The beauty of nature is all around us. And with a new interactive art series at Cincinnati Museum Center (CMC), aspiring artists of all ages will see that beauty is in the details. Art supplies and inspiration included.
The Art in Nature drawing classes with Baker Hunt will take place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on May 27 and June 10 and 24. The programs are included with museum admission and free for CMC Members.
CMC and Baker Hunt Art and Cultural Center to present Art in Nature, a series of drop-in, nature-inspired drawing classes in their new John A. and Judy Ruthven Get Into Nature Gallery. Each session will allow the sights, sounds and, yes, scents, of the forest to be you muse.
The gallery features scientific specimens of deer, black bear, raccoons, coyotes and more, plus live millipedes and fish, all perfect subjects for the observational drawing classes.
“In nature, animals have different shapes, sizes, colors and textures. If you see something from far away, it appears much smaller and you see less of the details on it,” said artist Gabrielle Siekeman, who will be leading the Art in Nature drop-in classes. “At Cincinnati Museum Center, you get a chance to inspect all these different animals up close and see all the details! The museum is full of knowledge, and I want to challenge you to take your time in this space and draw what you see.”
The nature-inspired art series is a fitting tribute to the Get Into Nature Gallery’s namesake, John A. Ruthven, one of the most accomplished and respected nature artists of the 20th century, and a champion of conservation. Ruthven was a lifelong friend of CMC, from the donation of his first specimen in 1934 when was just 10 years old – a hummingbird – to his passing in 2020. The Get Into Nature Gallery, named in honor of him and his beloved wife, uses the wild beauty of the Eastern forest to better connect people and the great outdoors and inspire a respect for its preservation.
