Photos courtesy of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Some of the artwork created by students during the AiR program.

by Julie Burchstead
for Burns Times-Herald

March 6 barely “turned on the lights” as we turned out of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge headquarters onto Sodhouse Lane and headed to Burns.

Outside the window, the unique landscape was gradually revealed. Where some might see only sagebrush, I saw endless vistas, moody skies, ancient geography — and despite the wintry conditions — birds, birds, and more birds. Harney County has a certain pull on a person. It is a place I grow to love more with each visit.

Karen Edmonds (my fellow volunteer) and I were headed to Slater Elementary to meet Wildlife Refuge Specialist Carey Goss to begin the first day of the 2023 Harney County Artist-in-Residence (AiR) program.

For the past several years (interrupted only by the pandemic), Goss put her heart into this program, which helps Harney County’s children see the wonder of their surroundings with the fresh eyes of newcomers. With the help of numerous artists, Goss expanded the art contest into an educational opportunity wrapped in annual art experiences. Children can still choose to participate in the Youth Art Contest, but that is now a separate entity.

The AiR program is jointly supported by Goss from the Refuge and grant funds secured by Janelle Wicks, director of Friends of the Malheur Refuge. The program annually precedes April’s Harney County Migratory Bird Festival, and the children’s artwork becomes part of the celebration.

Over the course of a couple of weeks, Goss, Edmonds, and I rolled into K-8 classrooms with carefully packed tubs loaded with art supplies, educational charts, and George — a great horned owl, who since meeting his demise, lives on as an ambassador of Refuge educational programs, flying into the heart of every Harney County student he meets.

Goss begins each session with basic bird biology, anecdotes, recent observations, invitations, and recorded bird calls. Goss’ knowledge and passion for her work are magnetic, as she encourages students to notice the birds that can be spotted all around them — even on the playground.

While the children choose from a large collection of photo cards, Goss transforms each desk into a mini art studio equipped with supplies.

Finally, I introduce the art activity. I show students how they can use art to teach others about Harney County’s birds.

We use an art technique called crayon resist. This technique uses a contour line drawing that is traced with marker and colored with crayon and then painted over with a wash of watercolor.

Sometimes, trying new things, especially in art, can be intimidating for students. With the artist’s permission, I share a student’s work from a different class. We notice that the rendering is beautiful and recognizable, even though it doesn’t look exactly like the bird in the photograph. I encourage the students to make their work their own. Art doesn’t have to be photorealistic to be beautiful, instill curiosity, and teach others.

I model each step of the process, encouraging students to notice the bird’s shape with their eye before creating a line.

I ask, “What if you only look at this part of the bird? What shape do you see there?”

I note that a robin’s wing is shaped a bit like an ice cream cone because it’s rounded at the shoulder and pointed at the feather tip.

I also demonstrate how the wax crayon resists the watercolor paint and explain the difference between using watercolor to paint and using it as a wash.

We also discuss the artistic choices that they can make.

I then release the students to go give the process a try. Some dive right in. Others need a bit more coaching or reassurance. Goss and I make the rounds and support the artists through each step.

The collective hum of students at work is only broken by bird calls and student excitement, as Goss circles the room with her iPad and collections of feathers, eggs, and nests. She teaches each student specifics about their chosen bird while they draw, color, and paint.

By the end of the two-week period, we had the delight of working with almost 600 K-8 students in Burns and the far reaches of Harney County ranches. We are exhausted and energized. The students’ artwork, enthusiasm, and effort impressed us all.

Naturalist and poet, Mary Oliver, once wrote, “Attention is the beginning of devotion.”

When we start to care about something, we take care of it. Expressing what we see through art, asks us to pay attention to what we see in finer detail. Art provides a language beyond words for sharing what we think is important in the world with others. These days, we have a lot of competition for the attention of our young people. If the AiR program encourages students to notice birds and have more appreciation and curiosity for the natural world, we will have succeeded.

While she was leaving a classroom, a note was pressed into Goss’ hand. In confident kindergarten script, it read, “To Brd Pepl, I love brs.”

The young author had no idea how that one, little note — delivered in its handmade envelope, decorated with a brilliant blue bird singing beneath a signature Harney County sky — made the “bird people’s” day.

We are grateful to all the teachers who invited us into their classrooms.

Artwork created by students through the AiR program will be displayed at participating local businesses beginning the first weeks of April and throughout the duration of the Harney County Migratory Bird Festival.

Additionally, the Harney County Migratory Bird Festival will host a Youth Art Contest for local students in grades K-12. Artwork submitted for the contest will be displayed at the Memorial Building from April 14-16, and anyone can come vote for their favorite pieces. Submissions are due April 7 to the Chamber of Commerce. For more information about the Youth Art Contest, contact Carey Goss at carey_goss@fws.gov.