Celebrating Audubon

Birding enthusiasts are anticipating a program on John James Audubon and some of his selected works that will be held on Sunday, March 30, at 3:30 p.m. at the Boca Grande Community Center Auditorium. Robert Hall, who has been studying and creating Audubon’s works for years, will be the speaker.

In celebration of the Audubon Society’s 100th anniversary, Hall will explain how he became involved with Audubon’s works, how he creates his reproductions and more.

The program is being brought to the community by the board of directors of The Island School, including one board member who is a noted Audubon scholar and island resident, Susie Low.

Low, who started studying Audubon’s works when she was a new bride, has written several books on his works including “A Guide to Audubon’s Birds of America,” published in 2002, and has helped to write what is known as the “Bible of Audubon enthusiasts,” called the “Audubon Double Elephant Folio.” She has also published several handbooks regarding his work, including a whole series on the updated value of each print.

Low’s standing in the birding community helped to bring Robert Hall to the school and to the community. Hall has spent much of his time in recent years photographing 15-20 of Audubon’s works at a time at the Mill Grove Museum in Pennsylvania, then taking them back to his studio to create his reproductions, or what he calls his “fine art facsimiles.”

“You can’t tell them apart, they’re just wonderful,” Low said. “He’s up to about 100 now, but if someone is interested in one that isn’t shown he told me to not worry, he would be working on it soon.”

Prints will be available for sale at the showing of Hall’s work that will be held at The Island School Aqua Terra Hall after the lecture, at 4:15 p.m. The prints will be available for viewing only during the exhibition, so this will be the public’s only opportunity to see them.

“The prices of his reproductions have been steadily increasing over the years,” Low said. “They are a great investment, and a portion of each sale will go to The Island School.”

Low discusses all 435 of Audubon’s separate works, including identifying birds that Audubon mistakenly thought were North American in origin, and some “mystery” birds that have eluded the experts as to the origin of their species in her books. Recognized as one of the leaders in Audubon’s field of study, Low chuckled as she described how she became involved not only with her studies of the great artist, but of her involvement with the American Museum of Natural History as well.

“I started studying the works of John Audubon when I was just married,” she said. “My husband inherited five Havell Audubon prints, the best quality you can get. I started researching them, and the next thing you know I had a book. The research was half the fun … it was a lot of work, though.”

Low said she became involved with the museum out of sheer luck.

“As a new bride in New York, I was asked to be on a women’s committee,” she said. “That was the one I chose.”

Low has also been a trustee of the American Museum of Natural History for many years now, and used information obtained from them to complete her books.

“Audubon is a fascinating character,” she said. “He was a wonderful man, just great. First of all, he was one our really great explorers of the eastern half of the United States. He had a lot of heartbreak in his life, but he was so accomplished.”

Low has been involved in the school for years, and was put on the board two years ago.

“The school means everything to me … we’re so proud of it,” she said.

Hall will be staying overnight on the island at the request of Low and other board members, and will give a special presentation to Island School children Monday morning.

The event on Sunday, March 30 is free and open to the public.