Today, a celebration of spring. We’re being treated to a screenshot by screenshot portrait of the artist as a young birder. Jenny Kroik is a freelance painter, illustrator, conservationist, and, most recently, a fundraiser for humanitarian aid to Ukraine whose work appears in The New Yorker. She was the recent guest of the CT Audubon Society, which allowed us to record Jenny’s episode of its Young, Gifted and Wild About Birds Zoom webinar, in which Jenny traces her development as a birder through her art. She opens up her ever-handy sketchbook for us and tells anecdotes from her birding life, near and far, observing the several the ways art making is not that much different from birdwatching. She answers questions about her painting techniques as she treats us to a demo. It’s a fun hour with a lively guide who – probably like you – loves art and Nature. Find Jenny @jkroik and jennykroik.com.
Patrick Comins, exec dir of the CT Audubon Society, starting the webinar over Zoom.Jenny Kroik, artist and birderJenny’s first New Yorker cover, based on a shopper at NYC’s Strand BookstoreTwo subsequent coversPeople watching and bird watching have a lot in commonBirding during the pandemicA friend turned Jenny onto birdingJenny’s first birding trip, Cape May, NJJenny’s caption says it allCan anybody guess what bird this is? (Answer at end)Jenny tries to capture animals’ attitudesFluffed up in a rainy Fort Tryon Park in NYC. Can you guess what this is? (Answer at end)Capturing movement, “trying to get good at terns”Having fallen in love with birds at NYC’s Museum of Natural History, got the urge to travelA Red-Winged Blackbird, singingSo many sparrows! Jenny imagines a new one.The famous Barred Owl who lived in Central ParkIn real lifeSketching on site to memorize shapes and habitatsJenny uses a brush pen and a few colors when working outdoors; she keeps a few Sharpies on her at all timesNoticing details around her subject, whether sketching birds or people ..From a trip to Boston. She drew in the hotel afterward.From a Cape May trip. Can you find the mistake? (Answer at end.)Jenny’s momJenny’s dadJenny’s pal, Jen, who introduced Jenny to NYC’s Wild Bird FundRita is the director. @wildbirdfundJenny’s work in the gallery there; a bird pooped on one of the works, which Jenny took as a sign of its approvalJenny’s workspaceSome of Jenny’s “Future Birds” for The New YorkerCan anyone guess this bird from a few lines?Yes, a Short-Eared OwlJenny’s take on the Bernie memeA glimpse at Jenny’s phoneAn owl Jenny visits in NY’s Inwood Park. She makes up whimsical poems to soothe herself when she walks in scary parks.A view of Jenny’s desk as she starts a demo
A sketch of a Snowy Egret in NJ. Jenny starts with a penline to keep from getting too obsessed with details
Jenny chooses a Mistle Thrush to drawShe doesn’t sell paintings she makes from other people’s photos, such as those on eBird, only those from ones she made herself.Often, she’ll neglect to leave enough room for the tail, so she simply attaches a piece of paper.She often uses gouache, an opaque watercolor that she can layer additional coats onto.Waiting for the paint to dry, she starts another one.She paints on hot press watercolor paper, which is smoother than cold press. This is the start of a widgeon.Birding and making art both require patience.She adds “all the supernice details” after the paint’s dried. Also, the background.
Thank you!
[Answers to questions, top to bottom: Longtail Duck, Baltimore Oriole, Coot, Short-Eared Owl]
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