Must See TV and some Drawings

Before writing about my drawings today I want to recommend a TV program/series. For the past 3 years PBS (Public Broadcasting Service) has been producing and presenting a series of TV shows on Crafts in America. The shows have been consistently excellent and I feel they are must see viewing for anyone interested in Art or Crafts in America. Each show highlights several venues or people talking with them not only about what they do, but how they came to do it, and why. All of the artists highlighted are skilled in their crafts and very interesting in their own right. The shows have not only featured well known crafts but also some more obscure ones like basket weaving.

The most recent episode in the series was broadcast last Friday evening and was on "Threads". In this episode the subjects were 2 weavers and 2 quilters. One weaver weaves traditional fiber, the other will use wire and anything else that interests her. The 2 quilters both do pictorial type quilts but their subject matter is quite different. Please if you can find a rebroadcast on you local station take the time to watch and let PBS know you would like more of this program. Otherwise I think you can view recent episodes on the Craft In America Web Site.

OK back to my drawings. The image above is from my visit to Daniel Webster Sanctuary last Monday. A beautiful day after days of clouds and some rain. My images are of a Great Blue Heron   Little Blue Heron that I watched feeding in the man made pond, probably longer than I should have, but I was so fascinated. It had a very light body with darker grey feathers toward the tips of the wings and back body. I am not sure what it was catching and eating, something longish so I have to think fish, though I didn't know the pond had fish, perhaps stocked. (Edited Note: I found out on 5/14/12 that what I saw on this visit was actually the juvenile form of a Little Blue Heron, adults are a dark grey, and this one was starting to molt into its adult colors)

The lower image is another Canada Goose with several goslings. I saw both pairs of parents again on Monday eating grass, probably safer than feeding on the pond with its snapping turtles. The one pair that had so many young seemed to have lost several as they now have only 7 rather than the 11 or 12 they did have. The other pair still have their 6. Course the Sanctuary has other dangers to young geese, fox, maybe coyote, Red Tailed Hawks and probably fishers so who knows what got the missing ones.

The only other sighting of note was to see two wood duck males and one female. One pair at least is nesting in one of the nest boxes so I hope I will eventually be able to make a photograph of them as they should be around for a few more weeks. Oh, yes, the bobolinks are back, I saw and heard the males.

I am continuing work on the Every Day in May Challenges, though sometimes I get a couple days behind. Above are 3 drawings, May 6th Draw a Holiday Card, May 7th Draw a Spoon, May 8th draw an egg carton. Sorry for the size if you wish to check out larger images you can visit my Flickr photostream.

Above are 3 more drawings: May 9th Draw a paper bag, May 10 Draw an apple, and May 11th Draw something with wings. The apples are drawn from a still life photo I made last fall when I had quite a few apples on hand, the bird is another of the WetCanvas Pen and Ink Forum's challenge photos. Unless otherwise noted I am drawing objects from life.

I am working on another pen and ink challenge piece, but I am doing this one with stipple so it is taking longer.

Above is one of the photographs I made Monday at Daniel Webster. Here are 5 goslings all in a row. As I recall this pair had another who was off elsewhere. Probably not a good thing for it, I will have to see if I can find the parents the next time I am at the sanctuary and check my counts.

Above is a view of the man made pond and the Little Blue Heron I was watching Monday. That light spot in the center of the island is the Heron. The distance is just too far for me to get a good photo with my camera. I really need a 500 mm lens for this venue. Ah well one can dream. In the meantime this photo also gives you a view of the leafing trees in the background. Spring has truly arrived at the Sanctuary.

That is it for today. Sorry I am late with the update, I was out at another sanctuary yesterday and when I got home was just too tired to do the update. Hopefully I will get back on schedule next week. In the meantime comments are always welcome.