Raining Caterpillars?!??!?

Well, that is a new one on me! Going into the store the other day, I noticed green slime all over the sidewalk, and as I was leaving the checker said, “Watch out for the caterpillars!” I had been in a hurry, so it took that remark to bring it to my attention that all of that slime was squashed caterpillars. On the way out, I looked more closely and realized caterpillars were dropping from the sky. I guess we are going to have to come up with a campaign to save the caterpillars now. 

Realizing I have been in quite the hurry to get the Spix Macaw painting done in time to send with Mary Rose, I realized that I had not even taken the time to talk about them. A lot of you are bird fans, so know their story, but in case some of you are not: The last known wild Spix Macaw died in 2000. There are under 100 in captivity and several breeding projects have been going on to keep the species going. They have been turned over to the Brazilian Government who is in the process of restoring a habitat for them. It is our fervent hope that the species may be restored to the wild, but the project has been beset with challenges. If you are interested, please research more, they are BEAUTIFUL birds, and extinction should not be their fate. We have the capability to save other endangered creatures who are also passengers on our spaceship earth and it is also our responsibility. As much as we have tried to separate ourselves from the natural, it is time to reconnect and realize that we are all  in this together, and each loss of a species is our great loss.

Ok, so I will step off of my soapbox and give you a glimpse of “Going Native Again”. Here is the rough drawing of my next Black and White project. Hopefully it recognizable as a Black Crowned Night Heron, LOL!

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It is that time Again!

Due to deadlines to get this painting scanned and to Loro Parque before the convention this year, it is time to step away from the painting! A great Big “Thank You” to Mary Rose who is going to take the painting for me. Hope you enjoy!

Two Heads are better than one!

Another one of the Spix macaws done! Gotta get back to the drawing board……oops painting board.

Getting Ahead!

After posting the last update, I realized they look kind of funny without a head, SO here is the Adult Spix with a head, LOL. You are lucky I noticed that or else I would have forgotten to stop and take an update photo. And I would still be merrily painting along forgetting all about you guys in the audience. You are being very quiet…….hmmmmmmm….that must mean you are up to something, it is never quiet around here…. Oh well enjoy the head.

I owe, I owe, so off to work I go!

One show hung, one to go!!! Sept 3, we hang another show (a two person show this time) at the Beatitudes, in the Bistro. The 12 pieces will be there until Nov 30. In between all this matting, framing, and general craziness, paintings are still progressing. Here is a look at the Spix Macaw painting I am working on, hope to get it done in time to send to Loro Parque for the Big Bird Conference there in September. 

I have lost count on the cat hair/arlene battle as I have been framing so many pieces the last month or so…let me tell you though, there are definitely cat hairs in most of the drawings/paintings. Just when I think I have it nailed, another one appears…..I think it is Cats 24 – Arlene 0 about now. And just when you thought things were settling down…….along comes the feather storm. My floors are covered in down feathers….it looks like it is snowing in August. AND, YES, they make their way into everything too. I took some kickstarter packages to the US PO the other day and white down feathers were drifting off the package, LOL! The Post Office worker looked AT ME KIND OF FUNNY….SHE MUST NOT HAVE BIRDS, LOL! So how does she find excuses to go to the art store to buy new pencils and brushes?!?!?!?!?

Photos from the show!

I am still crazy busy getting rewards mailed out for the Kickstarter project and framing 12 more pieces for a two person show which starts Sept 3, but due to popular request, am taking a few minutes to post some photos from my first solo show! Here is Sunny at the artist reception with one of the Seniors.

 

And here are photos of the paintings after they were hung.