Winging It: Birds in Art

FALLBROOK – The latest art exhibition, “Winging It: Birds in Art,” in the Fallbrook Library took flight Monday, Nov. 6, and will stay until Friday, Jan. 5, 2024. Bird lovers will enjoy seeing the interpretations from 10 locally gifted artists who all agree fine feathered friends are a perfect subject to capture in painting, photography and sculpture.

Friends of the Fallbrook Library displays the beauty and diversity of birds with 38 paintings in the Community Room and hallway as well as with sculpture on the Reading Patio. Robert Sommers, Laine Gonzales, Hajime Ohno and Nancy Kreile take photos of birds with beautiful sensitivity.

Gonzales said she “enjoys the challenge of capturing images that honor her subjects.”

Sommers finds “peaceful places and escapes the world” when he goes out to shoot his subjects and his photographs reflect it.

Kreile said, “Birds are my passion”.

Ohno said Fallbrook inspires his images both in photography and with paint and is “captivated by birds.”

Marian Seiders, Bonnie Rinier, Susan Keith, Lisa Stowers and Ray Fedorchak use their areas of art expertise to create personal art statements on paper or canvas.

Seiders uses mixed media to great advantage, saying, ”Birds have interesting shapes and colors and represent a variety of symbolic meanings.”

Renier, who paints charming watercolors, said, “Birds are special little creatures.”

Stowers creates whimsical bird collages and “encourages their presence” on her patio while Keith captures their majesty in her large-scale watercolor pieces, first becoming interested in them as subjects watching them in her backyard.

When Fedorchak saw ”The Predator,” face to face, he knew he had to make a pastel painting of it.

Austin Casson, nationally recognized sculptor, has been creating metal, bronze and stone works for the past 34 years. Every small piece of metal is carefully applied to create amazing sculpture. In keeping with the show’s theme, his pieces on display are of birds. His work is in permanent collections all over, notably in World of Gold, Fallen Heroes Memorial and California Thoroughbred Hall of Fame.

Everyone is invited to meet the artists at a reception Saturday, Nov. 18, from 2-4 p.m. at this free event. There will be music by Christina Curiel and refreshments will be offered. The library is located at 124 S. Mission Road in Fallbrook.

Submitted by Friends of Fallbrook Library.