The exhibition was scheduled for April 2020 at the Stl. Zoo, Mo Botanical Garden and the National Park Service at the Gateway Arch. In light of the need for social distancing due to the Corona Virus, all public events are suspended at this time. However, arrangements have been made to have the exhibitions once the restrictions are lifted. The StL Arts Chamber designed a city wide collaborative project to celebrate art and nature that has been postponed, but that does not mean the project is over. Once our participating partners are fully reopen, the show will go on! Watch for updates for Spring 2022 events. In the meantime, enjoy this video of the Silent Skies Mural!
Take Flight with the St Louis Region as we explore conservation through the arts beginning with the Silent Skies Mural!
Silent Skies St Louis is a citywide celebration of the arts and conservation. Beginning when our partners fully open, the city will be using art to explore conservation issues. Issues include not only damage to the planet but also what man has done to restore it.
Events will begin with the exhibition of the Silent Skies Mural. The mural is a 678 piece collection of 8″x8″ squares of all the endangered birds of the world. The mural was created by 150 signature members of the international Artists for Conservation in 2018. Due to its size, parts of the mural will be hosted in three different venues. The St Louis Zoo is our primary host with half of the total mural. The Missouri Botanical Garden will host part of the mural from locations where it is restoring habitat. The St Louis Arch will host parts of the mural related to the birds migrating the Mississippi Flyway. With so much to do, consider staying overnight.
Check out places you have been before and find new favorites from our partners. Tour gardens with the Master Gardeners, enjoy the opening of Park-Like with the Pullitzer, join the Art Museum for an interpretative talk of SLAM Underground, create origami animals at Earth Day Festival and, for the stroller set, Contemporary Art Museum. See student work at the Galleries of Heartland Art Club and participate in creative art programs for children with Art Unleashed, the Magic House and Magic House MADE. There are 3 art and photography workshops scheduled for adults as well. St Charles County and Master Naturalists will be celebrating Birds in the Park and find out what you can do to support birds with the Lights Out St Louis project. International Dark Skies Association-Missouri will host a talk and interpretative sky watching party at the Arch. National Dance Week-St. Louis and Storytelling Festival will have performers addressing nature. The StL Symphony is performing Rite of Spring. So many more partners and additional events added all the time.
In the meantime, fold some origami birds with HEC TV, Educate.Today and the St Louis Arts Chamber.
For more information on the Artists for Conservation and to apply to join, check the website.
North American Nature Photography Assiciation guidelines on conservation photography and ethical wildlife photography.
Events and partners are added frequently so check back often!
Poster created by Tyler Nordgren
Now through April 19: Da Vinci the Exhibition
The master of combining the arts and science, Da Vinci did it all.
Featuring more than 60 replicas of da Vinci’s machines and 20 replicas of his art, you will get thechance to examine pieces that gave da Vinci the title of not only artist but inventor. Upon visiting the exhibition, guests will see replicas of his most renowned works, such as“Mona Lisa,” “The Last Supper” and “Portraitof a Young Man,” and have the opportunityto study his artistic approach and mastery. Da Vinci’s brilliance and commitment to science led him to explore anatomy as well, and you will have the chance to see his famous studies on the golden ratio, “VitruvianMan” and human body sketches. You will learn not only about his art but also his life achievements and discoveries in engineering, flight, hydraulics, music, light and more.
Now through 2020: National Geographic: 50 Greatest Landscapes
Planetarium Tunnel exhibits photographic images showing the phenomenon of changing seasons. Visitors will be transported to the wonders of the world-from underwater vantages to the expansive countryside to the most dominating moutain peaks and everywhere in between.
April 3 through May Magic House Made
We will begin doing our 8″x 8″ Art Submission out at MADE for Kids every Friday from April 3rd-June 26th. For these Art Submissions visitors will be asked to create a piece of work inspired by a highlighted endangered animal, bird, or habitat. We will provide them with some inspiration materials as well as the 8″ x 8″ illustration boards (However any work 3D/2D that fits within these dimensions will be accepted). All illustrations can be submitted to be photographed and included in the online collective. If you do not need to keep them then we will take down phone numbers to make sure pieces go back to their owners after submission.
April 3, 2020 Artists in Conversation: Elias Sime
Ethiopian artist Elias Sime creates large-scale modular artworks from discarded technological material that explore themes ranging from environmentalism and globalization to the history of modern art. In addition to his studio practice, Sime co-founded and helps run Zoma Museum, an Addis Ababa institution dedicated to community engagement and sustainability that is comprised of a school, farm, library, garden, café, and exhibition space. The artist will discuss his practice and the work presented in the exhibition Currents 118:
Elias Sime with Hannah Klemm, associate curator of modern and contemporary art, and Meskerem Assegued, curator and co-director, Zoma Museum, Addis Ababa. Registration
APRIL 3, 2020 Harry Potter: Art of the Movie and Science in the
“Wizarding World”.
Return to Hogwarts once more and explore the science of our favoritewizarding world. Shop from local artists and crafters, journey throughthe building on a special mission and learn how chemistry connects toHarry Potter with our special guest Dr. Rebecca Lai. SeeHarry Potterand the Order of the Phoenixat the end of the evening.
April 4, 2020 Opening of the part of the Silent Skies Mural at the Botanical Garden
April 4, April 18, 2020 Tree Potting at CommuniTree Gardens
Support conservation from habitat to birds in direct and truly productive ways! Every Spring, Forest ReLeaf pots thousands of native seedlings to be cultivated until they are ready to be distributed for planting on public and nonprofit owned land. We need your help! Join us at CommuniTree Gardens and help these trees get their start.
This is an easy, family friendly activity. No experience is required. Please wear close toed shoes, and bring a water bottle. Snacks, gloves, and tools provided.
April 4, 2020 Put those photographic skills to good use! The Callery pear buy-back returns for a second year.
The Missouri Invasive Plant Task Force is housed under the Missouri Prairie Foundation’s Grow Native! program.
To spread awareness about how the invasive Callery pear causes harm to economics and environment, Forest ReLeaf will partner with MoIP and BiodiverseCity St. Louis for a Callery pear “Buy-back” offering on April 4, 2020 10 a.m.-3 p.m..
People who supply photos of themselves with a cut-down, in-bloom Callery pear tree in their yards will receive a free native tree to replace it.
April 5, 12, 19, 26, 2020 Family Sundays: Creative Creatures
Examine the many creatures lurking in the galleries at April Family Sundays. Contemplate habitats, unique species, and the ways different cultures honor and represent animals. Create your own mural inspired by the Silent Skies Mural on display around St. Louis between April 1 and mid-June, craft sculptures, and design decorative objects with creatures in mind. Register
April 11 and 15, 2020 Wee Wednesdays and Wee
Weekends: Creatures of Flight
Learn, play, explore, and grow at the Museum’s program for our youngest visitors. Join us for an adventure as we discover new ways of interacting with art and each other. With time for play, storytelling, walks in the galleries, and art making, Wee Wednesdays and Wee Weekends provide a fun and active way to explore the Museum together. Recommended for children ages 3–5 and their caregivers. Register
April 12, 2020 Sustainable Easter Brunch
Spend Easter with the family and enjoy a . Bring the family together for a unique brunch experience at the Butterfly House! We’re partnering with Seed Sprout Spoon to create sustainable sourced, prepared and presented meal, a truly brunchtastic event . Enjoy a delicious meal on our Lakeside Terrace, followed by a stroll in the garden and a trip to the conservatory to visit our beautiful butterflies. Choose from three time slots: 10:30 to 11:30 a.m., noon-1:00, or 1:30-2:30. Registration is required.
April 13, 2020 Opening of the part of the Silent Skies Mural at the Gateway Arch
April 15, 2020 Edible Gardening in Containers at the Butterfly House
Want to grow your own food? Not sure where to start? No room for a traditional garden? Come learn how to grow fresh, delicious edibles in containers including edible flowers, herbs, vegetables, and fruits. Create a burlap-lined bushel basket to take home. All materials provided.
Registration required.
April 18, 2020 Wild About Birds in St. Charles County Park
Spring migration is upon us, the birds are singing and its prime time to go birding! St. Charles County Park Rangers and Missouri Master Naturalists will be teaching about the different birds that inhabit our parks. Fun activities include: nest and feeder making, a bird search, and education about hummingbird migration, feeders, and nest boxes. St. Charles County Libraries will have their Pop-up library so visitors can check out book about birds! This free event will take place on April 18, 2020 from 8:00-11:00 at the Heritage Museum. Field guides and binoculars will be passed out on a first come first serve basis.
April 18 2020 Velociraptor Awareness Day
You’ll have plenty to sink your teeth into as we highlight recent scientific discoveries on these predeceeors to today’s birds: feathered but flightless carnivores—velociraptors. Hurry! If you’re fast, you might even run into one.
April 18-19, 2020 Pollinator Fair Days at the Butterfly House
April 18-19; April 25-26 and May 2-3, 2020 Pollinator Plant Sale at
the Butterfly House
A chance to combine art and conservation in your own backyard! By including native pollinators in your design, you can add color and testure throughout the year and support native wildlife and habitat. Talk about multi tasking!
April 18, May 23, June 13 Cooking as Art with the Freshest
Ingredients from the Kirkwood Farmers Market
Cooking is an art of its own that requires the freshest, healthiest and, preferably sustainably grown, ingredients! Put your artistic skills to work with top ingredients from the Kirkwood Farmers Market. While there, Master Gardeners will be there to discuss sustainability and answer any questions.
April 19, 2020 Design a Pollinator Garden at the Butterfly House
Design your family pollinator garden like an expert. Our staff will teach you some good strategies for picking pollinator garden plants, and we will do a fun activity to learn how gardens are designed. Each participant will take home a personalized pollinator garden design and a pollinator plant to start the process. Registration required.
May 8 or 9, 2020 The Rite of Spring
Stéphane Denève, conductor
Gautier Capuçon, cello
JALBERT Music of Air and Fire
CONNESSON Cello Concerto
STRAVINSKY The Rite of Spring
Sense the vibrations, smell the earth. Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring is raw and unfiltered. It speaks to our primal selves and leaves no listeners unmoved. Guillaume Connesson breaks the granite of a lunar landscape, then rocks out in an underground club.
May 9, 2020 Opening of Park-Like at the Pulitzer
Join artist and landscape designer Chris Carl of Studio Land Arts and the Pulitzer’s Director of Public Engagement Kristin Fleischmann Brewer to celebrate the public opening of Park-Like. Carl and Brewer will lead walking tours throughout the day to talk about the project, sustainability, stewardship, and the park’s future usages. Bring a blanket, picnic basket, and weather appropriate attire.
Located across the street from the museum, Park-Like is a sustainably designed green space for visitors to meander along the grass pathways, investigate plants and wildlife in an urban setting, and be delighted by unexpected perspectives. The garden comprises both native and non-native plants, as well as found building materials that have been transformed into water filtration systems, retaining structures, seating, and play space. Utilizing site-responsive land and rainscaping techniques, the project was designed by Studio Land Arts to absorb stormwater runoff and reduce the impact on urban drainage and sewer systems while creating a site for wildlife and the public to enjoy.
Park-Like will be open to the public daily from sun up to sun down starting on May 9. Studio Land Arts is run by artist and landscape designer Chris Carl and based in Granite City, IL.
May 9, 2020 Shaw Wildflower Market
Show your artistic flair in your landscape and support conservation at the same time.
Choose from the widest selection of native plants available in the metro St. Louis area.
Browse hundreds of varieties of annual and perennial wildflowers, ferns, trees and shrubs to use in home landscaping and to attract wildlife, along with both showy and hardy plants for sun or shade. Beer, wine, cheese, meats and more will also be available for purchase.
Need inspiration? Check out the Wildflower Garden while at Shaw!
July 3, 2020 3-4PM Story Stitchers Presents “Fly” at the National
Blues Museum
Saint Louis Story Stitchers Artists Collective will present “FLY,” a performance which explores the commonality of the pressures on life forms including plants, animals and people caused by the physical, emotional and environmental realities of contemporary life. It considers looming dangers, speed and time, buzzing, fluttering, soaring and lifting off. Come soar with the Saint Louis Story Stitchers!
Story Stitchers presentation will include live performances of original spoken word, dance, and music related to nature and to various aspects of the concept of flying in both rural and urban environments.
May 30, 2020 Night Sky Silent Skies Watch Party at the Arch
The Missouri Chapter of the International Dark Sky Association (darkskymissouri.org) will be delivering a 30-minute program entitled “Silent Skies” at the Gateway Arch on Saturday, May 30th at 8:00 pm. Immediately following the program and weather permitting, volunteers of the St. Louis Astronomical Society will host a stargazing program session on the Gateway Arch grounds. For more information, check out the programs on the website.
Master Garden Tours
Enjoy arts and Conservation with a tour of gardens throughout the area. Join Master Gardeners and artists exploring what is enhancing our habitat. Find out ways you can do it too!
May 21, 2020 Pollinator Porch Pot class at the Butterfly House
Want to attract bees and butterflies to your garden? This is the class for you. We will learn container garden basics, take a walk in the garden, and build a container to take home filled with pollinator-friendly plants that you will love too! All plants and supplies are provided. Come prepared for a half mile walk. Registration required.
June 2020 Activities at Magic House: Art Summer Camp each week
in June
Art Adventurers (ages 4-5): Ready, set, CREATE! Campers are sure to discover their inner artist as they explore a variety of media from paint to printmaking, clay, collage, and more! Mini masters will draw inspiration from iconic artists as they set out on this artistic adventure!
Art Unleashed (ages 6-8): It’s time to unleash the inner artist! With an exciting introduction to artistic elements and principles, brains will be bursting with ideas. All week campers will create their own authentic masterpieces by exploring the featured techniques of the day!
Camp Create (ages 8-11): Imaginations will soar during this all-day, fun-filled week that encourages campers to explore, collaborate and let their creativity flow! Aspiring artists will make memorable masterpieces while learning art concepts and experimenting with different art processes. Campers will experience a fantastic blend of art-based projects and activities to enhance creative thinking, investigate the visual arts and inspire self-expression! The week will conclude with a magnificent gallery curated by campers and their counselors.
Daily Guided Tours in June: Forests, Fields, and Feathers
June 1-5, 2020 Tree Camp for 5th and 6th Graders
Participants will learn basic tree biology and identification as well as the relationship between trees and birds, pollinators, fungus, soil, and water through nature arts, crafts, games, and more. Snacks and lunch will be provided.
June 5, 2020 First Friday in Grand Center
Join the Angad Arts Hotel to view parts of the Mural, make bird origami to contribute to a collaborative paper sculpture, check out the living vertical sculpture at The Sheldon and visit galleries in Grand Center during the extended hours on First Friday!
June 5-7, 2020 Wildlife Painting Workshop With AFC Signature
Member Rob Dreyer
Artist for Conservation Signature member Rob Dreyer will present a workshop on his techniques for award winning paintings. Paint with Rob Friday night June 5 7-10PM and Saturday and Sunday 9AM-5PM. Limited to 10 participants. Check out his website. More Information and to register.
May 9, 2020 Tour for those with Memory Loss and their Care
Partners : The Spirit of Nature
June 13, 2020 Origami Animals at Contemporary Art Museum
Stroller Tour / Morning Play Date
Join us for the June free Stroller Tours and Play Dates. The first hour of the morning is designed for art lovers and their children 2 and under. Play Dates start right after, with artist-led activities and interactive performances, recommended for ages 2 to 5. We will be creating animal origami. There are birds that flap and frogs that jump. Come help your young one and enjoy the giggles!
June 14, 2020 Painting Pollinators
You and your family are formally invited to enjoy an afternoon of drinks, snacks, and painting. No prior experience is needed. Follow along with an instructor to learn how to paint a colorful butterfly on canvas! All paint supplies, snacks, and drinks provided. Registration required.
June 20, 2020 Artist Voice: Jogakbo as a Meditative Art
Youngmin Lee, artist Jogakbo, or patchwork bojagi, embodies the philosophy of recycling as they are made from remnants of leftover fabric. Bojagi is a traditional textile art that occupied a prominent place in the daily lives of Koreans of all classes. They were used to wrap or carry everything from precious ritual objects to everyday household goods. Pieced together from small cloth scraps, bojagi are strikingly contemporary; the designs and colors are similar to abstract artworks. Register
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