‘Wild Birds’ At Rushmere Country Park
‘Wild Birds’ At Rushmere Country Park
The Greensand Trust is pleased to present ‘Wild Birds’, a group art exhibition by three Bedfordshire-based artists, each inspired by their love for birds and nature. Marisa Straccia, Mique Moriuchi, and Eleanor Archer. The group’s exhibition will be on display at Rushmere Country Park visitor centre from 24 October 2026 – 28 November 2026.
By presenting an art exhibition away from the traditional gallery space and into the environment which inspired its creation, the artists and The Greensand Trust aim to reach a diverse range of visitors. It’s a show for outdoor enthusiasts, art lovers, and those who appreciate both.
Wild birds are important in the lives of many people. The art on display is a celebration of our relationship with birds and the appreciation of their beauty. The exhibition presents birds in collage, print, and painting, with each artist expressing their love for our feathered friends in very different ways. It reveals there are many ways to view and interpret nature and encourages the viewer to look more closely at these little animals and appreciate their beauty.
Having the exhibition at Rushmere Country Park places the artwork directly within nature. Rushmere comprises over 400 acres of woodland, heathland and meadows. Known for its annual ‘Heron Watch’ the visitor centre at Rushmere overlooks incredible views and feeding stations. Whilst Heron season is over, the timing of this exhibition coincides with the RSPB’s suggestion that birds should be fed from the beginning of November. The annual Rushmere ‘Feed the Birds’ Day also takes place on the 25th October, to ensure bird lovers are ready to support their local birds this winter. A portion of the proceeds from the exhibition will support the ongoing work of The Greensand Trust.
“We are delighted that these three talented artists have chosen to exhibit their work with us at our flagship site of Rushmere Country Park” says Kayte Judge, of The Greensand Trust. “We anticipate that our nature-loving visitors will enjoy this exhibition as much as they enjoy the wildlife and nature here at Rushmere. What a wonderful way to start bird feeding season and celebrate the wonder of wild birds”
Artists at Wild Birds
Marisa Straccia is an in-house digital illustrator for Doodle Press Ltd and a committee member of The Circus of Illustration, an organisation in Bedford whose aim is to help promote illustration and creativity through events and workshops. Marisa is a self-taught printer who creates at her living room table by hand using a wooden spoon. Her reduction linocut prints have been sold and exhibited across the country. In 2025, she won The Hickman Design Award at The Derby Print Open. Marisa is a lifelong bird enthusiast who enjoys exploring the wilder corners of the UK with her binoculars and sketchbook.
Mique Moriuchi makes pictures with paint, paper, scissors, and glue. She loves colour and texture, snipping and sticking, painting, mark-making, and getting her hands dirty. Memory, feelings, the everyday, and nature are some of the themes Mique likes to explore. More recently, motherhood, her children, and her part-time role as a Primary School Librarian have been the inspiration behind much of her work. She studied BA Illustration at Norwich School of Art & Design (now NUA), followed by an MA in Sequential Illustration & Design at the University of Brighton. She has illustrated over 20 picture books, as well as greeting cards, packaging, and magazines in the UK and worldwide.
Eleanor Archer is a young aspiring wildlife artist. Her passion for wildlife and conservation can be seen through her artwork. During her spare time, she loves to paint and photograph wildlife. Her interest in the natural world led her to doing her work experience at Rushmere Park, where she was a youth ranger. She painted native butterflies which were used at The Greensand Trust for a summertime family trail at Rushmere Country Park and Clophill Lakes Nature Reserve. The trail taught children about butterflies and raised funds for the charity.
The Greensand Trust
The Greensand Trust is an environmental charity that exists to conserve, enhance and protect the distinctive landscape, wildlife and history of the Greensand Ridge and surrounds. Rushmere Country Park is one of its key sites.
Rushmere Country Park is located at Herons’ View Visitor Centre, Linslade Road, Heath & Reach, Bedfordshire LU7 0EB. Managed by The Greensand Trust, working in partnership with Central Bedfordshire Council, the park is run on a not-for-profit basis for the benefit of visitors and wildlife.
