Wild Arts Festival is this weekend!

This coming weekend brings the annual Wild Arts Festival from the Audubon Society of Portland:

The Wild Arts Festival celebrates nature in the work of regionally and nationally-known artists and writers. Now in its 31st year, the Festival has become the northwest’s premier show and sale of nature related art and books. The participating artists and craftspeople represent a wide variety of media, and the authors present are a mix of novelists, photographers, poets and writers of non-fiction.

The details: Saturday, November 19 (10am-6pm) & Sunday, November 20, 2011 (11am-5pm), Montgomery Park, 2701 NW Vaughn, Portland, Oregon, $6 for Adults, Kids 16 and Under Free

Festival attendees looking at 2010 6x6 Wild Art Project submissions

Patrick and I participated in the 6×6 Wild Art Project, in which we painted a bird on a 6×6 canvas to be shown (see photo above) and sold at the festival; the $40 for the painting – if sold – becomes a donation for Audubon. Here are a few photos of our painting of a bald eagle:

Eagle painting for Audubon's Wild Arts Festival

We painted the blue sky background first

Patrick using brown for the body feathers

Patrick and his bald eagle painting

Patrick's bald eagle painting

When Patrick and I headed to Art Media downtown to turn in our painting, he got upset and said he did not want to give away his painting. He reminded him about the project and we we did it, but he was still sad about it. I explained to him that, what if a mom or dad buys his painting, and it inspires their kid to get outside and explore nature. He asked, “Doesn’t every kid explore nature.” I told him not every kid, and he was surprised and encouraged to donate his painting. Bravo, son!

I also look forward to seeing authors and illustrators of some books, especially: Wild in the City: Exploring the Intertwine: The Portland-Vancouver Region’s Network of Parks, Trails, and Natural Areas by Michael C. Houck and M.J. Cody (official book launch), Wildwood: The Wildwood Chronicles, Book I by Colin Meloy and illustrated by Carson Ellis, The Northwest Nature Guide by James Davis, artist Nikki McClure, One City’s Wilderness: Portland’s Forest Park, 3rd edition by Marcy Houle, The Collector: David Douglas and the Natural History of the Northwest by Jack Nisbet, and Thunder Tree: Lessons from an Urban Wildland by Robert Michael Pyle.