Night Owl

This is my latest clayboard etching...a Great Horned Owl, holding a cup of coffee.
On the cup is a band of three blind mice musicians, playing jazz music. Musical notes are wafting upwards in the steam.

My mind is my playground...

I bet you didn't know...

All you ladies know what month October is: breast cancer awareness month. Pink ribbons everywhere. And, yet, for all this "awareness" we've dropped the ball on the basic facts about breast cancer. I can tell you this, because I AM A BREAST CANCER SURVIVOR of 6 years.

I would like to take a moment and share with you what every woman needs to know.

1. Breast cancer CAN hurt (mine did!) So, if there is any symptom not normal for you, don't let nurses or doctors shrug it off. Be like a dog with a bone and do not take no for an answer until you have made them run every test to prove to you that you do not have breast cancer.

2. Over 75% of breast cancer patients have NO FAMILY HISTORY of the disease. (I was the first in a very large family of women.)

3. Mammograms only catch about 80% of breast cancers. (Read #1 again.)

4. Men can get breast cancer, too!

5. Breast cancer is best treated early, so don't let fear of diagnosis & treatment prevent you from getting examined. Furthermore, there are many financial support options for women who don't have health insurance, so have faith and get to a doctor!

6. Most types of breast cancer is treatable and beatable! Again, it's best to catch it EARLY!

Please share this with the women in your life.

Hummer & Bumble

There's something mystical about hummingbirds. They're like little flying jewels—fairy-like with the way they zip around, with that unmistakable sound that their wings make. 

Whenever I illustrate a bird I haven't done before, I do lots of research to make sure I capture the bird's essence—each type of bird has its own personality. The hummingbirds, for example, have a certain "innocence" about them, in contrast with the rascally ravens.

As I was learning more about hummingbirds, I came across some pretty disturbing news: the very plants that we buy in big box store garden centers, even the ones labeled "Proven Winners Bee Friendly Plant" are likely contaminated with bee- and bird-killing neonicontinoid pesticides!!!  If you have inadvertently purchased some of these plants, find your receipt and return them for a refund. It doesn't matter if you don't have the original containers.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/increased-use-of-controversial-pesticides-linked-directly-to-decline-of-bird-species-scientists-show-9595827.html

Years ago, I remember seeing advertisements for "organic flowers." I remember giggling to myself, thinking that it was silly if we're not eating the flowers to bother having them be organic. I was sadly mistaken. Anytime something in the ecosystem is singled out, it effects ALL things. Without the pollinators, we starve. 

We are all connected...down to the little hummingbirds and Bumble bees. 

Oystercatcher

I've been busily preparing for an upcoming workshop I'm giving at the Kachemak Bay Shorebird festival in Homer, Alaska. In the workshop, I'm going to show artists how to etch this Oystercatcher on clayboard, using acrylic inks and a scratch knife.

The Oystercatcher is an favorite among the shorebirds in Alaska, with its whimsical, red-orange beak and colorful eyes!

Whoo Hooo! It's shorebird time!!!

Let's Dance for Joy!

Two Sandhill cranes dancing on bluff overlooking Kachemak Bay in Homer, Alaska.  Etching on clay board ©Amanda Brannon.

It's time for the 2014 Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival in Homer, Alaska! 

I am the featured artist this year and will be at several special events:

Artist Workshop with Amanda Brannon 

Saturday, May 10th, 2014 
9am - 11am

Alaska Islands & Ocean Visitor Center, Seminar Room

 Join this year's featured artist Amanda Brannon for her workshop and demo. Clay board art (also called scratch board) involves the removal of a thin layer of India ink to reveal the clay layer below, through scratching or scraping the surface with a variety of sharp tools. This workshop is designed to introduce children over 10 and adults to the basic techniques of clay board art. Amanda Brannon is a nationally published, award-winning artist and designer. www.AmandaBrannon.com  

Limit 15. $55pp ($25 workshop + $30 materials fee).

 

Artist Reception and Show with
Featured Artist Amanda Brannon

Saturday, May 10th, 2014

 5pm - 7pm     

Fresh Sourdough Express Bakery & Cafe

The 2014 Shorebird Festival Featured Artist is the talented Amanda Brannon, creator of this year's poster featuring the Bristle-thighed Curlew. Her colorful and imaginative work is displayed statewide and distributed nationally. Come enjoy a festive evening, meet Amanda and view her latest creations. Indulge in a beautiful array of organic goodies, lovingly handcrafted by the Fresh Sourdough Express Bakery & Cafe.

 

If you would like to buy merchandise with "Soil to Soul" artwork in it, please contact Donna Maltz at the Fresh Sourdough Express Bakery & Café.

Birders' Coffee

Sunday, May 11th, 2014
9am - 11am

Alaska Islands & Ocean Visitor Center

 After a morning in the field, warm up with hot beverages and fresh pastries. Join Festival speakers and fellow birders in sharing bird sightings and stories. Meet the feathered guests from Anchorage's Bird Treatment & Learning Center and check out the display of optics. There will also be a live auction for the original etching of the Bristle-thighed Curlew, donated by this year's featured artist Amanda Brannon.