Birds of a Feather

October 29, 2015 – March 6, 2016

The Long Beach Peninsula is known for many great things, one of which is Birding. More than 300 species of birds make their home on the Long Beach Peninsula. With several distinct eco-systems in this far corner of southwest Washington State, Pacific County includes Pacific Ocean seashore and marshland, lakes, inland waterways, wetlands, the Columbia River, the Willapa Bay and it’s many tributaries. As a result, more than 300 species of birds make their home on the Peninsula, with hundreds of species of birds migrating here each fall.

This exhibition will explore how artists have depicted regional birds and will include wood carvings, photographs, paintings, ceramics and quilts. The main room of the Special Exhibition Gallery will be devoted to the work of five artists whose pieces show a great affinity for birds.

Don Gibbons (1926-2015), owner of a cabin in Seaview, was a Professor at Portland State University and world recognized criminologist. As a self-taught artist he painted local scenes and carved local birds. A collection of his carved birds was recently given to the Museum by well-known bird enthusiast and photographer Dr. Madeline Kalbach.

Dr. Kalbach is Professor Emeritus of Sociology at the University of Calgary, Alberta. Her research interest is in population studies deals with people and birds. She was a major participant in the Breeding Bird Atlas project for Ontario and has co-authored several publications including Common Birds of the Long Beach Peninsula: Marsh, Bay and Backyard. She has lived part-time on the peninsula since 1992. Her photographs and articles are seen often in the Chinook Observer. The selected photographs on view are from her travels around the peninsula.

Sue Raymond is a ceramic artist with a long teaching career in public and private schools. Since 2008 Raymond has lived and worked in Ocean Park where she has a studio and operates the Bay Avenue Gallery. Her ceramic birds are whimsical and engaging. Viewers can relate to the humor in her work as the birds take on everyday activities. “Birds have always been part of my artwork. Today, surrounded by wonderful models my flock has become almost life size. Each bird is constructed by pushing, bending, and punching slabs of clay into the shape I want. I try to make each filled with fun and whimsy as they fish, look for worms or just take on an attitude. My special friends are the cranes, pelicans, ravens and silly made up creatures.”

Abby Schlingensiepen is a painter who has fallen in love with fabric. Using brush and fabric pens she paints her subjects, often building the images through layers of detail and color. When she quilts the piece she uses the sewing machine like a drawing tool to highlight the composition, create background pattern and unite the image with the field. The group of images on view in this exhibition were inspired by the prints of John James Audubon.

Artisit Marie Powell is a long time resident of the Long Beach Peninsula. After teaching high school for 19 years, she now devotes her time to creating beautiful pastels, oils and mixed media work. Marie currently divides her time between the United States’ Pacific Northwest and New Zealand, and her work is influenced by the people and environments of both countries. While Marie now focus’ her work on abstraction utilizing the mono-print medium, she formally worked in pastel and water-color. With her masterful eye for color and composition she created many extraordinary paintings capturing the natural world of the Willapa Bay. Her herons, wood ducks, and other waterfowl paintings are highly regarded.