The Flyway Journeys Wildlife Art Fellowship

2003 Recipient - James Cuthair

In summer 2003, Corning High School student James Cuthair, age 17, was selected to travel to Delta Marsh in Manitoba, Canada, for a week to participate in the new Flyway Journeys Wildlife Art Fellowship. Art supplies and travel expenses for Cuthzair's fellowship were provided by California Waterfowl Association. While in Canada, Cuthair was hosted by Delta Waterfowl Foundation staff, students, and other wildlife professionals.

Delta's own Weston Fellowship Artist in Residence, Joella Arsenault, worked alongside Cuthair as his student mentor. Arsenault was a third-year art student at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design working toward a major in photography. Her experience as an up-and-coming photographer helped Cuthair learn more about artistic study at the college level.

Former Delta student and professional nature artist Jim Rataczak spent several days working closely with both young artists. Rataczak shared his own philosophy of sketching and painting with the entire habitat in mind and understanding that each part of an ecosystem is connected. The trio spent hours in the field observing wildlife, studying colors and poses, and sketching.

Professional photographer Fred Greenslade also spent a day with Cuthair and Arsenault, providing expert instruction during a visit to Delta Waterfowl's field station in Saskatchewan. Cuthair was excited to learn so many new techniques that will help him improve his artwork.

Since his return, Cuthair has had time to reflect on the experience, and he is thankful for what he calls "the opportunity of a lifetime." Among his favorite activities were walks along Lake Manitoba to view wildlife and sketch, canoe rides on the marsh, and the chance to help with Delta's sporting clays fundraiser. As a member of the Corning High School Shooting Team, he enjoyed spending time with other shooting enthusiasts.

As part of his fellowship requirements, Cuthair will also be completing a related conservation visual arts project. He hopes to motivate and guide other young artists in his community by visiting several junior high art classes to convey what he learned about waterfowl and wetlands during his fellowship.

Cuthair's art teacher, Mendy Beardsley, had this to say: "One of the highlights of this summer was watching one of my students travel to Canada and the experiences he gained while up there. James has become a different student his senior year, one with confidence, a newly gained knowledge, and one who now glows within the classroom.

"I am having my advanced class work more in their sketchbooks due to the information that James brought back with him. He is a leader in the advanced art class and one who draws with incredible confidence. Your program created this confidence, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart. A teacher always hopes that a student will get the chance to experience an opportunity such as the Flyway Program and thanks to the California Waterfowl Association this opportunity became a reality for James."