Crete Township, IL – Visitors to Plum Creek Nature Center will have a chance to explore a colorful and imaginative take on America’s state birds when a new art exhibit opens Tuesday, June 3.
According to the Forest Preserve District of Will County, the free “Winged Ambassadors” exhibit will be on display through Sept. 6 at Plum Creek Nature Center in Crete Township near Beecher. The collection features 28 paintings by Chicago-based artist and writer Marcia Whitney-Schenck.
The exhibit showcases creative interpretations of state birds using watercolor, fluid acrylics, collage and embroidery. Rather than creating traditional wildlife portraits, Whitney-Schenck said the project was designed to present the birds in a playful and imaginative way.
“The project was to show state birds in a creative light, even amusing, not an imitation of Audubon,” Whitney-Schenck said.
Heather Van Zyl, facility supervisor at Plum Creek Nature Center, said the exhibit offers visitors a fresh perspective on birds they may encounter in local preserves and neighborhoods.
“The joy Marcia finds in both birds and the artistic process will be clear to all who visit,” Van Zyl said. “After viewing the exhibit, visitors may see the birds in the preserve and their neighborhoods in a new light thanks to the personality on display in each piece.”
Several works include personal elements tied to family memories, including embroidery inspired by the artist’s late mother and imagery connected to photographs taken by her late husband.
Visitors can also participate in related programs during the exhibit’s run. A “Winged Ambassadors” Avian Amble is scheduled for Thursday, June 4, while a children’s art program inspired by Illinois symbols will be held Wednesday, July 8. Registration is available through ReconnectWithNature.org.
Plum Creek Nature Center is located at 27064 S. Dutton Road in Crete Township, north of Goodenow Road.
