Monarch Butterflies ~ Painting and Conservation

Monarch Butterflies

Growing up in Ventura our street was a stop off for monarch butterflies on their migration. Speaking of their migration, they have they longest of any butterfly. The eastern migration starts in Canada and ends up down in Mexico! The trees at the end of my street, Vista Del Mar, would be covered in thousands of these orange and black beauties every year. Some time after I left someone cut the trees down and the monarchs never came back. 

I just knew I had to paint these beautiful butterflies to represent where I grew up.

They were specifically painted for my solo show in December of 2018. If you missed my last post, here is my artists statement for that show. 

This exhibition is a reflection upon five decades and many places: The cities in which I have lived, countries where I have traveled and destinations that became pilgrimages. All have affected me in ways that are personal, powerful and life changing. These works are varied, as are the memories and connections I have with these places from my “Five Decades.” I hope you’ll enjoy the journey! 

My usual way of starting on the wood panels is to first use a clear gesso or medium to seal the wood. It doesn't completely keep the paint from absorbing into the panel but it definitely helps. Then I sketch the composition with a sanguine or burnt siena colored pencil or pastel. If I was painting on canvas and not using gold leaf I would just paint the composition in with a brush. You can see the reddish brown sketching above and the first layers of orange paint on the butterflies.

This next photo, I'm much farther along. I've added more variations to to orangy-gold in the wings, along with the black. At this point, I was hesitating in adding the white spots. I thought the painting might feel to chaotic but I decided to go for it.  

I made the spots a bit grey to soften them and then added the gold leaf. After the gold leaf I always go back into the edges where the paint meets the gold.

And ... Voilà! 

Ventura 

6 x 12"

Oil on Wood Panel, 2018

Gold Metal leafing

The butterflies sold to my dear friend Shea who I met during High School in our hometown of Ventura. This photo was at the reception, a week before I turned 50, last year. 

We lose a million to two million acres of habitat a year but we can help by planting milkweed (like swamp milkweed and butterfly milkweed) for the larva and other flowering plants like zinnias and even chives, for the adults, which they need to nectar on. This all helps to create backyard habitats for these beautiful butterflies. They also love various types of daisies, purple coneflower, goldenrods, butterfly bush, cosmos, some species of salvia, Viburnum, Mexican sunflower and then Tithonia (Mexican Torch) for when they come through in the fall. 

Check out this video on monarch butterflies.

You can also make a "butterfly puddle" and leave out fruit for your butterflies!

This one from the University of Minnesota and while it's very informational it also kind of cracks me up in its down home local TV vibe. ;-)

links

University of Minnesota Monarch Lab

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Monarch Page

How to build a Monarch Garden in 7 Steps

Happiness is a butterfly, 
which when pursued, 
is always just beyond your grasp, 
but which, if you will sit down quietly, 
may alight upon you. 
~Nathaniel Hawthorne

Blessings and Light!

Waimea Valley Botanica Gardens and the Famous Waimea Bay

Gardens and flowers 

have a way of bringing people together, 

drawing them from their homes.

~Clare Ansberry

Lucinda Keller

Sunset Beach, O'ahu (2018)

Oil on wood panel with metal leafing

 

The painting of plumeria was done for my December 2018 solo show, Through Time and Place: 5 Decades.

Waimea Bay 
Spring 2018

This first shot of Waimea Bay was looking from the side of the Kamehameha Highway. As you can see the notorious waves of Waimea aren't always pumping. Sometimes it's the perfect place for a swim! In fact, as mentioned in my Sea Turtle post, this is where I got to swim with one!

The next two photos are from the Haiau up above Waimea Bay and Valley and looking toward Kaena Point.

Below, the Waimea River has run into the estuary.

There is a road you turn on from the Kamehameha Hwy that leads you up the river. You'll be greeted by the Waimea Valley Geese, no doubt!

So gorgeous and lush!

Waimea Valley Botanical Garden

"Waimea Valley is a botanical garden, historic and cultural site with a 45 foot waterfall located on the North Shore of O’ahu, Hawai’i.  It is a 1,875 acre ahupua‘a, a division of land stretching from the mountains to the sea.  Waimea Valley has gone through many changes throughout its history and today many of the historic and cultural sites are surrounding by a world class botanical garden stretching over 300 acres ... Waimea Valley is the home of more than 5,000 documented kinds of tropical and subtropical plants including native and endangered Hawaiian plants."

I'm a little embarrassed to admit that both times I was there I went to the farmers' market and never made it all the way in to the Botanical Garden, nor the hike to famous waterfall. You'll see, however, that just being in the Peacock Pavilion area, it is filled with birds and incredible flora.

During the Thursday night Farmers' Market there was a wonderful man playing Hawaiian music, food, produce and artisans selling handmade jewelry, clothes and all sort of other goodies. 

You can tell that Shannon and I were enjoying ourselves!

‘Alae ‘Ula

also referred to Hawaiian Moorhen or Gallinula

status: Endangered

total population: 300-500 individuals on Kaua'i and O'ahu

This little guy was so friendly and just sat there while Shannon and I took a bunch of photos. He changed positions, turned around and walked up and down the vine covered fence. I had no idea this species is so endangered! 

"The Hawaiian Common Gallinule was listed as Endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA) in 1967; it's also listed as endangered at the state level. The filling, dredging, and draining of wetlands in Hawai'i has greatly reduced the amount of habitat available for the gallinule, limiting their distribution and abundance. 

Introduced predators such as cats, mongooses, bullfrogs, and turtles are another problem for the ground-feeding birds. And climate change, particularly rising sea level, threatens the  species' low-lying coastal habitat." - American Bird Conservancy   

Individually, we are one drop.

Together, we are an ocean.

~Ryunosuke Satoro

Peace lilies! These are great for your home air quality!

P

Spot the bee in this next one? I don't think Trumpet flowers are endemic to Hawaii but they sure are groovy.

More on the Botanicals in the Valley and gardens ...

Queen Emma Lily

Ti plant, Cordyline fruticosa

You can see how beautiful it is! Waimea Valley is also an incredibly important religious and cultural area for Hawaii. This video shows shrines, a temple site, deities, a cooking house, old original walls, and other places of historic importance for the Hawaiians. 

Alpinia Purpurate, Red Ginger flower. It was magnificent!

Spider lily, Crunum

Tiny Red Crested Cardinal

OK, so this next little guy was kind of hilarious. Truth is, at first it looked like a chicken running around with his head cut off. Actually, I thought maybe he was hit by a car in the parking lot and was still running around! He was a cool little feller who hid his face in those black feathers. I looked online and it looks quite like a silver laced Polish chicken.

I love the black and white scalloped feathers on his back and wings. Reminds me of a certain vintage Dior gown from the 1950s, but I digress ...

This red hibiscus was spectacular!

If we could see the miracle of a single flower clearly

our whole life would change.

~Buddha

Waimea Bay Estuary

Waimea Bay Beach Park!

I love to get a sketch session in whenever I can. It slows down the moment and helps me to be present, even when it's just a very loose and quick scribble!

There is so much more to explore in Waimea Valley. I hope to go back one day and take in more of the culture and see additional rare and endangered species that they are working so hard to preserve.

Here's a fascinating documentary by the American Bird Conservancy narrated by Richard Chamberlain. It explains how birds and other flora and fauna first came to the Hawaiian Islands and how they adapted and evolved. But, it also explains how "Thirty-three of Hawai‘i's remaining 44 endemic birds are listed under the Endangered Species Act; 11 of those have not been seen for decades and are likely extinct."

Endangered Hawaii - HD from American Bird Conservancy on Vimeo.

This a pretty good overview video of visiting Waimea Valley but it's by Hawaiian Airlines so the touristy nature of the voiceover leaves something to be desired. If you are enjoying the views and want to see more of what's in the Valley then I think it is worth watching. ;-)

Hope you enjoyed the visit!

Links

American Bird Conservancy

Waimea Valley Falls and Botanical Garden

Blessings, Light and Aloha!

World Rhino Day 2014

Today is World Rhino Day!!! 

Black Rhinos, White Rhinos, Javan Rhinos, Sumatran and Greater One-Horned! #TeamRhino !!!

Until he extends the circle of his compassion to all living things,

man will not himself find peace.

~Albert Schweitzer 

Black Rhino Icon

Oil on wood panel, with metal leafing

Any glimpse into the life of an animal

quickens our own and makes it so much the larger 

and better in every way.

~John Muir

If Rhino poaching continues at the current rate, they will be gone in the wild within our lifetime. People buy the horns for a range of supposed medicinal purposes but the horn has been proven to have no medicinal value whatsoever. 

Here is a video by World Wildlife Fund about the critically endangered species of Borneo: The Sumatran Rhinos. There are estimated 40 left in Borneo. This species has been around for 25 million years, and ... well, you can watch the video.

The animals of the planet are in desperate peril.

Without free animal life

I believe we will lose the spiritual equivalent of oxygen.

~Alice Walker

For more informations on Rhinos and how you can help, visit the Rhino page of World Wildlife Fund here.

Until one has loved an animal, 

a part of one's soul remains unawakened.

~Anatole

Thank you!

Blessings and light!

Orangutans

I love orangutans.

Zoos are tough and sometimes sad but now necessary for breeding programs for endangered species. My nephew loves animals (actually obsessed is more accurate!) so we take him to the zoo. I saw a woman once, reading a picture book to an orangutan at the L.A. Zoo. She sat on one side of this huge acrylic window, and the orangutan sat on the other. (The rest of the enclosure is open air.) Though they had a window between them, they sat on the ground, only a couple of feet apart.

She told me that she went at least once a week and sat with a book at the window and this same orangutan would see her, come over and sit and watch her and the illustrations in her books. They have this relationship going. As she told me this, the orangutan looked at me and then back to her reading buddy, patiently awaiting the rest of story time. If I didn't already love orangutans, this sealed the deal.

Orangutans are found in two places on the planet ... Borneo and Sumatra. With the destruction of tropical rain forests (both legal and illegal), fires, as well as using them for bushmeat, these beautiful creatures have become endangered. To find out more, you can go to Orangutan Foundation International.

Orangutan graphite on paper 2007

"Only if we understand can we care.

Only if we care will we help.

Only if we help shall they be saved."

~Jane Goodall

Vancouver Island Marmot

I am working, as I've mentioned before, on a series of endangered species paintings and drawings.  So the "endangered species of the month" is, you guessed it ... a Vancouver Island Marmot.  

They are found only on ... well, Vancouver Island. What you may not know, is that he is one of the worlds most Endangered Animals and that there are less than 100 left in the wild.  If you'd like to know more about this cute little guy or even help him out, you can check out Marmots.org!

Vancouver Island Marmot, Pen and Ink 2006

"When we try to pick out anything by itself,

we find it hitched to everything else in the universe."

~John Muir

Endangered Black-Footed Ferret

Isn't he cute?  He is one of the most endangered animals in United States.  He is actually the only ferret native to the U.S. and in 1986 there were only 18!  Yes, 18.  

In 2008, with the help of captive breeding programs and the Endangered Species Act, their numbers grew to 750 in the wild and 250 in breeding facilities. How cool is that?  I love knowing there are people out there dedicating their lives to these kinds of endeavors. Doesn't it give you hope?  To learn more about this very endangered animal, check out Defenders of Wildlife and their website.  

I am always a bit shocked at people who miss the whole "link in the chain" thing and that every species is important to their eco-chain and the larger ecosystem.  I mean, I barely went to biology class and I still get that!

Black Footed Ferret, Pen and Ink 2006

It is horrifying that we have to fight

our own government

to save the environment.

~Ansel Adams

Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle

Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle (2004)

This is an endangered Kemp's Ridley sea turtle. It's one of 7 species of sea turtle, all of which are on the IUCN Red List and all classified as endangered or threatened by the U.S. Endangered Species Act. These creatures have been here since before the dinosaurs ... between 110 to 140 million years. Yes MILLIONS... crazy right? I swam with one in Hawaii, almost drowning from the complete and utter excitement of it. It was thrilling.

Leatherbacks could be gone in 10 years. Uh, huh. 10. For more information there are lots of websites and people doing a lot to help these guys out. Sea Turtle Restoration Project is just one of them and they have a lot of info on their site.

Endangered ...

Sadly, there are so many endangered species that I have a six volume encyclopaedia of species that are endangered in North America alone.  Volume 1 is mammals, birds, and reptiles.  Volume 2 is filled with amphibians, fish, snails, mussles and clams. You get the idea.  Each one a link in the chain ... every one of them different and special and an amazing feat of nature and creativity.

Endangered Three (2004)

"If you have people who will exclude any of God's creatures 

from the shelter of compassion and kindness, 

you will have people who will deal likewise 

with their fellow human beings."

~Francis of Assisi

Endangered Species

These works are the beginning of what will become part of a larger collection of endangered species. Unfortunately there are a lot to choose from in the animal kingdom as well as the plant world. The idea behind them has to do with seeing them as something holy and worth seeing or elevating to the level of icons. The "patterns" or "designs" are all related to the country or area of origin of the animal. They represent the human element and how we are connected to these creatures and ultimately responsible for the final outcome of their existence. These are all oil on wood panels.

Siberian Tiger

Echo Parakeet~ Mauritius

Endangered Orchids

Endangered Slipper Orchid

When they are in nature, people sense intuitively that the other kingdoms are living in harmony with universal law. In such an environment, it's easier for the heart to open, to become softer and live in tune with the earth.

~Wabun, Sun Bear's medicine helper