Look Out Below

The saguaro cactus has gone from flower to fruit. We truly have a bird sanctuary in our back yard.  Our birds are a combination of locals and migratory. This time of year, many of those birds that pass through on to other locations, maybe cooler then AZ leave with full bellies. The fruit of the cactus are rich in color and apparently favor.

The birds are there morning, evening, and throughout the day to get some of these lovely fruits. They jockey for positions. The white winged dove is a big  bird and it uses it's size to move other birds along. This year especially, there is lots of fruit to be had for everyone, yet there still is that power struggle. Plus, if you are under the cactus looking up to take a photo you need to watch out as the birds finish eating the inside of the fruit then knock it off, one almost got me this morning.

I am hopeful that the hooded oriole will come back. Two of them were on the cactus at evening light. Ran inside to get my camera, by the time I got back out they were gone. The bright yellow-orange with the contrasting red green of the cactus and strong sunlight was pretty amazing. I can not complain too much about that lost shot as I have gotten many photos this year of the birds that hang around our backyard. We have the curved-billed thrasher, gila woodpecker, common flicker, cactus wren, white winged dove, mourning dove, phainopepla, verdin, mockingbird, peach faced lovebirds...and more. 

Here are a few pictures, you may want to make note of the names. More to come on that next week.

Common Flicker

House Finch

curved-billed thrasher

 

white winged dove

saguaro fruit 

peach faced lovebird, non-native but now lives in AZ

Everyday Should be World Environment Day

The United Nations, since 1974 has help bring international awareness to World Environment Day. This year India is the host country and the theme is Beat Plastic Pollution. #BeatPlasticPollution

You can be involved by pledging to give up one plastic convenience and find an alternative. Millions of plastics are found in our oceans, waterways and our drinking water systems. Plastic bags blow into trees and across our land.

I think of myself as an environmental artist. Personally, I want to keep seeing the beauty of the mountains, the forest and the seas. I document moments in time, I do this because what is here today may not be here tomorrow. It is my way of supporting nature and wildlife in hopes that we can prevent additional extinction.

Opening soon in Vancouver is a special project in collaboration with the International Ornithological Congress. Artists painted small canvases that will be mounted together to created one large mural of birds that are on the endangered species list. There are 678 birds in the world that are on this list. Plastics have an in-pack on birds, nesting material now contains pieces of plastic.

Find a way to up-cycle, make something new instead of just throwing things into the recycle bin. Doing little things can make changes.

Annobon Scops-owl

Bate's Weaver

Telling Stories

June 1st, it has been a busy year so far. Lots of friends and family coming to AZ to visit. Art shows coming and going. With a few more ahead, along with workshops in Maryland just around the corner. I may have mentioned that I am updating my web site. Creating a new background, adding new images, and thinking about how to tell the story of my work.

Over the years, when ever I sell my work at shows, even on-line, or as a gift, everyone likes to know the story behind the creation. This will create a bit more work but I have never been know for doing things the short, fast or easy way. Hopefully, it won't be too long before I have it updated with new images and a few stories that tell of the inspiration in nature to create the art.

This is on the fly but here is a little example of what I plan to do on the web site. Just a story with one image and additional images on the same page that followed.

The caracara hawk was inspired by a photograph I had taken many years ago at the San Diego Zoo. I have been experimenting with dark sometimes abstract background and bringing the bird or animal out of that darkness. I knew this was the year to finally make this piece come to life. We went to Tucson and there was a young caracara at the Sonora Living Desert Museum. He had been rescued and now would be one of the education birds in their free flight program.

Since, seeing that youngster I have been lucky in capturing photo references of many baby birds: blacked crowned night herons, egrets, great horned owls, hummingbirds and robins all in their nest. Keep checking back for new works inspired by these babies and their parents.

Black Crowned Night Heron chic

Robins, with the nest built into a corner

These works are for sale, email me for details: lindahp@lindaharrisonparsons.com

Things To Come

I have not been writing my blog as much as I use to, not that I don't have lots of things going on in art. Maybe too many things, nah that's not it, just been struggling with finding my flow lately. I have, as I am sure you have too, been getting lots of notices on privacy settings on anything computer related. Some different things like my web site will no longer support a connection to my blog. Thought that was interesting. It started me wondering if I should keep writing my blog???

The blog has been a way to share my art, teaching, techniques, travel and photography. Life has a way of changing things, moving us forward, even if we are not ready. I do have a lot of things coming up over the summer and into the fall. I think I will keep writing and putting the information out there in cyber space. As the year comes to an end I will see if it is time to change, to let go of the blog. I will still write an article here and there on LinkedIn. I try to do those every other month. My plan is to get back to writing at least one blog post a week. 

With all that being said, here is this weeks art info!

Saturday, May 26th you can find me plein aire painting at the Desert Ridge Market Place. Sponsored by Soutern Arizona Arts & Cultural Alliance. This is the same location I have done the street murals. There will be 17 artists on site. Stop on by and see what we are creating. We will be there from 11:00 to 3:00. Award winners will be announced between 2-2:30.

This is the last weekend my art will be up at the i.d.e.a. Museum in Mesa, AZ. If you are in Mesa area, check it out but be prepared it is a Museum designed to inspire kids creativity. Plus, go by the Center for Arts check out the exhibits there. If you are interested in classes they have lots to offer.

There are still spaces open for classes at Common Ground on the Hill. They have expanded to three weeks this year. Check the web site under Traditions Weeks to see a listing of all the classes. I will be teach Art of Nature, Week II and Art of the Bird, Week III. http://www.commongroundonthehill.org

Okay, think that is enough for today! If you have any question about classes or art work you can always e-mail me at: lharrisonparsons@gmail.com

Here are some pretty pictures to go along with the blog.

detail of oil painting handing at i.d.e.a. Museum, Mesa, AZ

me plein aire painting

heron at i.d.e.a. Museum 

Art Lessons

Putting the title down made me smile a little. This post was to be about Common Ground on the Hill and the upcoming workshops, I am teaching: Art of Nature and Art of the Bird. It is also about those things we take away from art, the lessons we learn and the traditions.

Common Ground is rooted in Traditions, music, dance, visual arts, and so much more. This year there are three weeks worth of classes. You can come and stay at McDaniel College, Westminster, MD or commute. Pick out things you would like to learn, improve on what you may know or develop new techniques. The evenings are filled with artists talks, and musical performances. The options are up to you as to what you choose to explore. 

If you are intrigued check out the web site: http://www.commongroundonthehill.org
Go to: Programs-Workshops, Traditions Weeks-Home, Visual Arts, select 2-D for my workshops - Weeks 2 and or 3, followed by Registration. If you have any problems please call the numbers on the web site and they will be happy to assist.

Here are a few pictures of things you could be doing this summer. My workshops are Week 2 July 2-6th and Week 3 July 9-13th. If you have questions for me regarding the class, supplies or skill levels please email me at: lharrisonparsons@gmail.com

My Trees Are Humming

Spring is filled with music in nature. The birds are singing, the hummingbirds make their own unique sounds and the bees are humming happily away. My trees are in full bloom, the bees, birds are singing and humming. You walk by the palo verde the trees sounds like they are humming because they are so full of bees. It is a wonderful sound, the bees are very happy. The saguaro cactus seemed to be blooming a little early this year and on top of that because of low rain I think the stress has caused it to focus on putting out as many flowers for propagation as possible. The result is beautiful.

I know I have been taking lots of pictures of trees, birds, bees and cactus. Don't look for that to stop anytime soon. They are just too wonderful not to take photographs to document this moment in time. I am pretty sure that the cactus flowers, birds and bees will end up in art work very soon. There is a plein air event coming up May 26th at Desert Ridge. I will be there painting from 10-3, with this type of event it is meant to try to include what you are seeing while painting outside, I would think there may be birds and flowers involved, maybe even a bee or a tree. I will post the end result at the end of the month, until then here are some pictures to enjoy of AZ in the spring-time.

#saguaro  in bloom with #bees

#bees in the #palo verde #tree

#flowers of the ironwood tree

hummingbird in the #mesquite tree

 

May-Day-May-Flowers-May-Babies

This morning started out with birds, and it just kept getting better. The hummingbirds that come to the backyard are fearless. They have come to the feeder before I get it hung. I thought they might be open to coming to one of the handheld feeders. I put it out on a table near one of the feeders last week. When I go out in the morning with my coffee I would put it on my hand. Yesterday, a female came to check it out and I am pretty sure it was the same female that came back this morning to give it a try.

Early this morning, Rick and I took a drive to see if we could find a baby great horned owl. The first location the nest was empty but the second spot, we found the baby. He/she appeared to still be sleepy and waiting for mom to come back with breakfast. We did not see mom but I did get some pictures of the owlet.

Continuing with our bird viewing this morning. Rick took me to a location where there are burrowing owls, no babies but they are small and cute. I got a few more pictures of the burrowing owls. They live underground and sometimes share their space with ground squirrels. These owls have long legs which make them look a little different. They also look at you very intently.

That completes our morning adventures and it is not even lunch time yet. It has been a pretty amazing day so far...will just have to see what this afternoon brings.

great horned owlet

burrowing owl

hummingbird