This Saturday, April 25, Kelowna Museums, in association with UBCO student artist Kacie Auffret, will present an installation of crows, to raise appreciation of crows and corvids in the Central Okanagan.
Auffret graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Windsor and is now pursuing her masters in visual arts interdisciplinary creative and critical studies at the University of British Columbia Okanagan.
Her work ranges from intaglio printmaking and digital media to photographs and performance art.
Auffret’s interested in the relationships between people and animals, including animals in the industrial food chain, wildlife, household pets, and lab specimens.
As part of her presentation at Okanagan Heritage Museum, Auffret will share stories involving roadkills, spirituality, and our relationships with animals.
She will also provide crow cutouts which will be placed in the gallery as an interactive.
Joining Auffret to provide the natural history component is Logan Lalonde, birding chair of the Central Okanagan Naturalists Club, the youngest person to hold a position on the executive of that club.
Lalonde describes himself as “a true ‘hard-core’ birder,” someone who goes out everyday with his binoculars and camera.
“I chase almost every rare bird reported in my hometown. Hopefully that doesn’t sound like arrogance, because it isn’t,” he said.
Lalonde will speak on Saturday about the natural history of crows and corvids in the Central Okanagan.
“Do you love birds, art, and bird-as-art?” said Christina Neale, Kelowna Museums programming coordinator.
“Fly, don’t walk, to this event. The collections are scheduled to include a Grey jay, a Stellar’s jay, and magpies.
“We believe this is an experience you’ll always carry with you.”
The event runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Okanagan Heritage Museum, 470 Queensway Ave., with special presentations by the artist and naturalist at 2 p.m.
