Sixteen Upstate artists will present this year’s first bird-themed exhibition in Spartanburg, “It’s for the Birds: Artworks for Lovers of Our Feathered Friends,” May 5 through 30 in Galleries II and III of the Artists Collective | Spartanburg.

The show will support the concurrent exhibit by Greenville’s Lisa Shimko, “A Curvy Path: Colorful Tales and Abstracts,” in the Solomon Gallery at ACS.

An artists’ reception will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday, May 21, as part of Spartanburg ArtWalk. The reception and exhibition viewing are free and open to the public. The art in the show will be offered for purchase with prices ranging from $10 to $2,000.

A special speaker from the South Carolina Bluebird Society will present a talk about bluebirds at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, May 9, in Gallery III.

The participating artists are Patrick DeCrane, Beth Regula, Gayle Caregnato, Darryl Jones, Thomas Koenig, Sally Weber, Alana Hall, Patty Wright, Julia Burnett, Letitia Uyak (guest artist), Diane McAndrew, Kathy McKay, Andy Donovan, Ryland All, Jason Huffman and Rosemary McLeod.

“This exhibit will include artworks of all types and items based on the theme of anything aviary, including ceramics, sculptures, drawings, paintings and all kinds of creations,” says Caregnato. “From 2-D and 3-D artists’ sculptures to paintings, to drawings, to perhaps a bird bath or other ceramics. Anything related to birds will be on display. We hope to increase visitors’ love of birdwatching and enjoying the artworks.”

She adds that the exhibit was inspired by “bird watching, garden visitors and wishes to fly.”