Children ages 8 to 14 are invited to the Cazenovia Public Library Community Room on Friday, Oct. 7, at 1:30 p.m. for the first “Art for Kids” of the 2016-2017 academic year. In this installment, Pat Hill and Jenna Wright Martin will lead an exploration into the life and works of John James Audubon.

Audubon (1785-1851) was an artist, ornithologist and naturalist celebrated for his studies, drawings and paintings of North American birds. He is best known for his highly dramatic and realistic portraits of birds set in their natural habitats. His seminal work, a color plate book entitled “The Birds of America” (1827-38), featured a collection of 435 life-size prints. “Ornithological Biography,” a text documenting the life histories of each bird species, accompanied the extraordinary four-volume work.

In the October edition of Art for Kids, participants will examine the Library Museum’s Natural History Collection, paying particular attention to the 19th century bird and egg display, collected by the museum’s founder, Robert James Hubbard. Children will use their newfound knowledge and observations to produce their own artistic creations in the style of Audubon’s Birds of North America.

All materials will be provided. Class size is limited to ensure program quality. Call or stop by the library to reserve a spot.

Participants will qualify for the chance to win an art set. The kit contains 178 pieces, including colored markers, crayons, colored pencils, watercolor cakes, oil pastels, acrylic paint tubes and more — all arranged in a wooden case with adjustable trays.

All events at the Cazenovia Public Library are free and open to the public. For more information, call 655-9322 or visit cazenoviapubliclibrary.org.