |
Each year in advance of the show, an artist is given a “master artist” award. This years’ recipient of the Master Artist award, John Busby, and his beautiful wife Joan from Lothian, Scotland. John has spent a great deal of his career doing on the spot sketches of birds and encourages artists to do more work live in the field instead of all studio work. I emphatically agree with him: there is no substitute for working directly from life. It teaches you much that you will never learn from studio work. I certainly need to do more plein air work. One morning many of the artists participated in a “quick sketch” event, drawing a model from life. By chance, John sat next to me which of course made me quite nervous since he could see every thing I was doing. But he is such a kind and humble person that I was immediately put at ease. This same night outside in the museum gardens all of the artists were individually introduced to the attendees. After that, John was awarded the Master Wildlife Artist award. Joan is very talented also, as we learned the final night under the tent at Lake Katherine. She sang several traditional Gaelic songs a cappella for us. She has a beautiful voice. |
Friday night: master artist Anne Senechal Faust from Baton Rouge, LA on the left. We first met Anne at a luncheon for the artist at the local country club as we sat at the same table. She is a sweet, very smart, and very talented lady. |
John Busby with the other attending master artists after having received his master artist award. |
A beautiful sculpture by artist Dahrl Thomson. “Birds of Paradise” is honeycomb calcite marble and it literally glowed.
Friday night: master artists Chris Bacon on the left and Andrea Rich on the right. Andrea’s husband Jacob in the middle. Chris is from Burlington, Ontario, Canada and Andrea is from Santa Cruz, CA. |
Saturday – public opening: Ewoud de Groot from Noord-Holland, Netherlands, signs a guest’s catalog. Ewoud is a really nice guy and, apparently, a heartthrob for any woman that happens to be close to him. |
“Goose Triptych” by Peter Gray. Peter is from Cape Town, South Africa.
 |
Again on Saturday, master artist Maynard Reece from Des Moines, IA on the right with his son Brad. I grew up seeing Maynard’s art in such magazines as Field and Stream and Sports Afield among others. Maynard has been included in the show every year since 1976. He was awarded the Master Wildlife Artist award in 1989. Maynard dedicated this year's painting to his wife who recently died after battling cancer. He was actually working on the painting while caring for her at home. He finished the painting on their 63rd wedding anniversary. She died four days later. God bless you Maynard. |
Artist Luke Buck and his wife Coleen from Nineveh, IN. Luke is standing next to his painting “Things with Wings”. Luke is a great artist and I have had the honor of participating in shows with him for years at Germanton Gallery so it was great to be in Birds in Art with him. |
Artists Robert Caldwell from Midlothian, Va. and Grant Hacking from N Conway, New Hampshire. Grant is originally from South Africa. |
A great sculpture by English artist Simon Gudgeon.
|
Saturday opening: Ewoud again standing next to his painting, “Phalaropes.” |
Not only did the local media attend the event but the Wall Street Journal also sent a reporter to cover the event. I was interviewed by the local TV news – not exactly my comfort zone – intensely bright lights, camera, microphone, in the middle of the event with several hundred people milling around and observing how you do. But you give it your best effort and hope there is not a piece of lettuce hanging out of your teeth.
At noon on Saturday, the artist leave the opening and board a bus with a bag lunch to go to the Woodson’s family compound which is several hours north of Wausau in Hazelhurst on Lake Katherine. Lake Katherine is a gorgeous lake not far from the Canadian border. It is a peaceful quiet lake with crystal clear water.
The first order of business when we arrive at Lake Katherine is picture. Lots of pictures.
The Woodsons have several houses on the compound, gardens, docks, recreation areas, etc. They put on a big barbeque for us and provide recreation activities such as boat rides, swimming, volleyball, a guided nature walk with naturalist and author John Gates, etc.
Some of the older houses on the compound. |
At Lake Katherine, some of the artists play croquet next to an incredible fully furnished play house. |
One of the beautiful gardens on the compound at lake Katherine.
 |
Kathi and I were so tired from the previous day’s schedules that we just found an empty quite dock and sat. The lake was very peaceful, only a couple of boats. Later, one of the Woodson family members came by in his pontoon boat and took Kathi and me for a slow boat ride, showing us some of the loons that reside on the lake. At this point I am putty. So relaxed, so pampered, so taken care of. What an incredible adventure this had been. |
Each year the museum buys several paintings for their permanent collection and also chooses about half of the paintings to participate in a national tour to several museums the following year. Several weeks after I returned home, I received an email from the museum telling me my painting was one they would like to purchase and also include on the tour and was that acceptable? Umm, let me think, yeah, I guess I could agree to that… I am so humbled.
Once again, to the museum staff, volunteers, Woodson family, and others that I do not know, thank you so much for your incredible effort and attention to detail, making every one of us feel so special. All of you are so special to me and yes, I will fill out as much paperwork as you want me to!
A great article about the foundation of the annual exhibit and about the museum can be read by clicking on the following link: http://www.aba.org/birding/v39n1p48.pdf