PRESS RELEASE: Sam Noble Museum’s “Flight Lines” Exhibit Honored by OMA


The Sam Noble Museum of Natural History at the University of Oklahoma sends this information as posted below:


NORMAN, OKLA. – The Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History has been honored by the Oklahoma Museums Association for the best Oklahoma museum exhibit within a budget range of $10,000 to $50,000 for its recent exhibit, Flight Lines: The Art of Natural History at OU.

Flight Lines, which was on exhibit July 15 to Nov. 26, 2023, captivated visitors with its stunning scientific illustrations of birds. The exhibit featured works by both students and renowned bird artists, including George Miksch Sutton, Louis Agassiz Fuertes and Francis Lee Jaques. Visitors had the opportunity to view intricate drawings, vibrant paintings and dynamic animations that beautifully captured the essence of avian life and flight.

“This award celebrates the powerful and effective translation of scientific knowledge that can result when visual artists engage deeply with collections, like the naturalist art collection in the museum’s ethnology department,” said Claire Nicholas, Ph.D., who co-curated the Flight Lines exhibit along with Haley Prestifilippo of the OU School of Visual Arts. 

Nicholas added, “Studying and sketching across the work of expert illustrators, ornithology specimens and students’ own research opened windows for our visitors onto the habitats, life cycles, elegance and character of birds.” 

The exhibit also highlighted the process of scientific illustration, emphasizing ornithology as a central theme. Students from the OU SOVA contributed their artwork, created during courses such as “Drawing the Natural World” and “Computer Animation.” These courses are part of an exciting new scientific visualization track within SoVA, where students learn to translate scientific knowledge into compelling visual representations.

“Working with the Sam Noble has been an exceptionally rich collaboration; their curators and staff have been incredibly generous in sharing their collections and expertise with our visual arts students,” Prestifilippo said. “Receiving this award highlights the importance of cooperation between the arts and sciences, and I am very grateful and excited to continue this work.”

The works of George Miksch Sutton, former OU professor and curator of ornithology at the Sam Noble Museum, played a pivotal role in the exhibit. His legacy as one of the most respected scientific illustrators of the 20th century was showcased through a range of pieces. Many of these artworks were publicly displayed for the first time, along with scientific bird specimens prepared by Sutton.

“We are grateful for the recognition, and immensely proud of the achievement,” said Janet Braun, director of the Sam Noble Museum. “The collaboration between students, faculty and renowned artists exemplifies the museum’s dedication to fostering creativity, curiosity and appreciation for the natural world.”

The award will be officially presented on September 12 during the Oklahoma Museum Association’s annual awards banquet. 

Though Flight Lines is no longer on display, the Sam Noble Museum is currently showcasing a new exhibition in partnership with the OU SOVA, Prehistoric Visions which reimagines what ancient life may have looked like through the eyes of artists and illustrators.

About The Sam Noble Museum of Natural History

The Sam Noble Museum is the officially designated natural history museum for the state of Oklahoma and is located on the University of Oklahoma Norman campus at 2401 Chautauqua Ave.


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