world of wonders

I'm pleased to be included in an exhibit at the Atrium Gallery at USM's Lewiston Auburn College, a collection of children's book illustration with a science/nature theme called Tell Me a Story: A World of Wonders. 

These are 3 of my originals from A Warmer World.

A very small hermit crab illustration became part of a digitally created pattern for the end papers in Nest, Nook, and Cranny which I illustrated.

Love these end paper illustrations for Velma Gratch and the Way Cool Butterfly by Kevin Hawkes, a former island neighbor, and how Velma not quite disappears in the pattern.

I felt like Velma at the beach the other day, watching this butterfly struggle to lift off the rocks.
Can you identify it?

Drawing this Edith's Checkerspot butterfly numerous times while working on A Warmer World has made it very identifiable for me. Thanks to a warmer world, they are now found at elevations that are 300 feet higher than they were 100 years ago.

I was delighted to meet up with Cathryn Falwell, who arranged this display of original art and objects that were digitally merged in the final book, Scoot!

I was very drawn to these vibrant paintings by Jim Sollers.

  Here's a great diagram of a beaver dam, also by Jim.

This image stuck in my head when I embarked on a nature walk, courtesy of Garry Fox of the Peaks Island Land Preserve during Peaks Fest weekend.

The beavers on Peaks are invisible yet leave plenty of evidence.

They like to eat aspen trees, and otherwise bring down any thing they please. Garry showed us the features of a beaver skull, flat topped with eyes and nostril aligned, to move just above water level.

The good folks at PILP do a lot of volunteer work keeping trails accessible.

Here's the biggest lodge. Anybody home?

When I illustrated a beaver for Nest, Nook & Cranny I sure didn't find reference in my back yard.
Beavers are too busy to pose.

No walk on PILP land is complete without a stop at Battery Steele, a WW2 era bunker that now functions as a cave of surreptitious ritual and creativity.

Garry pointed out some art highlights, such as this piece done by his son, Keenan, who heads to Cooper Union in the fall.

This is a painting done for last year's Sacred and Profane by Paul Brahms, lit by flashllight in the complete darkness.

Garry didn't know who did this:

It brings to mind this Native American proverb:

                                                               Treat the earth well,
It was not given to you by your parents, It was loaned to you by your children. 

From art to nature and back to art, let's "practice the art of noticing."