The New Mexico Wildlife Center will host two drawing classes March 17 and March 24. Courtesy image
NMWC News:
The New Mexico Wildlife Center (NMWC) announces a new opportunity for bird lovers.
The center is offering drawing classes 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, March 17 and 24 at its location at 19 Wheat St. in Espanola. The classes will feature several of the center’s ambassador raptors. The two three-hour sessions will be led by Deborah Donelson, MFA. She has been a professional artist for more than 25 years and has specialized in wild bird care and education for the last seven years.
Donelson has volunteered at NMWC for the past one and a half years. The second week will be based upon work done in the first, so participants are encouraged to attend both classes.
The fee is $75 for both days, with all proceeds going to the center. Payment can be made by check and sent to the NMWC at PO Box 246 Espanola, NM 87532.
Attendees will supply their own materials – a suggested list will be sent later.
The first session will start with a brief overview of birds/raptors in general, including anatomy and lifestyles. There will also be an introduction to the act of drawing itself – including many examples of different drawing styles and intentions. With the center’s birds at hand, each session will include drawing exercises of various lengths, from short gesture drawings to longer periods of intensive observation.
The second session will allow for more detailed work. The center’s education birds will be presented on the glove of an experienced volunteer, rather than perched. The nature of an animal is to move, so this will be an obvious part of the challenge of capturing an image on paper! Some of them may be more patient than others. The first thing to understand is that drawing is basically seeing. The classes will spend a lot of time discussing what is actually seen while looking at these birds; at the same time, participants will learn the best way to understand something is to draw it.
Participants do not need to be a professional artist to sign up but some drawing experience is prefered. The classes are offered to adults older than age 18.
