Broken Butterfly

Hello my fellow bloggers, I will be away from technology for a few days and then very busy, so my blogging will be a bit interrupted. Have a good weekend all and dream BIG

Love has got to stop somewhere short of suicide.

-Sam Dodsworth from the movie "Dodsworth"

Sunset lily

(no alterations to this, the light was great, damn I miss my camera...)

We've also used and abused water and soil so that there's a lot less of each, and trampled thousands of species that probably aren't coming back. Our world, some respected voices warn, could one degenerate into something resembling a vacant lot, where crows and rats scuttle among the weeds, preying on each other.

Alan Weisman from Audubon magazine's July/August issue titled The World Without Us.

(note: yes notice my cheery posts lately...sorry....also I do take issue that crows are not a junk species by any account, this is also true for rats. We just tend to dislike species that do well in our wake (i.e. gulls, pigeons, house sparrows, starlings, etc etc)

Help birds, go to Audubon's new page on their website. Every bit of habitat counts.

"Perhaps the only entirely new and probably the most important aspect of today's language of forms is the fact that 'negative' elements (the remainder, intermediate, and subtractive quantities) are made active." _Josef Albers

Shedding Skin

updates,
The camera is working, so the camera store gentleman told me to let it dry out completely and hope for the best. Hopefully it will not just randomly decide to die at some inconvenient time as water logged cameras tend to do.
The lens was not so lucky and had to be sent to get cleaned out. It is of course not covered under warranty and will be a bit expensive.
My dog is indeed going blind and has trouble at night.
My other dog's facial growth is going away of its own accord so that is very good news.
I have been in a funk, but am better today. I expect blogging will become more sparse as my freedom disappears.

The world was believed to have been formed out of a bird's egg exploding. The sky was believed to be the upper cover of the egg, alternately it was seen as a tent, which was supported by a column at the north pole, below the north star.

The movement of the stars was explained to be caused by the sky-dome's rotation around the North Star and itself. A great whirl was caused at the north pole by the rotation of column of sky. Through this whirl souls could go to the underground land of dead, Tuonela.

Earth was probably believed to be flat. At the edges of Earth was Lintukoto, "the home of the birds", a warm region in which birds lived during the winter. The Milky way was called Linnunrata, "the path of the birds", because the birds were believed to move along it to Lintukoto and back. The Milky Way is still called "Linnunrata" in Finnish.

Birds had also other significance. Birds brought a human's soul to him at the moment of birth, and took it away at the moment of death. In some areas, it was necessary to have a wooden bird-figure nearby to prevent the soul from escaping during sleep. This Sielulintu, "the soul-bird", protected the soul from being lost in the paths of dreams.

From Wikipedia on Finnish Mythology

The only whooping crane you may ever see...

will be in a glass case like this one.

Ok, as you may have guessed that I am just completely angry about the development proposal, only to find out there is more. When I figure out who to contact I will post it. I am so depressed about this. How about we repeat the mistakes of the 1940's sisss booom bah... because we have learned NOTHING, (a groan is emitted here). Reason stands that yes, we have helped the cranes come back from the brink and they have reached a staggering 240ish number, which is a far cry from 22. Do realize that 240 is not that many, since that is all that exist in the entire world. Oh, by the way this will also impact the Aplomado Falcon (also endangered). I wish I could do more and consume less resources.
A really well thought out argument against it here

680 acres of development adjacent and with an easement on the ONLY WILD population of whooping crane's critical wintering habitat. Yes you can drive your damn boat, fish, pollute, well just piss yourself in suburban joy on the habitat confirmed to be used by whooping cranes and well USF&W will just charge them a paltry fee of $200,000 towards the cause of the birds they will extinct with such complete stupidity. I am ashamed of my species and their need to swallow up every inch of waterfront for luxury homes and the fat ass pockets of the developers. Oh did I mention that there are about 250 or so of these amazingly wonderful birds left? A mowed buffer? I mean really people, can we tell what administration is in power? USF&W you have sold your soul.
Read for yourself here

Expecting the worst, you look and instead,
here's the joyful face you've been wanting to see.

Your hand opens and closes and opens and closes.
If it were always a fist or always stretched open,
you would be paralyzed.

Your deepest presence is in every small contracting and expanding,
the two as beautifully balanced and coordinated
as birdwings.

-Rumi from Mathnawi, III, 3769-3766 translated by Coleman Barks

Black Bellied Whistling Duck

Bird meme

1. What is the coolest bird you have seen from your home?
A male Pileated Woodpecker would rank "coolest" he comes to the suet feeder. I have also enjoyed some Green Herons that live near me, a resident Cooper's Hawk and a Great Blue Heron once was eating the bullfrogs in back during a really wet summer.

2. If you compose a list of bird species what is your favorite list and why?
My favorite list is my life list of about 600 bird species, it is the only list I keep.

3. What sparked your interest in birds?
When I was little my father once had a tree swallow that would come really close to him. He claimed to have helped a tree swallow once and that is why they were not afraid of him. I thought it was magic and was very proud to have such a special dad. He had several bird guide books in his workshop and I would spend hours looking at the pictures and marveling at all of the different birds. It was the birth of my obsession with birds.

4. If you could only bird one place in for the rest of your life, where would it be and why?
I would probably bird in Sierra Vista, Arizona. They get many different kinds of birds, including wanderers from Mexico and tons of hummingbirds. They also get many raptors in the winter and have generally good weather for people.

5. Do you have a jinx bird and if so why is it jinxed?
I have two, but the most elusive has been the Ferruginous Hawk. I have driven for days in the Hawk's territory on more then one trip and have only had a "I think that might have been" look. I would love a good solid look and some time to enjoy the bird. I think they are in a rapid decline or I am just not lucky with them. I also have trouble with the Black Bellied Whistling Duck. I have only had a flyover despite some spots where they are bird you cannot miss. I have missed them, though.

6. Who is your favorite birder and why?
My favorite birder, that is a tough one. I like the Stokes, and enjoy reading their blog. I also really have enjoyed meeting George West, he was very nice and really informative when I met him. See his hummingbird work here. As for the birders of the past- George Misch Sutton and Louis Agassiz Fuertes.

7. Do you tell non-birders that you are a birder?
Yes, they may think I am crazy at first but usually they get curious and start asking you any question they have ever had about birds. It is a great way to show enthusiasm for the natural world and hopefully hook others with your passionate zeal. Birding is a great hobby and it is just fun to get out and look at nature.

A bit of cheer on an otherwise dark day.

This may be one of the last photos my camera will take. I was on a boat and managed to give it a good soaking in river water. The lens is full of water and the camera is drying. It is a digital so I may be out of luck on its recovery. I am not optimistic and as you can see from my previous post it has not been a good couple of days. I am home early to attend a funeral tomorrow. Life is short, live, live, live.

Death has come into the house
throw open the windows at its arrival
weep and pull your hair
cover your face in ash
and mourn the loss of a great generation
we stand as silent witness
milling around the viewed body
devoid of soul
all knowledge buried
the world has lost it's wealth
in close eyed slumber
goodbye goodbye
the demons that ate at your body have won you
your soul has quietly slipped past
and takes the stairs two at a time

-Goodbye Great Uncle Bill you are missed

Blind Dog

In other news, I found out that my dog is going blind and my other dog has a mystery lump on his face. Hopefully it is just a an abscess or some other non-malignant growth. I will know soon, after the test runs. I will be out of internet range for the next few days. I have a presentation to do on my paintings. Be well.

I am a little late in finding out that artist/painter, Elizabeth Murray has died of lung cancer this past Monday. Read the NY times article here
A good resource on her is at ART 21, a series about art by PBS which is generally excellent and a good teaching tool. See that information here

longing...night longing, sad little dream longing

Night Study

a bit foggy of an image of a study I did on mylar with graphite

The key for the artist is that we are not so much copying nature as studying nature's creativity, its energy. So you look at how nature draws. It draws ruthlessly, fearlessly. You must draw like that-like the wind carving rock.

-Tim Hawkesworth

June Bugs in August

What is the architecture of falling?
Is it built on the curve of your lip?
A landscape my eyes follow
over nose to waiting brow.

Face that holds skull retreating
into fissures and dark worlds
containing all that you will ever be
the unreachable temple of soul.

I drag my gaze up
over plains of skin
towards the air of our pause.

The swirling, spinning, dance of breath
and feel the plummeting depths
of a pounding heart love.

Hammering ramparts to empty hope
these buildings do not meet
go upwards ever reaching
until the foundations cannot hold.

-By the Corbyhawk
*these are copyrighted just in case you are wondering

I had the distinct honor of showing my portfolio to Emily Eveleth, a painter I respect and admire. I was lucky enough to be in her class this past week and I am still grappling with the changes that I feel will be coming in my work.
Read about her here,
See her amazingly beautiful work here

I have had nothing to say lately. I am in the silence of the deep woods and am waiting for the universe to make some kind of answer. I can't paint the same way I did a week ago, everything is changing and I want someone else to make some noise. I am empty.

value

I know a little girl who had a curl right on the middle of her forehead.
When she was good she was very, very, good
and when she was bad she was horrid.

(That about sums up my painting today)

So tired...my arms...I painted all day long and then into the night
but I am a changed painter, a better one today then yesterday as I am immersed in the language.
I am so enraptured by the growth and the feeling that everything is coming together...
Still read about climate change here
and I will be busy dreaming soon.

She who sees your sunrise eyes
wakes you from your sea of dreams
no fair, no fair
we met too late
She has taken up my fate
and I will wander the world to find
your love that will never be mine

-By the Corby

New England White Oak Tree

Conservation is getting nowhere because it is incompatible with our Abrahamic concept of land. We abuse land because we regard it as a commodity belonging to us. When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect. There is no other way for land to survive the impact of mechanized man, nor for us to reap from it the esthetic harvest it is capable, under science, of contributing to culture.

-Aldo Leopold -Sand County Almanac
(More books came my way from a conservationist/naturalist person who died with no family. It is an amazing gift of great field guides, illustrated works, and books like the above, which I have not yet read but really should have already. I am really pleased by the unexpected gift from someone like-minded I never knew.)

Bunny Face

5 boys, 2 girls, 2 boys have a home, mom is staying with me along with one girl who has a medical issue. Everyone else needs a home...

WE GOT IT!!
(I know I am yelling here, but we got the show!!!!)
Not until 2009, but a show none the less!
HA! I am the 3% (97% of MFA candidates are not successful)
Know why? Because I want it BAD and I will work my tail feathers off to get it.
:-) happy day.

Wish me luck my vast blog audience, as I have a very important meeting tomorrow morning. This meeting is for a show with two other artists. I hope I get it, but I am not going to get overly optimistic about it. It makes it easier to hear bad news if you set yourself up to be prepared for it. I am debating on what paintings I should bring and of course hating all of the obvious flaws I am seeing in my work. I tend to do that and feel like all of the old stuff is unfinished and garish with its big mistakes hanging out like thong underwear on a teenager. Hopefully they will be less obvious to the person I am presenting to. We shall see....

Fog comes up on the River quickly. It hangs like a dense cotton cover, hushing all sounds except for the close movement of the water. The shapes of islands, shorelines, and other boats come out at you, so much closer then you expect them to be. When you are floating alone in it, you cannot determine which direction your bow points in. You have to rely on instinct and blind faith in order to reach your destination. You can choose to sit in it and wait until it lifts, but that may not happen for hours or even days. Or you can take a risk and go forward slowly, making out the shapes that loom out of the fallen clouds and steer towards home.