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!

On the Lake (In Pakistan) ~My Little Boat Pastel

This pastel was done from a photo I took in 1997, in Pakistan. I was sure that photo was on our way out to Taxila (where the ruins of one of the world's first Buddhist monasteries lies) but my dad seems to think it was a lake not far outside of Islamabad. 

Either way, I loved the colorful boats and put this piece in my last show.

On the Lake, 2014

Pastel on LaCarte 

8" x 10"

Traveling - 

It leaves you speechless,

then turns you into a storyteller.

~Ibn Battuta

Blessings and light!

"Courage"

Last fall, I started a new series of portraits, of girls. For now, they are Afghan girls, but that may be expanded. 

I was inspired by a photo I was given, last summer, by an Afghan American friend. The photo was taken on her last trip to Central Asia. It was of her granddaughter, with 3 other Afghani girls, who were headed to school. 

I'm doing separate portrait of each girl from that photo. 

Courage

by Lucinda Keller

Pastel on Uart paper

I don't mind if I have to sit on the floor at school.

All want is education.

And I'm afraid of no one.

~Malala Yousufzai

blessings and light!