UPDATE

TREE SWALLOWS and FEATHER FIGHT

One of my projects at Cornell's Lab of Ornithology is to paint frontis pieces for the revision of the Handbook of Bird Biology. There are 15 chapters and they would like a full color painting to open each chapter. I can't tell you how excited I was to get this project and I hope I blow them away.

The above piece is for a chapter called "Breeding Biology. " I worked with an Ornithologists who studies tree swallows. During the nesting season, these birds collect feathers to line their nests. This behavior is known to be an important part of reproductive success and consequently, they compete for feathers.

Wow, tree swallows are beautiful. I love the way they look when they fly and their metallic blue coloring is stunning. Depending on how the lights hits them, their color ranges anywhere from dark grey to electric blue! They are very elegant birds.

One of my most favorite things about working here, is the opportunity to work with experts who really refine the accuracy of my bird art. They just know their subjects sooo well, that they can see even the slightest misrepresentation of form. I love it!


These next two illustrations were for Yosemite National Park. Currently, they are working very hard on the Merced River Plan and these two pieces were used in reports and presentations.

OXBOW FORMATION and INVERTEBRATES THAT LIVE IN THEM

RIPARIAN ECOSYSTEM of YOSEMITE VALLEY

SEED is a Bay Area branding agency. Their passions and purpose is to honor the burgeoning environmental and social shifts through good design. The clientele are typically in the artisanal and pure foods industry.

Below is a screen shot from their website showcasing one of their clients -- County Line Harvest.

County Line Harvest is an organic farm specializing in unique greens. They have farms in both Northern and Southern California. SEED asked me to create pen & ink drawings for their logos. Pen & ink is one of my favorite mediums so this was definitely a fun project. I loved the way it came out!

Thanks, as always, for stopping by! The support is more than appreciated!!!

:)

National Geographic Interview now LIVE

Recently, my Migrating Mural Project was voted the Viewers' Choice winner in a competition hosted by National Geographic. Read the interview by clicking below.

CLICK HERE

For those of you who voted for my project, thank you a billion times! This is a tremendous honor and I couldn't have won without your support.

GRATEFUL

I just won a competition on National Geographic for my Migrating Mural project. National Geographic has been a long time hero of mine and I am honored to the core to be involved with them on any level.

BUT.....

After having won, I realized that I was most moved and most grateful to my friends and family who showed utter support. I am humbled by the experience and it makes me realize the importance of relationships and nourishing the people in my life.

Even if I hadn't won, the emails I was getting from everyone was reward enough and it was an amazing reminder that my world is so good because of the people in it!

YOUNGEST ENVIRONMENTAL MOVERS and SHAKERS

The older I get, the more and more I realize how important it is to give back to the planet that has selflessly provided beauty, inspiration, resources, vitality and evolution. What blows my mind are two girls who not only recognized this at an astoundingly young age, but had the ambition to create change as well.

OLIVIA BOULER

SOPHI BROMENSHENKEL

Olivia Bouler's heart reached out in empathy for the birds effected by the BP oil disaster. Her mission was clear. Olivia decided to celebrate shorebirds through art. All the money she earned in sales, she donated to the Audubon Society -- nearly $200,000.

I had the opportunity to meet Olivia at Cornell when she visited two weekends ago. What a poised, elegant, well-spoken young lady at the age of 11!

She has a new book out showcasing a collection of her paintings. Go check it out!


Sophi Bromenshenkel's love of sharks began at the age of 4 on her uncle's fishing boat. They caught a shark and her world changed. Now she wants to change the world for sharks. She has been devoted to raising money for leading shark researcher, Neil Hammerschlag of the University of Miami. Sophi was able to raise $4000 through lemonade and shark cookies! You can always touch people's hearts with cookies and lemonade.

I found a wonderful drawing on her blog of a hammerhead. I am, of course, unbiased about art. :)

I NEED YOUR HELP!

So excited! National Geographic has chosen my project - MIGRATING MURAL - along with 14 other ocean conservation projects in a Viewer's Choice competition. The winner will get an interview with Nat Geo!

I would LOVE your support!

VOTE HERE

Thank you all so much! And send the link on to others!

Below are images of some proposed murals.

WHOOPING CRANE

NORTH PACIFIC BLUE WHALE

SIERRA NEVADA BIGHORN SHEEP

SO FAR AT CORNELL'S LAB OF ORNITHOLOGY

These are illustrations of a bartailed godwit and it's air sacs. Cornell is working on a documentary about a bartailed godwit who had a transmitter surgically implanted in its right lower abdominal air sac. With this transmitter, they were able to track the bird in 9 days of STRAIGHT flight from Alaska to New Zealand. These will be used in the documentary. Yipeee!

AMERICAN CROW

This crow is regal.

AMERICAN ROBIN

This robin is awkward and dorky.

HOUSE SPARROW

This house sparrow is mean.

This is a graphic I created to represent an online course called Short Courses. The bird is one of my favorites - a magpie. It will be used for print and online purposes pertaining to the short course.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC

Posted about Summit at Sea AND featured my Migrating Mural!

Find post HERE.