John Busby Seabird Drawing Week 2011


Gannets by John Busby


A field sketching and painting week based at North Berwick on the Firth of Forth

18th - 25th June 2011

Course leaders: John Busby, David Measures, Anna Kirk Smith and Darren Woodhead

This is an opportunity for enthusiasts with experience of field sketching to gather for a week of drawing and painting among many seabird sites in the area: Bass Rock, Fidra, Dunbar, St. Abbs Head, Tyringhame, Aberlady Bay. Artists can opt to do their own thing or join others on visits to seabird sites. John Busby, David Measures, Anna Kirk Smith and Darren Woodhead will all be on hand if anyone would like help or guidance with drawing or painting in the field, and we hope to offer optional evening activities.

Contact Mark Boyd for more information.

As announced in September, John Busby was recently named as a "Master Artist" at the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, USA. The award demonstrates a worldwide appreciation for the talents of John which is reflected in 'The Remarkable Mr. Busby', a new article for the Wildlife Art Journal by its Editor, Todd Wilkinson. The article explains why American wildlife artists now revere John as the greatest living bird artist:

'A retrospective glance at the pure genius of British painter John Busby, who carries forward the mantel of fine avian art.'

Read more at the Wildlife Art Journal.

We are pleased to announce that John Busby has been named the 2009 Master Wildilfe Artist in 'Birds in Art'. The exhibition of his work runs initially at the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, Wisconsin, USA, from 12th September to 15th November 2009. You can hear John speak about his life as a wildlife artist at 10 a.m. on the 12th September during the opening day Meet the artists event at the Woodson.

Following the stay at the Woodson, the exhibition will then tour the USA and will be on view at the following museums:

• Muskegon Museum of Art, Michigan, 10th December 2009 to 14th February 2010
• Museum of the Red River, Oklahoma, 7th March 2010 to 15th May 2010
• Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Arizona, 3rd July 2010 to 5th May 2010
• Wildling Art Museum, California, 27th September 2010 to 2nd January 2011

Anna Kirk-Smith has just returned from lecturing at John Busby's drawing course held on Bass Rock, Scotland. Here, alongside John Busby and David Measures, Anna taught the drawing of birds from life among the thousands of Bass Rock gannets. Some examples of her work, generated at St. Abb’s on the same trip, are below. If you would like to see these pieces and others in the flesh, they are due to be exhibited at the British Birdwatching Fair in Rutland, from the 21st to 23rd August 2009.