Museum welcomes 'Audubon of West'

audubon052: Museum welcomes ‘Audubon of West’
Shafter State Preschool children eagerly gather around wildlife paintings by Andrew Jackson Grayson, as teacher Linda Hollingsworth points them toward his painting of a Dickcissel.
Visitors to the Kern County Museum, 3801 Chester Avenue in Bakersfield, have the rare opportunity to see some of the most famous wildlife paintings by the artist known as "Audubon of the West," Andrew Jackson Grayson. The exhibit, which opened April 29, explores western bird life through Grayson's art. It is on loan from the California Exhibition Resource Alliance and will be displayed in the museum's main gallery through June 20.

At the time of his death in 1869, Grayson was the most accomplished artist of ornithology in North America. He was a Gold Rush entrepreneur, explorer and artist who decided in 1853 to devote the rest of his life to capturing on canvas all the birds in the wild missing from Audubon's "Birds of America." Grayson traveled the western wilderness. Unlike Audubon, he preferred painting pictures of living birds so he could catch their natural behavior and habitat. Grayson supplied the Smithsonian Institution with 2,000 of his bird specimens and images.

Both art and wildlife enthusiasts should enjoy a special May 7 event at the museum called "For the Birds." Scheduled from 11 a.m.-3 p.m., it is a wonderful opportunity for the public to view a unique collection of birds and learn more about our "fair feather friends" from those who know them best, local bird watchers. Not only that, bird crafting activities will provide families with fun souvenirs of their visit. "For the Birds" is presented as part of the "Audubon of the West" exhibit.

"We feel celebrating this exquisite art with a fun-filled, family-oriented event will help add to the appreciation of Grayson's work," said Carola Enriquez, museum director.

The museum is open Monday-Saturday from 10 a.m.-5p.m. and Sundays from 12-5 p.m.

Admission prices are: $8 for adults, $7 for seniors ages 60 and older and students ages 13-17, $6 for students ages 6-12 and $5 for children ages 3-5. Children younger than age three are admitted free, and the parking is always free.
For more information, call the museum at (661) 852-5000 or visit the Web site, http://www.kcmuseum.org.


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