Crane Season Program Highlight: MONA Art Classes

Every spring, the Iain Nicolson Audubon Middle at Rowe Sanctuary turns into a vibrant hub of exercise – not only for birds, however for folks of all ages drawn to one in all nature’s most outstanding migrations. This seasonal gathering gives distinctive alternatives to deepen connections to the cranes and the Platte River via packages that weave collectively artwork, schooling, and conservation. It additionally creates a possibility for Rowe Sanctuary to companion with quite a few local people organizations for programming. 

Based within the Seventies, the Museum of Nebraska Artwork (MONA) has lengthy been devoted to celebrating Nebraska arts and artists, with assist from the College of Nebraska at Kearney. Its mission is to interact numerous audiences by honoring the historical past of Nebraska’s visible arts by preserving, researching, and exhibiting works by artists who’ve ties to the state or whose artwork displays Nebraska’s tradition. MONA and Rowe have lengthy been companions via the Kearney Cultural Companions group. In 2024, the 2 organizations started exploring methods to collaborate extra deliberately throughout Crane Season. With MONA below building in early 2025, the partnership naturally advanced to carry MONA programming to the newly reworked middle at Rowe Sanctuary.

Artwork and nature have lengthy been intertwined, with artists drawing inspiration from the pure world to grasp it and categorical folks’s place inside it. Artwork lessons rapidly emerged as a significant option to develop Crane Season choices and invite members to interact with the migration via creativity and reflection. This 12 months, the collaboration focuses on 4 workshops, every taught by a distinct artist. There are a couple of plein air workshops that concentrate on portray outside in pure gentle, emphasizing the speedy and ever-changing results of sunshine on a scene. As well as, one class invitations members to create an summary Platte River panorama after which paint a crane utilizing a craft feather for a novel, hands-on method. All provides shall be offered, so company can merely come to the workshop and benefit from the artistic course of. 

These artwork lessons add an essential dimension to Rowe Sanctuary’s Crane Season programming. With the addition of Braided in Unison and its emphasis this 12 months on remark and nature journaling, integrating artwork into the season felt like a pure continuation. Collectively, these choices create a holistic Crane Season expertise at Rowe Sanctuary. One which evokes surprise, creativity, and an enduring sense of look after this extraordinary place.