New Stout For the Holidays Blue Hills Brewery Warm Up To a Good Cause Coats for Kids Shaving To Show Solidarity Cuts for a Cure Spread Your Wings The Museum of American Bird Art Makes a Nest in Town 1 1 12/19/2013 1:36:53 PM
Inside 14 The Museum of American Bird Art Makes a Nest in Canton 18 Shaving for Solidarity 20 24 Warm Up to Coats for Kids Local Photographer on Display 14 30 Think Twice Before Washing Cars Departments 5 From the Editor What s special this month in the magazine, and the area. 7 Around Town People, places, problems, good causes and occasions. 25 Snapshots Community residents share their photos with readers. 27 Calendar Your guide to music, theater, kid stuff and lots more. 7 Photo courtesy of Jim O Neil 23 Gotta Go! Best bets for upcoming concerts, shows and events. 30 And Another Thing... A fond farewell from this month s issue of the magazine. On the Cover Love Birds, a photograph depicting a northern gannet male bringing nesting materials back to its mate on Bonaventure Island, Quebec, Canada. Turn to Page 14 for more. Photo courtesy of Arthur Morris/birdsasart.com 18 Photo courtesy of Judy Bass You could be a community contributor! canton.ma@hibu.com Pictured at left is photographer and Canton resident Frannie Downey, who contributed photos of her work on Page 25, which is on display at the Norwood Fine Artists Gallery and Studio. Photo courtesy of Frannie Downey Get involved! Send your photos, stories or events to: 25 Photo courtesy of Frannie Downey Want to contribute to your magazine? We need your help! If you ve got a news release, a story tip, a great photo or want to write for us, send a note to the above email address and we will be in touch! Please visit marketing.hibu.com/release to read the terms for submissions. Interested in Advertising? Contact us at marketing.hibu.com/advertise or call 800-929-3556. 2013 hibu Inc. All rights reserved. hibu is a trademark of hibu (UK) Limited. 3 3 12/19/2013 1:37:19 PM
Museum of American Bird Art Makes a Nest in Canton Mass Audubon s extensive art collection is housed on the 121-acre Mildred Morse Allen Wildlife Sanctuary. by Tammis Coffin Community contributor Across from Canton High School, among yellow barns, bricks and stucco, hides the only museum in the world dedicated solely to bird art. Set on the 121-acre Mildred Morse Allen Wildlife Sanctuary, the Museum of American Bird Art, 963 Washington St., houses Mass Audubon s extensive art collection, and shares it with the public through exhibitions and varied educational programs. History in Canton Mass Audubon was founded in 1896 and named for John James Audubon, the legendary painter of American birds. From its inception, gifts of artworks by Audubon and others flowed to the fledgling organization. Over the years, the collection grew to include paintings and sculptures by some of the finest bird artists of Europe and America. The generous bequest of artist, filmmaker and philanthropist Mildred Morse Allen made it possible to develop a proper museum facility on her estate in Canton. In 1999, the Mass Audubon Visual Arts Center opened its doors. About a year ago, the center changed its name to the Museum of American Bird Art, to better reflect the focus of its mission. According to the museum s director, Amy Montague, the collection has a unique and singular focus on art inspired by birds. In the early years, the collection s core was art by Audubon, including hand-colored engravings from his Birds of America. Over time the collection has expanded to include paintings, sculpture and works on paper by some of the most acclaimed bird artists of Europe and America. Featured artists include Louis Agassiz Fuertes, Frank W. Benson, Robert Verity Clem and Lars Jonsson. The collection also includes works by well known artists not usually associated with birds, such as Milton Avery, Leonard Baskin and Andy Warhol. Birds as art Today, we continue to connect people to nature through art, using art to inspire and educate, Montague said. The museum presents three to four exhibitions each year, with a wide range of artworks represented. An array of education programs for all ages draws on the original art in the exhibitions and collections, as well as the varied habitats of the wildlife sanctuary. The museum s current exhibition, Birds as Art, is on display through Jan. 13, 2014. The exhibition displays the bird photography of Arthur Morris, one of the world s most renowned bird photographers. Museum visitors can stroll among the colorful, detailed and Continued on next page A camper enjoy the diverse habitat at the Museum of American Bird Art. Massasoit students use the Museum grounds for painting. 14 14 12/19/2013 1:37:24 PM
Toddler working on a leaf print during the Clay Play program. 15 15 12/19/2013 1:37:27 PM
Painting is a favorite camp activity. Continued from previous page often whimsical images in the gallery. Arthur Morris has unparalleled technical and artistic expertise, design savvy and he experiments widely. His photographs of birds call for patience, determination, luck and an understanding of bird behavior. Morris has won numerous national and international awards and was under contract as an Explorer of Light with Canon, who is the exhibit s sponsor. He leads instructional bird photography trips, writes an educational blog, and has also published a book, The Art of Bird Photography. Mass Audubon 1896 Mass Audubon was founded in 1896 and named for John James Audubon, the legendary painter of American birds. Visitors will see an Atlantic puffin peering straight towards the camera with tufts of grass in its orange beak, baby sandhill cranes hitching a ride on their mother s back and Blizzard in Blue, a photograph that reveals hundreds of snow geese taking flight. Gannets in Love is the signature image for the show, and highlights the graceful curving profiles of a pair of seabirds passing a bright green piece of seaweed beak-to-beak. Today, we continue to connect people to nature through art, using art to inspire and educate. Amy Montague, director When I looked around for the best photographer to inaugurate the museum s new name, only one person was mentioned time and time again: Arthur Morris, Montague said. The current exhibit can be viewed every afternoon of the week, except Mondays, until Jan. 13. For more information, visit massaudubon.org/maba or call 781-821-8853. More than art Creative arts programs connect people and nature at the Museum throughout the year. Offerings take place in the gallery, studios, sanctuary grounds, in local community centers 16 16 12/19/2013 1:37:29 PM
Activities and Events The Museum of American Bird Art has programs geared towards visitors of all ages. School vacation programs On Dec. 23, Dec. 30, and Feb. 18 to Feb. 21, the museum is offering Wild at Art! school vacation programs for students in kindergarten through 7th grade. School vacation programs are led by a team of nature and art educators. Full or half day options are offered for the groups. This offering repeats during April vacation. Summer camp starts in June and serves ages 4-13, with leadership training opportunities for ages 14-16 A toddler creates a masterpiece with paint and found objects. and schools. New programs are continually being added to the museum website. There are many ways to get involved with the museum, including an array of family-family programs. On Dec. 15, the museum is hosting two adult programs. Inviting Presence: Guided Hike, from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m., and Journal of Discovery: Writing Group, from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. On Dec. 16, the museum is holding an Art and Seek: Winter Solstice program, led by a Mass Audubon Educator and geared towards early childhood, although all ages are welcome. The hike and journaling group may be combined or taken separately, and repeat monthly. Those interested in taking part in a monthly nature sketchbook study group should contact the museum. To learn more, or to register for an upcoming program, email maba@massaudubon.org, visit massaudubon.org/maba, or call 781-821-8853. Program details and prices can be found at massaudubon. org/maba. Some programs require pre-registration. Save the date On Jan. 26 the museum will hold a museum art class sampler, open house and exhibit opening. Visitors can drop in to sample art classes from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. It is also opening day for a new exhibit of silk screen prints. Attendees can enjoy a guided hike along the trails and visit the exhibition and trails for free during this special event. The event is free and open to the public. Visit the museum The Museum of American Bird Art is located at 963 Washington St. in Canton. For prices, details or to register for a program, visit massaudubon.org/maba, call 781-821- 8853 or email maba@massaudubon.org. Tell us what you think hibumagazine.com/survey Two young visitors study art at the museum. 17 17 12/19/2013 1:37:36 PM