As a fundraiser for the Mountainaire Avian Rescue Society, local artist Jonny Cresswell will paint a live animal portrait of a Great Horned Owl named Brinley.
The owl, brought to the gallery by her handler, Reg Westcott of MARS, will join Cresswell in the window of Impressions Gallery this Saturday from noon to 4:30 p.m., where Cresswell will create a large oil painting.
The painting will be up for silent auction at Impressions, with final bids to be submitted at the Mountainaire Avian Rescue Society (MARS) EagleFest, February 23 at the Maritime Heritage Centre.
“What an amazing experience,” Cresswell said. “I’m going to get the chance to paint a live Great Horned Owl to raise money for a charity that is very important to me personally. It will be fascinating to spend that much time up close to such a magnificent creature.
“They do so much more than save injured birds. Their mission is to conserve and protect native wildlife and its natural habitat through education and rehabilitation,” Cresswell said.
For more information on MARS, visit its website, www.wingtips.org
The owl and the artist will be accepting donations for MARS as well as bids on the painting from the date of the event until the Campbell River Bald Eagle Festival at the Maritime Heritage Museum on February 23.
There Cresswell and Brinley will hopefully meet up again, when the auction is closed and the proud new owner announced.
If Brinley’s not too busy, that is.