Daily Archives: February 12, 2019


Sunday, February 24, 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm – Build a Better Birdhouse

On Sunday, February 24 from 2 – 4 pm at the Hunnewell Building of the Arnold Arboretum, 125 The Arborway, learn how to build safe homes for native birds. This class, taught by Brendan Keegan, covers best practices for general bird house design using the Arboretum’s own nest boxes (for tree swallows, eastern bluebirds, black capped chickadees, and screech owls) as examples. You will learn tips for deterring predators and non-native competitors, as well as how to safely monitor young nestlings. Finally, you will build and take home your own “Chickadee Tube,” a design suitable for many Boston yards.

Fee $28 Arboretum member, $35 nonmember. Register at my.arboretum.harvard.edu or call 617-384-5277.

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Thursday, February 28, 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm – Botanical Illustration: Winter Blooming

In this two-hour Boston Center for Adult Education session with Nancy Bentivegna on February 28 from 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm, students will focus on drawing winter florals provided by the instructor. Basic techniques of creating form and layering colored pencil will be discussed. Students who have enrolled in previous colored pencil sessions should bring those supplies. For new students, please bring a drawing pad, set of colored pencils (preferred Faber Castell polychrome or Prismacolor Premier), and eraser.

Nancy Bentivegna was born and raised in Ithaca, NY. Art was always her favorite subject in school and she pursued this passion in the art program at Penn State University where she earned her B.A. After college, she worked in marketing and advertising with several large firms in New York. In 1999, she started her own design firm, Kester House, and began creating custom home decor for clients throughout the New York metropolitan area. Her works include furniture, murals, decorative accent pieces and soft goods (pillows, linens, etc.). In 2008 she began the Botanical Art and Illustration Program at the New York Botanical Garden. Ms. Bentivegna completed all course work in June 2011 and then relocated to Boston. She primarily works in watercolor combined with colored pencil for depth and detail. Her works have been displayed in specialty shops in Connecticut and her original botanical artwork is part of private collections from New York to Florida.

The fee is $55 plus a $10 materials fee. Register online at https://bcae.org/product/botanical-illustration-winter-blooming-2-28-2019/

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