This ART is for the birds
Visual Artists, poets and musicians using their art for good
Hand Holding Young Kiwi, Susan Dinkelacker
Bronze limited edition 5/9, based on the original carving in totara by Susan Dinkelacker.
Inspired by a photograph of a one-year-old kiwi chick being cradled by the gentle hand of Robert Webb of the Native Bird Recovery Centre, this limited edition bronze honors all those who heal, protect, or reintroduce kiwi back into the wild. (bronzekiwi.com) 10% of the purchase price goes to the Whangarei Native Bird Recovery Centre. (www.nbr.org.nz)
See (and Hear)
Artists often use their talents to raise money and awareness for charity. In each project below, artists chose to raise funds for birds.
Into the Red
140 artists and writers come together, united by a common goal: to raise funds for the UK's most vulnerable birds.
Every purchase will support our Red-listed birds by contributing to the work of BTO and the Rare Breeding Birds Panel.
Soon, its sound will leave me, just as the bush-crickets have already left.
Will you listen to it for me?
From 'Grasshopper Warbler' by Nicola Davies
Artist Illustrations from Into the Red, clockwise from top left: Ptarmigan by Paul Ward, House Sparrow by Esther Tyson, White-Fronted Goose by Nick Hayes, and Merlin by Ruth Weaver
For the Birds is a multidisciplinary exhibition and program series centered around a Garden-wide outdoor exhibition of dozens of site-specific birdhouses created by artists of international renown. Inspired by bird species in residence at Brooklyn Botanic Garden, each birdhouse provides an opportunity to learn more about birds and their habitats through the eyes of artists working with a variety of materials and points of view.
Listen
“Earth Music” is also making its way into the electronic scene. A group of musicians and DJs recording under the name Shika Shika released two albums featuring bird songs and calls from the Macaulay Library to raise awareness of endangered species in Central and South America. They turn bird sounds into danceable electronic beats, and the proceeds from the albums go straight to local conservation organizations.
The Garifuna Collective, Black Catbird
Black Catbird by the Garifuna Collective is found on ‘A Guide to the Birdsong of Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean.’ Proceeds from sales of this album, T-shirts, and posters will go to conservation trusts like Birds Caribbean, La Asociación Ornitológica de Costa Rica, and Fundacion TXORI in Mexico, which engage with local communities to raise awareness of the precarious environmental situation threatening these charismatic species. (Afropop)
Say
Which of these projects would you like to explore deeper, and why?
Many artists in these projects agreed to be involved with little or no compensation. Why do you think many artists and organizations are willing to forego payment?
How does this mindset contribute to the perceived value of art expertise?
Why might the arts be used to inspire conservation efforts in the populace?
Do
Tell a friend about one of the projects you learned about.
Explore the Macaulay Library website, where you can learn about and listen to thousands of birds!
Common Loon Call (Shameless plug for MN state bird)
Image of a Loon call from the Macaulay Library Consider getting involved in an organization you believe in.
Build a unique treehouse for a local winged pal.
Please share your reflections with me by replying to this post and tagging my Wonder Wander Facebook or Instagram pages!
BLT - yummy & great colors!