Today, the start of my book titled “Backyard Wildlife” was packed up and sent to Minnesota for the next addition of artwork! Horray!!!!
Concertina Book Collaboration 2018!
Background: The group was formed through blogging. (Yes, there really can be some cool connections made through blogs!) The first book collaboration started in 2015. It included 4 artists (2 from Australia, 2 from USA). Each artist started their own book, filling a page spread and a bit more. After adding art, it was forwarded to the next group member, where they would add a page spread, until everyone had completed work in each books.
2018: The participants total 5 this year! The additional artist lives in Sweden and we all love her work! We agreed to create a specific sized Concertina Book for this round. 10 pages in each book (210 x 150 mm) to make 5 spreads, one for each participant.
About my book, Backyard Wildlife: The paper used was Arches 300gm watercolor. All images were started in pencil then watercolor, colored pencil, and micron pens. The book cover was created using the same watercolor paper, a hand carved block stamp, archival ink and lots of watercolor. The subjects reflect a small selection of wildlife seen from March through April in my backyard. We have almost daily visits from numerous Black-tailed Deer in the far back, including several bucks of different ages and pregnant does with last year’s fawns still hanging around. At the bird feeder, Black-capped Chickadee’s take advantage of everything we offer. Audubon’s Yellow-Rumped Warbler especially loved the suet during winter months and were sighted often until the end of April. Dandelions are an early blooming plant that draws the native bumble bees. Cotton tailed bunnies are year round residents.
I already have the second book resting above my worktable waiting for attention. This one arrived from Sweden the other week. I promised myself I wouldn’t open it until Backyard Wildlife left the house. Well, I kinda held true to that thought! I couldn’t stand it anymore and opened it on Monday. Oh, it’s so BEAUTIFUL! My brain is already running around ideas, thinking about what to include.
The other participants are
Australia:
Anna Warren: Blog: Anna Warren Portfolio
Karen Bailey: Instagram: karenbaileystudio Website: Karen Bailey Studio
Sweden:
Rebecca Cary Anderson: Instagram: thepaintedpearart Website: The Painted Pear
USA:
Cathe Jacobi: Blog: Amaryllis Log
Gale Everett: You currently are at my blog. Website: Gale Everett Studio
Please feel free to click on their blog titles to see what they are creating! I’m not on Instagram and haven’t a clue how to direct people, but look for Karen, Rebecca, and Cathe there.
Sticks, Stones, and Paper Stew Blog 
Beautifully done! Exquisite colors and magnificent specimen.
Thank you very much Becky. I really appreciate all your support. You’re a wonderful sister-in-law!
This is looking so good Gale – it makes me want to visit your backyard! Lovely imagery and composition. The cover is beautiful, so delicate. Now to think about my contribution, but that is a bit further down the line! (By the way, I’m on Instagram too, my name is Anna_warren_portfolio.)
Thank you Anna. Our backyard is rather wild and I’ve never done any landscaping. The focus has been elsewhere. At least it provides space for other creatures both large and small and that makes me very happy.
I’ll pop in your instagram address too!
On to the next creation!
So beautiful and so personal! The composition works really well. The perspective of the bunny looking in draws you in, including the big and small, the bees to the deer, so well thought through. And your cover is gorgeous as well!! So excited to see it in person.
I love being able to see the work in person and was blown away by your beautiful work. I’m savoring the images , exterior and interior, before diving into my page. Thank you for your positive comments. I did try to think about movement around the page. The front cover was a total experiment that seemed to resolve in the end.
Have a great weekend!
Oh this is so lovely!
It’s such a nice project that’s positive. Plus we get to see everyone’s artwork in person. The wildlife might be pushing me into a new direction, which will probably change once the kittens come home. (I just found out today that we get to adopt 2 sisters!!! Smoke and Shadow! I’m so thrilled!!)
Aaaaaw kittens. Lots of pictures please. We get mostly seagulls in our garden. They’re massive beasts. They were endangered until about 10 ish years ago when they decided, across the UK, to move into cities, like foxes, so now their numbers are increasing and they can be quite a nuisance. They’ve become urban scavengers. It’s fascinating to track the interaction of humans and wildlife.
I agree, really lovely, all of it. Jean
Thank you so much Aunt Jean! This process always pushes me hard in an uncomfortable direction. Drawing is really hard on my brain/hand connection, which means I should be doing it so much more.
Much love to you!