Art and science mix when the Kenneth S. Norris Center for Natural History at UC Santa Cruz holds its fifth open house and fundraiser Nov. 12-13 at the Cowell Ranch Hay Barn.
Students and the greater Santa Cruz community are invited from 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 12 and 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 13. Admission is free. Donations will be encouraged and all donations will benefit the Norris Center. Free parking will be available at lower campus lots 115, 116, and 122 (Barn Theater). Close-in parking for mobility-impaired guests will be available at the Hay Barn.
The theme for this year's open house is "Cross-Pollination, the Art and Science of Natural History." The Norris Center has teamed up with renowned local nature illustrator Maryjo Koch and will display her illustrations alongside many of the Norris Center’s extensive collections, including the Randall Morgan Pollinator Collection.
Also on display will be fresh fungus specimens, butterflies and moths from around the world, mammals, birds, and reptiles, and graduate student research involving the collection.
Koch will give painting demonstrations at 1 p.m. both days. A raffle of prizes, including local field guides and classes at Koch’s studio, will take place each day at 2 p.m. Other merchandise, including hats, note-cards, tote-bags, field guides, and Koch’s original artwork, will be for sale. All sales benefit the Norris Center.
The Norris Center was established in 2014 as part of an endowment gift from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation. Its mission is to inspire and provide resources for anyone interested in studying the natural world.
Through its work, the center carries on the legacy of beloved environmental studies professor Ken Norris, who inspired many generations of UC Santa Cruz students to pursue their passions as naturalists. Currently, thanks to a generous donor, the center is expanding art-related opportunities for students and the broader community.
More information is available at norriscenter.ucsc.edu or 831-459-4763.
