2026 Art Workshops
Workshops are held at the Maumee Bay State Park Nature Center.
Sessions are 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Sessions are 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Cookie Decorating Workshop: Birds, Bees, and Butterflies
|
Presented by Pattye Nicolls of PattyeBakes Cookies
Date: Friday, May 8, 2026 Time: 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Location: Maumee Bay State Park Nature Center Fee: $55 Registration Required: Yes Capacity: 10 Join PattyeBakes for a fun cookie decorating workshop where by the end of this class you will take home 6-8 bird shaped cookies that you have decorated. Cookies, tools, icing, and instructions will be provided in the class. PattyeBakes Cookies is run by Pattye Nicolls. Proceeds from her bakes go to support Good Grief of Northwest Ohio and other nonprofits throughout the area. Pattye is retired from Toledo Children's Hospital and loves to volunteer. When she's not baking, she loves birding with her bird buddies. About Pattye
Pattye is one of the 2024 Black Swamp Bird Observatory Volunteers of the Year. Along with the other Volunteer of the Year winner, Julie Heitz, they have raised thousands of dollars for the Ohio Young Birders Club from holding their annual Birder's Tea. |
Watercolor Takes Wing
|
Presented by Susan Brickner-Wren
Date: Saturday, May 9, 2026 Time: 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Location: Maumee Bay State Park Nature Center Fee: $55 Registration Required: Yes Capacity: 14 Transparent watercolor captures light, movement and color like no other media. This workshop will teach techniques to mix colors, draw focus to the subject and create an interesting backdrop. Best suited for artists with some watercolor experience. A small supply list and introductory material will be e-mailed to all registered participants. The paint-along will be transferred to Arches watercolor paper prior to the workshop to allow time to discuss materials, practice techniques and focus on the painting process. About Susan
Susan Brickner-Wren is an award-winning watercolor artist from the heart of Ohio. She’s a featured artist for Arches premium watercolor paper. A born outdoor enthusiast, she draws inspiration from exploration of the natural world. She paints a range of subjects, but has a special appreciation for birds. Professionally, she protects the environment as a water reclamation operations supervisor with a background in Chemistry and Microbiology. In her free time she’s often birding, gathering reference photos of birds while honing her photography skills, painting, or planning the next adventure. Last year she enjoyed an Australian holiday birding, meeting lovely local twitchers, conservationists and inspiring artists. |
Birds On The Page: A Foundation of Drawing Birds
|
Presented by Veronica Bialecki
Date: Sunday, May 10, 2026 Time: 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Location: Maumee Bay State Park Nature Center Fee: $55 Registration Required: Yes Capacity: 15 This workshop will give you a foundational knowledge of drawing birds. The techniques discussed will help you gain confidence of getting birds down on the page, whatever your intent may be; creating a piece of artwork or taking notes to later help you identify a bird. We will be discussing characteristics of line, shape, color, and forms; and how we can use techniques to draw birds. Birds come in many shapes and sizes and often do that thing they do, fly away. Many of the same techniques used while birding are also utilized when making art. Beginners and experts welcome. Bring sketch book, paper, pens, crayon, markers - whatever you would like to use for our exercises. About Veronica
Veronica is a wildlife artist who strives to illustrate the allure and excitement of birds. Being a birder herself, Veronica is captivated by all things birds; the colors, shapes, attitudes and environments. Veronica has a personal connection to her work, illustrating only the wildlife she has seen. Veronica intends to create artwork that opens discussions about nature and conservation but also helps her make connections with people. Veronica’s best work comes from sketches from the field while birding. She never goes anywhere without her binoculars and sketchbook. |
Bring that Bird to Life, using Acrylic Paint
|
Presented by Julie Bomia
Date: Monday, May 11, 2026 Time: 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Location: Maumee Bay State Park Nature Center Fee: $55 Registration Required: Yes Capacity: 15 In this workshop, participants will make the bird pop off the canvas with a beautiful, blurred background, using soft blending techniques. Next, they will choose a bird to bring to the forefront. For this workshop, participants will choose between a Canada Warbler or an American Redstart. The bird will be made to stand out by highlighting its most striking features. Through the use of bright colors and close attention to detail, the bird will appear to come alive. Participants will paint on a small canvas (approximately 5" × 5" to 8" × 8", depending on time). Photo references will be available for participants to use when selecting and painting their bird subject. About Julie
Julie Bomia is a pediatric social worker by profession but an artist at heart. Northwest Ohio is rich in natural beauty. Her acrylic paintings are inspired by the local landscape, including local landmarks and area Metroparks. She also enjoys painting the beautiful birds that can be found in our own backyard. Northwest Ohio is a popular route for hundreds of thousands of birds each spring and fall. She loves to paint these birds and bring them to life on canvas with the use of color, shadows, and texture. Her paintings are photorealistic, and her goal is to trick the eye into thinking the painting is a photograph. She hopes for her viewers to see the beauty that is so unique for each bird. Whether it is a bright red crest or a dark black crown, each bird has a distinct beauty, and each will shine in its own way. She hopes her bird paintings show off that beauty and encourage someone to learn about the bird. It is a joy to hear someone say {as they look at her painting}, “That’s my favorite bird” and then proceed to tell her a story about that bird. She hopes that her paintings will instill a sense of peace, wonder, and beauty just like the actual places and birds do for so many that live in and visit Northwest Ohio. In her free time, she volunteers with BSBO at the Navarre Marsh banding station. She enjoys birding. She mostly fills her time with family events and activities with her husband and three children. |
Block Carving & Upcycled Apparel
|
Presented by Nora Steele
Date: Tuesday, May 12, 2026 Time: 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Location: Maumee Bay State Park Nature Center Fee: $55 Registration Required: Yes Capacity: 14 Celebrate creativity and sustainability in this upcycling art session. Learn to carve your own printing block inspired by nature (or anything you like!) and transform a garment into a personal piece of wearable art. Bring a lightweight shirt (or two) to print on; spares will also be available. About Nora
Nora Steele is an artist and naturalist in the Hocking Hills area of Ohio. Her childhood curiosity about mythology led her to explore the outdoors, hoping to encounter the magical fairy folk. Instead, she discovered the captivating magic of nature itself, which she now brings to life through her digital illustrations. Nora's goal is to create art that educates and inspires others to appreciate the beauty of nature, emphasizing the importance of preserving our natural resources for future generations. Her work celebrates the region's flora and fauna, promoting both education and preservation while connecting people with nature through the power of Art. |
Painting in the Wild: A wooden ornament painting workshop!
|
Presented by Kelly Riccetti
Date: Wednesday, May 13, 2026 Time: 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Location: Maumee Bay State Park Nature Center Fee: $55 Registration Required: Yes Capacity: 15 Is May too early to start painting wooden ornaments for the Holidays? Not if they are sweet, spring migrant-inspired warblers! We will use acrylic paint to create beautiful birdy ornaments from wooden blanks cut in the shape of spring migrants and a few backyard bird favorites too. You’ll also have the option of painting snowy woodland scenes, twinkling night skies, and owls on live-edge wooden slices. (No experience necessary. All supplies provided.) About Kelly
Kelly Riccetti is a lifelong artist and student of nature. She writes the birding and nature blog "Red and the Peanut" where she shares her nature research, photographs, and bird paintings. She also teaches field sketching and watercolor painting classes with an emphasis on nature…and fun! She can often be found hiking the banks of the Little Miami River in Cincinnati, Ohio searching out birds, wildflowers, insects, and turtles. |
Sketching in the Wild!
|
Presented by Kelly Riccetti
Date: Thursday, May 14, 2026 Time: 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Location: Maumee Bay State Park Nature Center Fee: $55 Registration Required: Yes Capacity: 15 Get outside and observe the natural world! This workshop will introduce beginners to the basics of field sketching and nature journaling with an emphasis on drawing birds. By combining observation skills with a few simple drawing techniques, participants will be able to go out and start sketching in the wild with confidence! No experience necessary. All supplies and a book are included. About Kelly
Kelly Riccetti is a lifelong artist and student of nature. She writes the birding and nature blog "Red and the Peanut" where she shares her nature research, photographs, and bird paintings. She also teaches field sketching and watercolor painting classes with an emphasis on nature…and fun! She can often be found hiking the banks of the Little Miami River in Cincinnati, Ohio searching out birds, wildflowers, insects, and turtles. |
Wings on the Move: A Quilted Bird Sampler
|
Presented by Julie Heitz
Date: Friday, May 15, 2026 Time: 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Location: Maumee Bay State Park Nature Center Fee: $55 Registration Required: Yes Capacity: 14 A sampler created from Papercrafting quilt blocks named after birds, positive affirmations and images. About Julie
Julie has lived in Toledo for 35 years and absolutely feels blessed to be in a region that has so much to offer nature-wise. Besides Birding, her hobbies are Papercrafting, quilting and working in her flower gardens. |
The Spark Bird Project Retrospective Nature Journaling & Story Swap
|
Presented by Jenn Lodi-Smith
Date: Saturday, May 16, 2026 Time: 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Location: Maumee Bay Lodge - Starboard/Navigator Room Fee: $25 Registration Required: Yes Capacity: 50 Come share your story with The Spark Bird Project, an ongoing community science initiative designed to gather, share, and study the stories of people’s passion for birds! Join with fellow bird enthusiasts to learn more about TSBP, engage with retrospective nature journaling to craft your story, swap stories, and hear what we are discovering from hundreds of spark birders! About Jenn
Jenn Lodi-Smith, Ph.D., the founder and director of The Spark Bird Project, is a Professor of Psychology at Canisius University and scholar-in-residence with the Roger Tory Peterson Institute. Jenn has been using mixed methods to longitudinally study identity development for over 20 years, most recently in the context of the transformative power of spark bird experiences. She serves as secretary/treasurer for the Association for Research in Personality, associate editor of Journal of Personality, on the board of Birds on the Niagara, and mentors the WNY Young Birders Club. |
Bird Art Basics
|
Presented by Christina Baal
Date: Saturday, May 16, 2026 Time: 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Location: Maumee Bay State Park Nature Center Fee: $55 Registration Required: Yes Capacity: 14 We love birds for so many reasons: their beautiful songs, their fascinating behaviors, their incredible life histories. And, of course, their gorgeous plumage! This watercolor workshop led by Christina Baal will focus on capturing the amazing colors and patterns of birds in an expressive, splashy watercolor painting style that is simple to use and requires basic, easy to obtain materials. The class will focus on letting go of anatomical perfection to examine instead a combination of emotion, energy, and color that portrays a bird in a way that is loose and fun. We will learn tips and tricks that make it easy to jump into a painting no matter your skill level! While geared toward beginner/intermediate skill levels, anyone is welcome to attend. Please note that this class can be messy- dress accordingly! All materials required will be provided, but you are welcome to bring your own. About Christina
Christina Baal is a bird artist and naturalist whose dream is to meet and paint 10,000 different species of birds. She discovered the world of birding as a student at Bard College in the Hudson Valley. Christina's adventures have taken her across the country and around the globe. Her art has been featured at a number of birding festivals and events, including The Biggest Week in American Birding, Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival, and New Jersey Audubon's World Series of Birding. In 2022, she was asked to paint Burrowing Owl as the the American Birding Association's "Bird of the Year" art. While not painting and chasing birds, Christina works as an environmental educator, bird guide, and art instructor so that she can share her love of birds and art. She currently lives with her partner, a California Condor biologist, in California’s Pinnacles National Park. |