Creature Kinships and Natural Affinities

Two Ravens

2012-01-21T22:09:00.001-05:00

Two Ravens, a set on Flickr.

After reading an article posted by Vermont Center for Ecostudies on Raven behavior, I thought it would be fun to see this sequence of interactions.

Holiday Shows

2011-10-12T22:55:00.003-04:00

I will be having my own show at the Zollikofer Gallery, Hotel Coolidge , White River Jct., Vermont from Nov. 18, 2011 to Jan. 18, 2012.
The show is called
CREAURE KINSHIPS & NATURAL AFFINITIES
A Journey Through the Upper Valley
OPENING RECEPTION is on "First Friday", Dec. 2, 5-7 PM.

I will also have cards and prints for sale at the PHOTOSTOP gallery,
Tiptop building in White River Jct. starting that same evening at the opening of Neill Rantoul's Show. Reception is from 5-8 PM. Please go to BOTH events!

In addition I will be participating in AVA Gallery's Annual Holiday Show and Sale, Nov. 25-Dec. 30, 2011. 11 Bank St. Lebanon, N.H.
Opening reception is Friday, Nov. 25, 5-7 PM.

animalartist's photostream

2011-05-11T23:20:00.000-04:00

animalartist's photostream on Flickr.

Upcoming Art and Photography Shows

2010-11-24T05:52:00.000-05:00

The holiday season is upon us, and with it, a whole slew of shows and sales. Visit my "Art and Photography Shows" page for the latest news.

Pigs' Tails and Fanciful Journeys

2010-09-15T23:53:00.000-04:00

Had a nice , quick visit with my daughter at UVM yesterday. Then we (Wayne, my husband and I) went on to look for bird on Mt. Philo and Dead Creek. Saw a few nice species, but no migrating hawks. Returning home via the Brandon gap (Vermont). however, we encountered some unusual "Wild"-life. At Forest Dale there were two pigs in the road! I slowed down and a fire dept. truck behind me stopped, presumably to "Herd pigs". A daunting task. Wayne got this picture of the porkers.

Well not long after we encountered a huge bull moose, luckily just at the side of the road. No photos- too close!. The about 30 +/- miles later we came across....guess what? No! Yes! Two more pigs in the road!! How could this be. Pig liberation day? Crazy!

This time I got out and talked to them. Th...ey were quite friendly and returned my grunts, but ran off to enjoy their freedom. I flagged down several cars, asking if anyone knew the owners, and trying to keep them from getting hit. They were having such fun exploring and finding good things to snuffle up. Finally a woman came along who found the owners, and as she took over guard duty , we moved along. Wish I knew how they fared.

Here's a picture of one, (they looked alike). I added a little warning to this one!

So, what gives? Pig liberation day??

Reassurance

2010-05-28T12:51:00.002-04:00

In these troubled environmental times, it is with particular delight that I am witnessing the next generation of local birds exhibiting "feed me" behavior. Especially satisfying are the Evening Grosbeaks , whose presence I am honored to witness, as they have apparently declined approx. 50% in the least decade.
Also newly minted are a Hairy Woodpecker and I think , some Purple Finches and Tufted Titmice.

New to my property today, for the first time in perhaps 10 years, a female Baltimore Oriole-quite a shock as we do not have much open land. They used to be abundant before a nearby orchard got grown over.

To see some young Evening Grosbeak, Rose-breasted Grosbeak and Hairy Woodpecker photos, go to: Vermont Birds and their Fledglings

Creatures at home

2010-05-26T16:13:00.001-04:00

Today a fox trotted through my property-checking out the bird feeder. Nobody got caught, but the Titmice were very agitated. Here's a foxy photo. I also have a camera in the woods that takes photos of wildlife. Three weeks of viewing yielded 2 deer videos, 2 raccoon videos and one bear video!

On another note, the resident birds are starting to bring their "kids" to the feeders, including an Evening Grosbeak, and Tufted Titmice. The Phoebes are still sitting on their eggs on a ledge on my house, and mama Mallard had 10 ducklings last I checked at the beaver pond.

There is so much going on in these woods that I don't see too!

New Bird songs

2010-05-08T21:17:00.000-04:00

I've posted some new bird songs on my "Birds" page incliding a Winter Wren and a new Mystery Bird. Enjoy!

Can you tell what bird this is from the sound?

2010-05-04T06:45:00.000-04:00

Here's a Vireo singing. It is either a Red-eyed Vireo or a Blue-headed Vireo. Can you tell which?
http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~cindy/bird.songs/vireo.mp3

BIRDING

2010-05-01T21:05:00.003-04:00

It's Springtime!! (More or less- we did have a snowstorm the other day. ) I've been out "birding"- checking on new arrivals, delighting in feather and song. We also have a thriving local year-round population-Chickadees, Tufted Titmice, Hairy and Downy Woodpeckers, Red and White- Breasted Nuthatches, Purple Finches......

So this winter, a flock of Evening Grosbeaks arrived and are still here. We used to get 30+ birds. Now I'm happy to see our little flock of 7-10 birds.

Other than looking for birds, one of my greatest joys (and frustrations), is to take photographs of them and record them. I hope to be posting some photos soon, and maybe even some recordings.

MORE UPCOMING AND CURRENT SHOWS

2009-11-01T21:51:00.002-05:00

It's show season! I'm participating in the following:

At the Southern Vermont Center for the Arts in Manchester N.H. :
Juried in to the Vermont Watercolor Society show, Oct. 31- Dec. 1.
http://www.svac.org/directions.html

At the Hotel Coolidge Zollikofer Gallery in White River Jct. Vt. :
"Watercolor Journeys" - Grace Ellis' painting group featuring small works-
Opening reception Fri. Dec. 4, 2009, 5-7 PM
Show runs Nov. 20, '09- Jan. 20th '10
http://www.hotelcoolidge.com/

At AVA Gallery in Lebanon, N.H. Annual Holiday Show-Members' exhibition):
November 27-Dec. 30
Opening reception Fri. Nov. 27 5-7 PM
http://www.avagallery.org/

More "photo-painting", or Digital Art

2009-10-04T14:51:00.005-04:00

Here's another photo that evolved into a digital painting. It started out as a log with beaver chomps on it, and ended up as a winged dog-creature. It is still evolving.

About my "Photo-Paintings"

2009-10-04T14:37:00.003-04:00

I enjoy photography and painting, so why not combine them? This is what I've been doing with some of my photos. "Hornbeam Gifts" originated as a photograph of two old Hornbeam (Ironwood) trees on my property. They were leaning towards each other, suggesting some sort of alliance. I started playing in Photoshop with the liquefy filter, which stretches and swirls things. The two characters gradually emerged, and the shapes around them suggested various animals. Some of the parts were "painted" in with Photoshop brushes.
Here's the original photo:

You can see the final result on the side bar-"Hornbeam Gifts" Click on that picture to see a bigger one. How many critters do you see?

Another new show!

2009-09-16T08:34:00.002-04:00

I will be having a solo show at the delightful gallery and frame shop "Artful Things and Underground Gallery". Here are the details:

Artful Things and the Underground Gallery
2 Hanover St. Whipple Place Building, Lower Level
Lebanon. N. H. 03766
603-448-5100

Dates: October 2 through Nov. 3
OPENING: Friday, October 2 (First Friday)
5 PM-8 PM

Please come "unscented"- no perfumes or scented products due to sensitivities
Thank You!

Included will be new paintings with a fall/winter theme, new photos and photo-paintings and some favorite watercolors. Most of my work is available as prints as well. I will be playing my recording too-Loon calls, Birdsongs and Harp. It is a collection of bird sounds I have recorded over a period of years, and some harp improvisations I did in conjunction with the birds. Please come, enjoy the fall foliage and a warm, friendly environment.

Upcoming Art Show

2009-07-16T21:02:00.003-04:00

I will be having a solo show of my watercolor paintings, photos and photo-paintings at the Mount Ascutney Hospital , 289 Country Rd., Windsor Vermont. The show begins on August 7th and runs through September 30. The opening reception is on Friday, August 14, from 5-7 PM.

This show is really a story of survival, joy, and gratitude. Each painting and photo suggests a special encounter with the natural world that I hope you too will be inspired to explore, appreciate and preserve. You may even hear some songs and sounds at the reception- recordings I've made in the field, some of my own music, and some live music played by my husband and myself. Most of my work was done in Vermont and New Hampshire.

I am requesting that people come "un-scented"- no perfumes, lotions, after-shave, etc., given my sensitivity to such things. I know there are also hospital employees and other friends that would also appreciate this.

20% of the profits from sales will go to the hospital, and some additional donations will go the Vermont Center for Ecostudies (VCE), a place where wonderful bird and ecology research is being done. I attended a very enjoyable and informative bird-banding event there , and hope to work more with them.

A Canary's "Cage"

2009-05-06T22:21:00.003-04:00

Well, I kinda dropped the ball, but here i am again. Wanted to tell you about my little home in the boonies. It was built around 25 years ago, out of a recycled barn frame, used windows and any materials that I could find that I wasn't allergic to, and that I could afford. That was a real challenge. But it paid off. Unlike some "canaries" I know, I was able to create a relatively safe haven where I could begin the long road to recovery from severe Environmental Illness (EI), or Multiple Chemical Sensitivities" (MCS).

The house contains no particle board, (which at that time contained formaldehyde glue). The walls are plaster, the framing is Hemlock boards- no plywood. No carpets- floors are birch. Cabinets are vintage Sears metal-heat was Intertherm baseboard electric- no "outgassing"...but very expensive! Now we have 2 gas direct vent heaters. They are very nice, but not perfect- some fumes are evident outdoors and occasionally seep in to the house. This can be a serious problem if it gets too bad. Solar, of course, would be perfect...but not affordable and not practical where I live.

I am very grateful for my little house and the beautiful woods I live in. However, they have been both my haven and my "cage" . When I was very ill, there was no other place I could go without getting reactions to something "out there". I could also not really go outdoors because of pollen/mold allergies. At present, I am able to be outdoors more, which I love, though there are still some limitations- those allergens, and in the winter, other people's woodsmoke.

Well, what is the answer for Canaries like me? I would love to see a special housing project that could accommodate people with MCS- it is very badly needed. People are living in their cars, travelling around in endless pursuit of a safe place to land. I know just the piece of land- down the road from me- a lovely hill with no other houses around, and room for cluster housing that would not be too intrusive in the woodlands here. A nice Solar location...

Ah, well, when I win the lottery...

So that is my blurb of the moment. I really think humans are rarely counting themselves among the endangered species, and some of us are most certainly already endangered with more, I fear, to follow. I AM very encouraged to see the level of awareness and concern in the community where I live- it is extraordinary.

A Tribute (of sorts) to my Two Terriers

2009-03-10T16:06:00.001-04:00

Taking Two Terriers to Town
Means Spinning and Twirling Around
The Two Terrier Trot
Ties Me Up in a Knot
Till Helpless, I fall to the Ground!

What do Canaries have to do with piglets?

2009-03-09T21:33:00.004-04:00

Well, Piglets can't keep secrets for long. Piggles has decided to at least give you some bi-i-i-g hints.

You probably know about the tradition of keeping a Canary in a coal mine. Canaries are very sensitive to fumes and toxic gasses, etc. So if the Canary keeled over, the miners would know to get out of there, eve if they could not yet smell anything.

In modern times, there is a growing population of humans who feel they are the Canaries of the world. I'm one of them. Long before air pollution was a dirty word, we were already suffering from exposures to the myriad of toxins that are still being "discovered" today. It is time. I feel, to "come out" as a "Canary". Twenty years ago I remember trying to tell people about poor indoor air quality as a result of the great push for super-insulated "tight" houses. While this was and is a good idea, it also meant that no toxins escaped the house and little fresh air circulated. Such things as new carpets, synthetic fabrics on furniture and curtains, chemical cleansers, fresh paints , particle board construction, sprays, aerosols and scented cosmetics remained trapped in these houses, and all added to the chemical soup that made many people sick. But there was little solid proof at the time to back up an ailing Canary's claims. Some were ridiculed, some were thought to be mental basket cases...and a few were listened to with a modicum of respect. Today the same things are happening, but credibility has improved greatly. Light bulbs go off in people's heads when a Canary says something like "I get headaches every time I go in a carpet store." It has been proven that many carpets contain VOCs (volatile organic compounds) that make Canaries (and rats) keel over. Humans can't always see the light, and many still refuse to believe that a carpet can make a person ill. Until it happens to them. Then it is a matter of no choice. I still can't believe it happens to me. I don't want to. But the experience is overwhelming and direct.
Ah, if only it were so simple- remove carpets from house- get better. Avoid new carpets as much as possible. But once you become sensitized to chemicals in one product, everything snowballs into an avalanche of reactions, and it becomes extremely difficult to discern just which item or factors triggered a reaction.

Well, that's the tip of the (melting) iceberg. More to come...and it's not all gloom and doom, so bear with me.

I'll finish this rather long tirade with the words to a song- a round composed by... I'm sorry to say, I don't know. I will add composer if/when I find out:

"Be like a bird, who halting in her flight
On a limb too slight
Feels it giving way beneath her
Yet, sings, sings, knowing she has wings.
Yet sings, sings, knowing she has wings."

PIGGLES

2009-03-08T15:27:00.002-04:00

Meanwhile....

2009-03-08T13:50:00.000-04:00

While you're puzzling over my Canary status, have a look at my web sites!

Artwork:

http://www.creaturekinships.com/

Photography:

http://www.pbase.com/creaturekinships
You'll find lots of birds in the photography section....but no canaries!!

A Canary in Vermont??

2009-03-08T13:46:00.000-04:00

Well, yes. Not caged, exactly, though sometimes. A pet? No. Sings? Kinda. Bird-lover? YES!

Haven't guessed yet?

Hint: "Coal Mine".

Greetings from Creature Kinships!

2009-03-06T00:46:00.000-05:00

This is my first blog, and my first entry. I'm just learning how to do this, so please bear with me.

I want to share with you a number of things relevant to my work as an artist, photographer and musician, as well as my point of view as a person with particular health issues that are closely tied not only to my work, but to the important environmental issues facing the world today. Somehow this is all coming together for me in an exciting way. I hope I can inspire you. Maybe I can help you. Maybe, just possibly, I can also be one more drop in the ocean of environmental responsibility that could make some difference in the future of this beautiful planet. I hope so. I hope you will join me.

Who am I? I will tell you more, very soon. Meanwhile, perhaps you can begin to guess why this blog refers to "a canary of sorts". It has many meaningful implications!!