Avian Art Exhibit

I was delighted to attend a gallery opening, entitled “For Those To Come”, organized by DVOC members and artists Josh Robeson with help from Tony Croasdale.

The exhibit features 82 bird-themed works of art, in all mediums and styles, by 47 artists from around the country. The exhibit is being held at Bennas Cafe, on the corner of 8th Street and Wharton in South Philadelphia, only a block from Geno’s and Pat’s Steaks! The show runs for a month through September 14th, and all proceeds benefit the American Bird Conservancy.

Josh Robeson and his block print Blue-footed Booby, part of a pair that sold, raising the most amount of money.

While most of the artists are not birders, they were certainly creative and inspired by the theme, the cause, and Josh’s enthusiasm. The varied works depict each artist’s interpretation of avian wildlife and cover a range of worldwide species. For example, while the contemporary Gambel’s Quail family (above in gold) painted by Eleanor Grosch, would not make the pages of a field guide, it is an excellent piece of artwork and easily translates to high-end textiles.

I was amused by a humorous painting of a Cardinal and Worm, flanked by two seabird acrylic pieces. Inspired by a DVOC trip to North Carolina, Tony Croasdale contributed these works featuring, on the left, an endangered Bermuda Petrel and Black-capped Petrel in flight, and Northern Gannets diving, on the right.