Paintings and Kestral Photo (below) by Amy Shawley Paquette
by Amy Shawley Paquette
Hello! My name is Amy Shawley Paquette, and I’m a new member of the Monticello Bird Club. I’m an artist and art instructor living in Troy with my husband and our new baby boy. I paint mostly birds and started birdwatching a few years ago, after wanting to paint more birds from my own photos. I am always seeking out places for birding locally and plan birding adventures into all of my travels – I love the thrill of adding more birds to my life (and painting!) list. I’m still a newbie at it, but learning as I go, and am a sponge for bird knowledge!
Along the way I was asked to teach painting classes at the Wildlife Center of Virginia, where we feature their education animals as our models. These workshops happen every couple of months and have been exciting and informative. So far they’ve been about birds (in past workshops we had a Screech Owl, Barred Owl, and Peregrine Falcon), though we have one in May that is on painting snakes! Our next event is April 15 and features Verlon the American Kestrel! I wanted to spread the word to my fellow bird lovers so more info is below.
I hope to meet you at an upcoming MBC meeting or outing!
Verlon
Drawing and Painting Verlon the American Kestrel
Date: Sunday April 15
Time: 12-4:30pm
Location: Wildlife Center of Virginia in Waynesboro
Fee: $68 (with 50% of all profits going straight to the Wildlife Center of Virginia!)
Come join us for a special painting workshop featuring Verlon the American Kestrel as our model! The workshop will begin with a short presentation from Wildlife Center staff on Verlon and his role as an education animal, then students will work with artist Amy Shawley Paquette to discover the basics of watercolor and illustration as well as learn fun and easy ideas for painting birds. We will have three 20 minute sessions with Verlon present to draw and paint him from life and we will also provide photographs of him to use during the remainder of our painting time.
After a short snack/lunch break, workshop attendees will be given a tour of the wildlife center.
The workshop is open only to adults 18 and over (no children) with all levels of art experience and all workshop-use materials including paints, pencils, palettes, brushes, and surfaces will be provided! Please bring a sack lunch/snacks (if desired), a camera if you wish to take photos, and note-taking supplies. Please wear clothes you don’t mind getting paint on or bring an apron.
Workshop registration must be completed in advance, and is done directly with the instructor – email Amy at [email protected] to coordinate payment and for details on her cancellation policy.
