Yaffa of Amnamar : The Staff of Peace

Yaffa of Amnamar

The Amnamaran Tribe of the tropics are a high reclusive clan, and though they are, by ancestry, from a long line of Earthspeaking individuals, the interests of Amnamar have become increasingly insular in human times. With habitat fragmentation and deforestation affecting most of the tropic regions of their world, many of the Amnamaran clans have withdrawn into the deepest jungles and cloud forests. There, for the most part, they live in relative isolation, interacting minimally with sister tribes and neighbors. Some family clans sustain their interests in total autonomy, and fiercely defend territorial boundaries.

A matriarchal society with a 'predicted' (and proven) Queen, their societies involve a fairly rigorous spiritual structure and a complicated hierarchy. Their stick fighting and hand-to-hand combat techniques are among the most formidable in the Miriconian realm, and thus the Amnamarans have earned a reputation. Called 'The Stripers' and 'The Blood Birds' for the markings in their beautiful crimson plumage, they are feared by many who cross their path. 

Yaffa's Story

As members of a remote tribe under Queen Eyabrenna, best friends Yaffa and Bry'e are dissatisfied with the divisive thinking of their tribal leaders. Bry'e is daughter of the reigning Queen Eyabrenna, and has also been predicted as the next leader of her people. Yaffa is Bry'e's sparring partner and fight trainer, and witnesses  firsthand the struggle in Bry'e as she goes through the many preparations for leadership. Ultimately Yaffa and Bry'e break free of their tribal limitations, and go forth into the world as speakers for peace among Earthspeakers and Men. 

Her ceremonial staff, too delicate to be used in close combat, is an outward symbol of her inner commitment to pacifism. Traditionally used in various ways to signal and guide large groups of tribal members, such staffs remain integral in Amnamaran society. Yaffa has hand-carved this piece herself, and presents it as part of her appearance at the annual Earth Summit gathering. 

Miriconian Manuscript : Alphabet

Miriconian Language : A Brief History

Part of the Miriconian language and dialect text, this page of ancient symbols represents the second oldest language written and spoken in the natural realm. The vowel sounds are among the oldest in this series of letters, most of them being borrowed from the far older language known as Bynsch, 'The Cry'. Bynch was spoken in various ways by wolves, eagles, monkeys, whales, lions, and even clouds of swarming insects, and it was said that the wind and the waters were responsible in teaching these creatures how to speak, so that the shapes of both earth energies flowed in their sounds and utterances.

As Earthspeakers endeavored to put into context the many concerns they represented, they discovered that the more primitive cry of the early animals was not easily understood by Man. Thus, the Earthspeakers and Ambassadors of the world created the existing Miriconian language, which was spoken by Man and Earthspeaker alike for many eons. The speech fell out of common practice in the past 500 years, as the Ambassadors of Earth dwindled in number, and as Man's interest in connection with nature diminished.

Matted and framed,

Approximately 12x16

Original only, no reproductions

$250

The Bee Flautist : A Gathering...

As thousands gather for the Earth Summit in the Lands of Mirico, a festival atmosphere takes over in many of the streets and bazaars... The Bees of New Che-Uin have many talents, from architecture and botany to embroidery, millinery and musical performance. Blending the traditional bee dances with flute playing, Azhban the Bee makes merriment as the visitors to the city stream past him toward the Main Assembly Hall. 

Much will be discussed at the Assembly, as Earthspeakers from all over the world gather to report on regional concerns, and to discuss sustainable systems in the fragile and interwoven series of natural biospheres they call home. Educators, scientists, inventors, artisans and philosophers alike take turns in debate, and as the Assembly takes recess the performers take to many stages throughout the golden city... 

Bee Flautist, matted to 11x14 

$300

25% of all gallery proceeds go to Earth Initiatives at Global Green

Globalgreen.org

Ou-Ti of Yaawo-Ana, City of Trees

The Ou-Ti Musicians : Inu'a and Dhalin

Inu'a and Dhalin have been raised in a tropic bird culture relatively sequestered in the shelter 

of the trees. Inu'a serves as an interpreter to the clan's Holy Man, J'Maari, and explains the following to visitors:

"J'Maari is not King. Rather he is the quill of our feather, the center from which the rest of us spread. The quill holds its feather together. But if you look at the feather very closely, you will see that it is made up of many smaller parts - you will see that, just as there are many spokes growing out from the center, there are many centers from which the spokes grow out. And just as one feather cannot make a bird fly, so we must be many feathers together to raise our clan to better mind, better action, better spirit. Better being. 

To make another analogy, J'Maari is the center of our Circle, the center of our people. There are many circles around us - the circle of the wind, which lives in the circle of the sky... the circle of the seasons, which live in the circle of the earth. The circle of emergence from the white egg when we are born, and the disappearance into the dark circle of the tomb when we go back into the womb of the earth. The center of the circle must look to all its other parts - so it is with our people, that the center is no greater and no more powerful than any other part."

Ou-Ti Dancers, Illustrations 9x12

$300 each 

25% of each purchase goes to Earth Initiatives at Global Green

Globalgreen.org

Another Miriconian species not making a direct appearance in the gallery show is the Petrel-Atal,

the perimeter guards of the Copirnikhan realm (also known as Antarctica). Especially serious and intense, the Petrels have witnessed many changes in their homeland, including the shifting ozone layer, the increase of invasive species, the detritus of Man as he explores the region, glacial loss as the region warms, and shifts in the circumpolar current that governs salinity and temperature. 

The symbol on his carapace armor is that of the N'Miridin, which stands for the One World, when the Iridian realms of man and the Hidden realms of Nature disappear, and all Earth beings speak the same language to each other once more. 

 More info to come... 

Amnamaran Mother and Child: Eyabrenna and Bry'e

The Amnamaran People

A highly insular tribe of the deep Miriconian lands, Amnamar are an equatorial clan dispersed through many jungles of the world. They are unusual in several respects physiologically, as they have a chest pouch similar to many marsupials in which they carry their young, though they are egg-laying animals distantly related to birds. They also have bilateral throat vents that act as secondary nostrils for breathing, and have four lungs rather than two. They are among the most intelligent, strongest and most agile of all the Earthspeakers, and yet they are among the most disconnected from Man. Many of their jungle homes are being decimated by human industry and agriculture - thus, many of their clans have become environmental refugees, and intercultural clashes have erupted as territorial disputes ensue. 

Eyabrenna, Queen of the Amnamar, oversees a tribe of nearly 3000 individuals dispersed through a wild cloud forest. The territorial disputes in her region are fiery and have led to battles in the past. The highly dangerous Atuyaran tribe to the North has raided Eyabrennan lands in the past, but for now, an uneasy peace has settled on the tribe. Bry'e, only daughter of the Queen, has been predicted as the successor to her mother, though bloodlines do not guarantee a reigning queen's succession. 

Bry'e struggles with her role as the future leader of her people, and quails under the stark expectations of her warrior mother. Her hearts (both mind and heart) tell her that something more is meant for her, and as she matures, she considered escaping from the Amnamaran lands, and imagines striking out on her own... 

Original painting, matted

$500

25% of all purchases go to Earth Initiatives at Global Green

Globalgreen.org

Ou-Ti Mother and Child

The Ou-Ti People of Yaawo-Ana

The jungle culture of Ou-Ti established in the massive, ancient stump of a tropical Yaawo (a plant related to the Banyan Tree). The breadth of the tree's trunk takes approximately an hour to cross on foot. Though the tree's branches have been missing for ages, the roots of the plant go so deep, as the Ou-Ti tell it, 'that the tree does not yet realize it is dead'. How exactly the tree lost all its branches is a mystery, but the Ou-Ti enjoy telling many tales about it. 

The location of the city of Yaawo-Ana is important from an Earthly perspective, being located on a pulse point, or energy center, of the planet. Tapping into this vein of release with its roots, the tree emits messages from its interior, and those who are trained Earthspeakers work to interpret the communications released from the tree and the surrounding soil. The plant is so interconnected to its surroundings that it receives and translates messages from neighboring rivers, and even from the active volcanic mount of Csarathakwa some 100 anahks (kilometers) away. 

Yaawo-Ana, City of Trees

Rising from Lanoran mists, as mountain from a womb of trees

what bluff of bark does soar, devoid of tropic spire in voice of breeze?

Where once was green is broad of stump, whose heights live in the house of rain

whose monolith of shadow fall across the Csarathakwan Plain

Tis foot of Yaawo-Ana, grand of tree so long be cleaved of bough

tis branch of ancient seed, who after Age still raise a regal brow

Tis foot of Yaawo-Ana, eye of earth which stares into the cloud

where Ou-Ti people shelter in the Ferrigfern and misted shroud

All travel through Lanoran bush, when come upon her be amazed

confusing cliff of Yaawo for a sheer of rock so sudden raised 

And though her canopy be shorn still hand of root holds fast to deeps

and fingerlets of wood do touch the face of Earth who never sleeps

Tis foot of Yaawo-Ana great in breadth as blot out much of sky

tis branch of ancient seed who mothered forest now surrounded by

Tis foot of Yaawo-Ana mouth of Earth which speaks to open Ear

where Ou-Ti people carve a home and all her words do strain to hear

And wonder all who look upon how taken were her boughs so high

and myth and tale be told to speak an answer to the How and Why

Amd unaware seems tree of old that absent are her branches all

and live devoid of canopy does foot of Yaawo-Ana tall

Yes foot of Yaawo-Ana grand of tree so long be cleaved of bough

tis branch of ancient seed who after Age still raise a regal brow

Tis foot of Yaawo-Ana mouth of Earth who speaks to Sea of Sky

where Ou-Ti people shelter in the shadow of her Wooden Eye

Original watercolor painting, 18x24, matted

$500

The Hummingbird

The Bird Folk of Ta'galan

An old Ta'galan legend told in the Lands of Mirico is that of Feathabee, the son of Glynmarra the Patchwork Bird. Feathabee befriended the sun and the moons even before they had learned to fly. In his own way, and with his own feathers, it is said that he gave the sun and the moon a way to stay and light the world. 

"In the age of giants, when fire walked freely upon the Earth, and the stones hurled themselves about in a dance of smoke, and before the Trees had taught their words to the wise, there was, among those who moved, a great bird, born, some say, of the Earth itself. As broad as mountains, with wisps of cloud in his wing and starlight in his eye. First Earth child of the First Cosmic Child, he was dreamwalker and smokespeaker - his footprints were lakes, his shoulders his fingers the creeks, his arms the rivers. And he rose up joyous, calling out in one of the first Voices." 

- Ta'galan Tales

As you travel from here to there in the Lands of Mirico you'll see depictions of the kind and gentle Feathabee on village flags, in simple wood etchings, on household pottery and in even in ancient cave carvings. In the spirit of Feathabee's giving and sympathetic nature, all creatures in Mirico try to live in the ways of peace and friendship. Being the ancestors of Feathabee, the Bird Ambassadors are flightless, and so they're often fascinated by anything that has retained the ability to flit about. 

This illustration is 18x24, matted to 22x28

$550

The Band : Atolli Party Birds

Done in a series that just kept growing exponentially, The Band consists of many members, but the core musicians are the fiddle player, guitarist, upright bassist and drummer. Though I can't recall who was first to appear, as a musician myself I kept thinking ahead to other band members as I drew - what instrument would be fun to illustrate, and how would I personify the character playing it?

Each of the original illustrations are 9x12 matted to 11x14

$275 each, $450 for a pair, $825 for all four as a group. 

Naku Islands : The Onepalipan Clan

The above watercolor, which does not appear in the Fernie Brae show, depicts a male and female member of the Nakurit region, an archipelago of islands in the remote tropics of Mirico. The Nakurit are among the most proficient Plantspeakers in the world, and often grow mobile gardens on their bodies as a form of veneration to the land.

The tribes believe the islands they call home are the former shells of ancient, giant turtles who swam into shallow water, hence became lodged, and died. The word 'Onepalipan', which is both their tribal name and the language they speak, means 'turtle child', which is also a reference to Chimaquatka the Universal Mother, who is often depicted as a cosmic turtle. 

The Onepalipans of the Naku are an integral group of characters in the Miriconian realm. Their islands teem with fertile earth and endemic species, and yet their island homes are among the most threatened in the world. Their land, in many places, is at or below sea level, and thus it is steadily disappearing due to sea level rise. 

Song of the Nakurit People

Moss and rock and shell and wave

and sand and we a'singing 

Sky and cloud and thunder loud

and rain fall down a'winging

Fish and crab and whale and snail

and weed of sea a'weaving

Tide and krill and coral frill

a'never from us leaving

Star and moon and sun come soon

now thanks to all we've sung to

Mount and fount and fruit and root

and Nakurit among you

Thank you cave and spring and reed

and shore upon we'standing

Thanks to Mother, blue at Heart 

Blue Father Sky expanding

Be yours we all of Nakurit 

as to you givers giving

Gift back our own, our feathered bone

to Ones who gave us living

Now same as blossom mist and bay

and sinew, flesh and feather

Same we all, as same we call

in thanks to you together

The Ta'me of the Vexed Mists

Expert bogmaw hunters and gifted trackers, these exceptionally strong frogmen grow to at least two meters in height. They can trace their lineage through the Nile Delta, where they interacted with the people of Kimet, now known in modern times as Egypt. During the reign of the Egyptian kings, the Ta'me were revered as gods, and were sought for natural remedy and spiritual  guidance.

Having since migrated to many bog cultures throughout the world, such as Kakadu in Australia, Karala in India, and the Okavango in Botswana, The Ta'me of the Pantanal (known as the Dillydell to Miriconians) are the guardians of a very reclusive species of Snail People known as the Shelkie. The Vexed Mists of the Dillydell are given this name because they are a truly confusing region to pass through. Many of the larger islands here are actually massive foraging hermit crabs, who slowly move along searching for food as small forests grow upon their backs. Thus, the landscape of the bog is constantly shifting, and it is almost impossible to keep your bearings. The best way to travel the Mists is to befriend a water beetle, who may agree to swim you across. Even with a reliable guide, the region is not without its dangers, as just beneath the surface there may lurk massive flesh-eating plants known as bogmaw, which are capable of swallowing a man or a small boat whole.

The Dillydell is an area of 140,000 to 195,000 square kilometers depending on the flood pulse, being the largest wetland in the world. Up to 12 sub-regional ecosystems are identified, each with distinct hydrological, geological and ecological characteristics. Within these systems there are 658 species of birds, 190 mammals, 50 reptiles, 270 fish and 1,132 types of butterfly. While the Golden Mussel, introduced by Man, has become a truly invasive species threatening the balance of many ecosystems here, the Ta'me do utilize these persistent invaders as an additional food source.

"During the rainy season, the water in the marsh basin rises between two and five meters. Just as the Nile delta is fertile, arable land, so too are the Dillydell plains. The dramatic increase of water during the rainy season nourishes the producers of the marsh, which in turn nourishes all the other species, as well. Humans have taken advantage of this so much that it has become a problem." 

- Iridian Anthropologist

Original illustration, 11x14

matted to 16x20

$300

Kalile B'Urendi and the Wart Tail

Kalile B'Urendi comes from a Deep Time ancestral line in the realms of Mirico, never having been to Iridian realms. There are actually a considerable number of humans in Mirico who have never been to Man's realm, and those who have no familiarity with Iridia usually prefer to remain unaware. However, the polluted air, soil and water of Iridia have had increasing impact on the distant realms of nature. Kalile's foremost concern as an Ambassador of his people in Mirico is to protect their pristine homelands, but he also works to represent human beings in a positive light, and hosts the Earth Summit as speaker for his kin.

His cape is a living organism, based on an air plant known as pepplemoss. The cape needs the same care as a common houseplant, but benefits from the warmth and moisture of the wearer as well. It is a heavy garment, but provides both camouflage and added protection from chilly nights. Capes like this are common in tropical and temperate climates, but will die off in sub-zero temperatures.

The Wart Tail lizard is among many Earth Ambassadors to engage with Kalile as they express their local and regional concerns. The Miriconian Council has worked together to establish peace and diplomacy, but tensions have been on the rise as humans in Iridia remain wasteful, thoughtless and greedy.


This painting has been a long-time favorite for visitors to my art displays - it comes from an earlier watercolor phase of my work.
Kalile is a prominent character in the narratives as I write them in the present, and his appearance, demeanor and voice have always been quite clear to me as I 'write' him. He seems a very real person indeed as he speaks and interacts in my imagination, and I hope one day to bring him to greater fruition by giving his realism to readers and viewers in narratives and tales.

"Each of us could call ourselves a world, really - a world of thoughts, memories and experiences. We interlace ourselves into a patchwork of worlds within worlds, and yet we forget... Somehow, we deny ourselves the oneness that we once were.

Our first mistake, whether we called ourselves Iridian or Miriconian, was to think of each other as such. Man may have become afraid of Nature, and Nature may have become afraid of Man, but it is this fear that will continue to divide and destroy us until we abolish it." - Kalile B'Urendi

Original watercolor painting, 11x14

matted to 16x20

$350

Soft Clay : Part of the Process

Katio and Ashta'ar's hands, in soft clay... After I get the initial shape right, I enjoy posing the 

fingers in many potential ways. 

The Reclusive Atolli People : Parrot Folk

O'vin and Dalari, Dancers

Though the Atolli tribe were at one time very devoted to their roles as Ambassadors to human beings, with the onset of devastating habitat fragmentation, eventually the bird folk severed all human connection. Approached by fellow Ambassadors in recent times, they showed no interest whatsoever in reconnecting with the species decimating their trees and landscapes. "Man has forgotten that he is Nature," they said.

Knowing that their jungle homelands are under constant threat as Man utilizes such regions for ranching and logging, the Atolli have become increasingly insular, living in a state of denial and decadence as their jungle home disappears around them. Their elaborate parties and jungle Balls are legendary, though few from the outside world ever experience them.

Original 9x12 illustrations, $250 each

These were the first of my most recent Miriconian illustrations, marking the threshold of the most prolific period of my creative career to date. Within a year more than 30 illustrations came quickly to fruition, and a flurry of narrative also emerged in conjunction with the visual work. 

The evolution of the drawings is interesting to follow from here - my love of watercolor quickly diverged into the ease of colored pencil, and aided in the speed at which the works were finished. The momentum of the creative period has yet to abate, with more characters and ideas surfacing all the time... 

                                    

Ahn'ri The Water Beetle:

The Cosmos and the Leaf 

of Origins

 

The Leaf and the Three Bridges

Ahn'ri the Water Beetle explains, “The Universe is quite like this water as it ripples – it is an outwardly moving sequence of rings, fertile with life, in various stages, between birth and death.

In this Universe, this broad womb of light, we arose, a leaf from a great and mysterious tree. The stem of the leaf is our origins, the path we all took, together, for a time. But at some point, we diverged into the Three Paths. This is when Man and Nature split apart, becoming the outer edges of the leaf as Man became afraid of Nature, and Nature fled from Man. The Ambassadors, those of us who are the bridge between, became the seam through the body of the leaf, holding together the two estranged worlds.

We live in a time where Man and Nature are farther apart than they have ever been – this broadest point of the leaf is the present, and to maintain its shape the leaf can become no wider – rather, it must taper to a single point. The bridges between Man and Nature must reach out, drawing the two worlds back together. For just as the stem of the leaf was our common origin, so too the tip of the leaf is our common destiny. Only by abandonning separateness, by coming together in kindness, awareness, knowledge, respect and love, will we once again be whole... The One World, which once was.”

Original illustration, 18x24

$400

The Wasps : Aristocrats of the Dillydell

Originals matted, framed, and ready for the show...

16x20 barn wood frames, $325 each

Many of my works lead to pairs and even groupings of illustration, and although I cannot remember who came first between these two, the Wasp aristocrats make a grand couple. Dressed exceptionally well for their public roles as Ambassadors at a regional Earth Summit, the Wasps have traveled far from their paper homes in the Mangrove trees of the Dillydell.

Among the Wasp folk there is a wandering minstrel, known for his singing and fiddle playing. A song made famous by him tells of the division between humans, in Iridia, and Nature, which hides in the realms known as Mirico.

The Breaking of the World

Against the wind o'Ridian wood, now raised to sky divided

and woodland kin remember good, as both in worlds resided

N'Miridin was once our name, All World where nothing broken

but thought unkind and selfish came, and end of Whole was spoken

And where once good did rise, the way of foe and weapons wielding 

and all who small though fight they should, did bend to powers yielding

Where severed World from one to two was born the grave Division

'twas those a'walking gentler, who did solemn make decision

But is said no more the Two be so, N'Miridin awaken

for through the seam a Child shall go, returning what was taken

Iridia no longer be, nor Mirico within Her

N'Miridin shall rise in those who once again begin Her

Iridia was named the place where rough the Hand came crashing

where into root and water's grace came steely teeth a'gnashing

And Mirico was place unbent where not came Man a'prying

where voices Earth in all extent could speak without a'crying

And Mirico did shrink away as Hand groped in to claim Her

as further into cave and bay did Man move swift to frame Her

But Child you hold without your hands in Mind and Heart the Healing

so come you home to Mirico, whose secrets We revealing

Iridia no longer be, nor Mirico within Her

N'Miridin shall rise in those who once again begin Her.

Symbiosis : The Bee

A featured piece created specifically for the show at the Fernie Brae Gallery, 'Symbiosis' is a playful but environmental look at the interrelation of creatures in the natural realm.

The arrival of the Pill Bugs (also known as the Rollies) is a welcome sight for the bees, who are aware of increasing toxicity in the plants and soils they depend on for sustenance. Many of these toxins have been introduced by Man, and such foreign chemicals pose a threat to the survival of the Bee species. The Pill Bugs are known for leeching toxins from soil, and, in return, seek protection from the hives they assist.

The embroidery patterns in the bee's clothing were derived from the shape of the hives in which they live, and the colors blue and yellow were chosen specifically because bees can see blue, yellow and blue-green. The antennae decorations seem to amuse many who see this piece, and I have often thought that many species of insect would adorn themselves with such shiny, appealing objects.

This piece was particularly comical as it emerged, and I found myself giggling again and again as the faces of the individual Pill Bugs came to fruition.

18x24 illustration, matted to 22x28

$500

The Mouse and the Snail

As the Earth Summit, a great gathering of all Earthspeakers, draws near, individuals of every Earth discipline make contact with those for whom they speak. They bring with them to the Summit concerns and reports from their homelands, and seek to maintain diplomacy and awareness. Though practitioners of Earthspeech can be highly specialized in their work, there are creatures who can communicate with a number of other species.

While there are snail speakers (known as the Shelkies), often the smaller creatures of a particular region will seek out those living in nearby areas, and will ask them to represent them in diplomatic matters.

Original illustration, matted to 11x14

$200

The Great Moth of Dashmanaug

The Great Moth of Dashmanaug is an ancient, slightly luminous and deeply wise character, living and working in the Ee'Noull Valley of Mirico. The lands of his birth have been inundated by Man, and the Ee'Noull specifically has been stripped and mined for copper, making the area a dead zone for thousands of years. Dashmanaug's greatest hope is to rehabilitate the region with the introduction of plants and creatures that absorb toxins from the soil, and in his efforts Dashmanaug has employed both human beings and Earth Ambassadors alike.

Luminous insects and other moths are drawn to his subtle glow, and often he travels with a whirling crown of fireflies above his head. His lantern, or Pirn, always shines more brightly when he takes it in hand, and one of his favorite Miriconian songs happens to be about such a lantern. The song speaks of hope, as the light of the Pirn guides us through a dark time, toward the light of a new day.

Though bitter be the night beyond our little arc of light

Though starless sky be beating on the roof with all its might

Here be the glow that we gather 'round while night be on the sill

And here to stay sing the night away to the break of dawn until

Though the dark of it be a mystery there is naught of night to fear

Though may cry the owl and the windy howl I am with you now so near

For we be warm all within a ring of pirn-glow safe and sound

So nestle in and listen to the eve'ing winging down

Though shadow stark staring through the boughs where together now we lay

Still sparkle-sky send a twinkle-eye 'pon the near and far away

Where wander we ever onward wend tremble never for the cold

For lantern light warms the wander-night with the flame of *Yirdil Old.

Now the moons are peeking o'er the trees and the wind is whining shrill

The stars above all a'shivering just beyond the shadowy hill

Though lonely I so was before now your company I keep

And even on the coldest night so soundly do I sleep

*Yirdil refers to the oldest energy born of the Earth, the first life and first light that shone as it rose from the darkness. Sometimes Yirdil is a shining tree, also known as Yirdilfi, and other times the ancient light is referred to as Chimaquatka, the Mother Universe or Womb.

Phases of Creation : Blackbard

The evolution of a character can go in several directions - they might be words on paper for a long time, existing solely in poetry, lyric or narrative and having no real physical manifestation in sketch or sculpture. At times, however, a character will wander through my thoughts and ideas quite clearly from the very beginning, and show up in various forms. While Blackbard the Feathabee was the first character to clearly appear to me (as shown in the uppermost watercolor painting) even he went through various stages of being. 

Blackbard says that human beings, as they are, are difficult to represent, and their ways are even more difficult to understand. His role in the narratives of Nature is integral, and at times very dark, as his motivations in the tales have been affected negatively by the dark acts of Man. But ultimately Blackbard is a strong Earth ambassador, a powerful voice hoping to inspire change.

The full-sized sculpted version of him (above) was a favorite project some years ago. He rode with me in the passenger seat of my moving van as I drove from Ann Arbor to Chicago, in preparation to jettison west to a life in Oregon; traveling with an intense, well-dressed bird man will draw some surprised and quizzical looks, but he is a traveler by nature, after all...

Blackbard currently lives with my parents in suburban Illinois, and enjoys talking to the crows. 

The Warrior : Kai'an

Kai'an the Master of Arrows is a deeply cerebral and strong individual living and training in the Bee city of New Che-Uin. He is advisor to Kalile B'Urendi, Ambassador of Men in the Miriconian Realm. As the lead defender of a city that has suffered many onslaughts through history, Kai'an's and his archers are among the most practiced and accurate in the Realm. Men who are accepted to train under Kai'an emerge as some of the finest target warriors, and they speak his praises far and wide.

Kai'an's elaborate armor was inspired by pieces I saw in the Cosplay collection of a handsome teenager I know.

Prints only, available through Fernie Brae Gallery

or at my Etsy site

$24

The New Queen

Among the Bee cultures of Mirico it is common for individuals in a thriving hive to become too numerous, at which point a new queen is appointed to oversee a new hive of her very own. In this image, the reigning Queen has decided that her hive is ready for a division, and a new queen has been raised to lead her people to a new location.
There is an air of sadness in the eyes of the Queen, because in the Miriconian world there are many dangers that can prevent a new hive from establishing; there is no guarantee that the new queen and her people will survive.

As Man delves deeper into the natural world, and as he makes choices that lead to pollinator decline and hive collapse, the bees must face adversity in ways they never have before.

Original illustration, $300

The First Bee : The Archer

Though this piece is not featured in the gallery show, it became the impetus for many later bee characters in the featured gallery series.

In the tales as I have written them thus far, there is a prominent society in the Natural realm involving bees, bumblebees and wasps. The archers of this culture are particularly accurate and twice as efficient as regular bowmen, because they have four hands. This leads to the ability to multitask, as this father be happens to do quite well with his youngster in tow.

The carved, standing retainer of ammunition beside the archer is inscribed with the word 'arrow' in the Miriconian language.

Illustrations...

The smaller illustrations, such as this Tam'e character, often go with me in a portable sketchbook, and I keep colored pencils at work in case of down time, where I can happily scribble away. This photo also shows my creative process as the original lines of my idea are fleshed out into color. I rarely do sketches, in fact, but trust that what I put down the first time will manifest into something.

While I worked in watercolors for some years, I came across colored pencils and enjoyed the speed at which I could work with them. Being rather prolific, the pencils eliminate wait time as watercolor layers dry.

The Doll-making process

The dolls usually start with polymer clay heads, hands and feet, with glass eyes set in before the firing process. Larger dolls have aluminum foil inside them to minimize the weight of their parts.

It is tremendous fun to sculpt curly shoes, and hands, while difficult, are a joy to create.

The Mantis


Highly intelligent and physically poised, the Mantids of Mirico are widely known for their ability to negotiate, serve as speakers and translators, and facilitate change. Some smaller species fear them for their reputation as fierce hunters, but many of the most enlightened and educated Mantids are deeply spiritual, benevolent, and evolved.

Mantisora, or S'ora for short, is a negotiator living at the rim of the Dillydell Marshes. She specializes in the passage of creatures who might become too numerous in particular areas susceptible to invasive species. In the Dillydell there are a number of issues already plaguing the natives, and Ambassadors such as the Mantis mean to serve environmental refugees arriving in her region.

The Doll

Made from an array of mingling materials, the Mantis has appeared in previous art shows, and is always received with a mixture of awe and trepidation. As I build dolls, paint and draw, I often find I lean toward characters that might make some people recoil or feel slightly uncomfortable. I often get the sense that such beings are misunderstood, and giving them human qualities may encourage us to find our own reflection in areas where we might not normally see a resemblance.

She stands approximately 28 inches tall, approximately 20 inches wide. 

Materials include lace, driftwood, sea urchin spines, found feathers, re-purposed earmuffs, 

upholstery samples, wool roving, polymer clay, glass eyes, found silk and birch bark. 

$400

A Churani Song to the Tree

Wood that is now dancing,

who was born of the same soil as I,

I ask that you become the walls of my  house,

my spoon, by bowl, my bed and my boat.

I will revere you each time I look upon my home, 

eat my food, lay down to sleep

or float down the river. 

In return, I will take the seeds of your body 

and plant them 

so that you may have many children,

and so that my children may also have a house,

a spoon, a bowl, a bed and a boat.

And they will revere your children

each time they look upon their home, eat their food, 

lay down to sleep 

or float down the river

For I will tell them that they were born of the same soil

as You. 

Ashta'ar the Seedsower

of the Churani Tribe

The Churani are among the most ancient lineages of Earthspeakers in the world, and are rumored to be depicted on cave walls in some of the earliest human art known to Man. At first they taught humans the 'earth language' (later to become known as Miriconian), and told him the secrets of plants for remedy and elixer. Hunter-gatherers often traveled with the Churani people, following the natural migratory paths of the wise bird folk. It is said that Odin's ravens were descendants of the Churani, and the constellation 'Corvus' in the Northern Hemisphere, was depicted after the likeness of these early feathered guides and seers. 

Ashta'ar is integral to the tales of Mirico as I write about them, being one of the first characters to encounter children who have stumbled upon the natural realms in which he lives. He is fond of singing Miriconian songs and telling ancient tales, loves his banjo, and sequesters a small trove of human objects in a rickety old traveling cart. He's particularly fond of anything made of brass, copper or garnet, which, he says, reminds him of the fire that encourages new seeds to sprout in the ground.

The Doll

Ashta'ar is approximately 27 inches tall and 16 inches wide. His head

and arms are adaptable, and his legs are hinged at the knee. He is made of polymer clay,

featuring glass eyes, cruelty-free feathers, pine cones, wool, acrylic paint, nylon, 

chop sticks, driftwood, electrical wire and found fabric. 

Another doll to gradually find himself over time, Ashta'ar and Katio have had many travels together. 

$350

Building Katio...

Some of the characters take years to fully come to fruition in a form that feels complete and fully present. Katio in particular has moved with me through years of personal evolution, and her face is as familiar as any friend I possess in the human realms. She has a countenance of kind, inquisitive intelligence, and though her arms can pose in a number of ways, I find she seems to feel most natural with her hands out-stretched in an offered embrace. 

Katio the Water Walker

Katio the Water Walker

The water walkers have a particular Earthspeaking specialization, but there are various forms of their expertise. Some water walkers 'read the water's words' and take samples in a particular region and present them for testing, if toxins, changes in salinity, or pollutants are a factor. Other Walkers serve as Ambassadors for creatures beneath the water, while still others perform a similar role for those who depend on the ecosystem above the water's surface.
Found most typically in marshes, near lakes, and on the shores of streams and rivers, they can occasionally be found working along coastal areas. But seaside regions are governed more exclusively by sea-dwellers, and the land-based water walkers leave the authority of the ocean to those who reside in it.

Approximately 20 inches high, 16 inches wide. 

Katio features cruelty-free feathers, found mollusk shell, polymer clay, 

a re-purposed wool scarf, black lace, glass eyes and hand-spun fibers.

acrylic paint and chop sticks. Her head and arms are adaptable, 

and her legs are jointed. 

$350

Tarkel'e the Accappappa, of the Hummingbird People

The Process

The impetus of this character was a *very* weathered garden glove I found while I was out on a walk in the summer of Brighton, Michigan. Perhaps the glove had been cast off, or dropped accidentally, but its former owner was nowhere in sight. Looking at the exquisite textures and earthy hues of the worn leather, I felt the glove was too interesting to pass up. 

I carefully separated the stitching and made a cardboard form onto which the leather could take shape. The shape of the thumb became a shoulder, and at the frayed edge of the seam I laid in a patch of old lace. It looked much like a sleeve. 

Having already sketched the hummingbird folk on a number of occasions, I considered the options - while the leather was heavy where a small bird was considered, I thought there might be ways to give lightness and elegance to the rather stark material. Pulling out a collection of found fibers, old papers and scraps of lace, it wasn't long before a charming fellow emerged... One of the last touches on Tarkel'e was his glass eye, which gives him a rather intense realism.

The Accappappa People of Mirico

Native to the Northern and Northwest United States, and varying dramatically in plumage based on their habitat, the Accappappa are reclusive, soft-spoken and shy. But they have elaborate mating rituals, are drawn to bright or sparkly objects, emerging most often in fair weather among flowering plants. 

Though they are usually less trusting of humans, if they do bond with someone they encounter, they become fiercely loyal. Due to their smallness (in most cases), the Accappappa are helpful when getting into particularly small spots. The Miriconian inventor Zarkola, famous for his bioelectrical flying machines, utilizes the bonds he forges with the hummingbird folk to further the finite mechanical details of his experimental airborne crafts... 

The Doll

Hand-built and wall-hanging, completely unique and signed by the artist, the doll stands

approximately 24 inches in height, and is about 9 inches wide.

Tarkel'e features cruelty-free feathers, handmade paper, antique lace,  illustration board, Nepalese sari silk, beads, coral, glass, shoelaces, and a weathered gardening glove.

$250