Bruce Inspires: Duck Stamp Painting with Kira and Kess
Thursday, November 14, 2024, from 6–7:30 pm, Education Classroom 2
Join viral TikTok artists, and twins, Kira Sabin and Kess Fennel as they teach you how to paint your own duck stamp painting. In this hour and half long workshop, you will learn about the rules and regulations of creating and submitting your own duck painting to the Federal Duck Stamp Contest, along with sketching a duck in gallery, then finishing up by painting your own duck. Materials will be provided for this workshop, along with light bites and drinks. Kira and Kess will also be available to help as your create your own duck stamp painting.
Kira and Kess grew up sharing a love for both animals and art, attending art school together and continuing to inspire each other’s creative journeys. Kira is a professional painter in the Twin Cities, while Kess channels her artistic talents as an aspiring tattoo artist in Minnesota State and is also a freelance artist. The sisters remain connected through their art, and Kira's viral TikTok video—garnering over 2.6 million views—has brought fresh awareness to the Federal Duck Stamp Contest, a competition that helps protect America’s wildlife and wetlands.
Bios:
Kira Sabin
Kira Sabin is an American wildlife and landscape painter. They have a BFA from the Minneapolis College of Art & Design majoring in drawing and painting. Their work combines impressionist ideals with realist techniques, often featuring animals or ghosts to create a comforting and nostalgic atmosphere in surrealist or naturalistic environments. Best known for their involvement in the Federal Duck Stamp Contest, they’re a strong advocate of animal and wetland protection. Their work has been featured on CBS Mornings, Buzzfeed, Hyperallergic, Audubon, Ducks Unlimited and more. They have won third place in the National Young American Creative Patriotic Art Competition in 2017, and have painted murals in their hometown of Hutchinson, MN. They have been a part of eight group exhibitions and participates in MCAD’s annual art sale.
Kess Fennel
Kess Fennell, an artist with a lifelong passion for creativity, has been immersed in art from an early age, drawing inspiration largely from her family. Alongside her twin sister, Kira Sabin, Fennell grew up sharing a love for art, influenced deeply by their mother’s own artistic interests. She graduated with a degree in drawing and painting, initially studying illustration before finding her niche in traditional mediums like watercolor and line drawing, as well as digital art. Today, Fennell is exploring the tattoo industry, focusing on intricate line work in pencil, pen, and marker. Her art draws heavily from nature, particularly animals, plants, and landscapes.
Connect with Kira Sabin and Kess Fennell and explore more of their artwork, visit Kira at KiraSabinart.com, @kirasabin.art, and Tiktok @kirasabin, and follow Kess on Instagram @sunhunnies and TikTok @kessirene. To see both Kira and Kess's art, visit raspberrytoodle.com.
