Join local author-illustrator and Art of Nature artist Sophie Wood Brinker for a behind-the-scenes look at the making of Birds of Santa Cruz. In this engaging talk, Wood Brinker will share her creative process for illustrating the 25 bird species featured in her book, from early field observations along the coast to the final hand-painted portraits.

Blending art, science, and storytelling, she’ll explore how careful attention to movement, behavior, and habitat informs her work, and how illustration can deepen our connection to the natural world. Attendees will gain insight into techniques for capturing birds in paint, as well as the inspiration drawn from watching everything from Brown Pelicans gliding over the waves to California Quail gathering in community. Whether you’re an artist, bird enthusiast, or simply curious about the intersection of creativity and conservation, this presentation offers an exploration of what it means to truly see—and translate—that vision onto the page.

$12 – General
$5 Off – Museum Members
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About the book:

This charming, full-color guide to the birds of Santa Cruz is infused with California coastal soul and the quiet fierceness of love one can only derive from ardent attention. From the collective organizing of the Brown Pelican, to the community protection of the California Quail, to the Band-Tailed Pigeon flock that Wood Brinker likens to a mutual aid cooperative, these birds have stories to tell. Vivid hand-painted portraits accompanied by identification and song notes help everyone get to know their avian neighbors, with descriptions of each species that invoke reflections from Diane di Prima, Mary Oliver, and dreamers of all stripes. A joy to read and pore over, Birds of Santa Cruz shimmers with poetic sensibility and a conservationist ethos. Wood Brinker’s findings, gleaned from patient observation, will enchant readers far beyond the city limits. Books will be available in the Museum Store at the event or can be purchased Online.

About the Speaker

Sophie Wood Brinker (she/her) is a science illustrator who works with paint and pencil to communicate the brilliance and intricacy of the ecosystems that surround us. Her art scales from drawing the texture of butterfly wings to painting fifteen-foot protest banners. Sophie also works in a small town library, helping spread library joy and community resources. As a Quaker, Sophie grew up sitting in intergenerational circles hearing messages spoken out of silence. She has a BA in peace and global studies from Earlham College and is a graduate of the Science Illustration Program at California State University, Monterey Bay. Sophie grew up in Santa Cruz, California, on unceded territory of the Awaswas-speaking Uypi Tribe, and lives in Bolinas, California, on unceded Coast Miwok territory. www.sophiewoodbrinker.com

Accessibility and Logistics

Parking is available on Pilkington and street parking is available in the surrounding neighborhood. Parking permits will not be required for this nighttime event. Please allow a few extra minutes to find parking and get settled before the program begins.

This program will take place indoors at the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History. Seating will be provided, and light refreshments will be available.

Feel free to bring a notebook or sketchbook and something to write with if you’d like to take notes during the talk. Come prepared with questions for the Q&A with the speaker.

Join Birds of Santa Cruz author and illustrator Sophie Wood Brinker for this special launch event at Bookshop Santa Cruz, cosponsored by Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks. Sophie will also be joined in conversation by Jenny Rieke, Director of Education at the Santa Cruz Natural History Museum.

Your RSVP helps us plan for your arrival and keep in touch with any changes. Thank you for registering!

This charming, full-color guide to the birds of Santa Cruz is infused with California coastal soul and the quiet fierceness of love one can only derive from ardent attention. Author-illustrator Sophie Wood Brinker profiles 25 species you're likely to spot hopping the sands or soaring overhead in Surf City, and shares what we can learn not only about them but from them. From the collective organizing of the Brown Pelican, to the community protection of the California Quail, to the Band-Tailed Pigeon flock that Wood Brinker likens to a mutual aid cooperative, these birds have stories to tell.

Vivid hand-painted portraits accompanied by identification and song notes help everyone get to know their avian neighbors, with descriptions of each species that invoke reflections from Diane di Prima, Mary Oliver, and dreamers of all stripes. A joy to read and pore over, Birds of Santa Cruz shimmers with poetic sensibility and a conservationist ethos. Wood Brinker's findings, gleaned from patient observation, will enchant readers far beyond the city limits.

Sophie Wood Brinker (she/her) is a science illustrator who works with paint and pencil to communicate the brilliance and intricacy of the ecosystems that surround us. Her art scales from drawing the texture of butterfly wings to painting 15-foot protest banners. She also works in a small town library, helping spread library joy and community resources. As a Quaker, she grew up sitting in intergenerational circles hearing messages spoken out of silence. She has a BA in Peace and Global Studies from Earlham College and is a graduate of the Science Illustration Program at California State University, Monterey Bay. Wood Brinker grew up in Santa Cruz, California, on unceded territory of the Awaswas-speaking Uypi Tribe, and lives in Bolinas, California, on unceded Coast Miwok territory. sophiewoodbrinker.com