May 19: Happy Endangered Species Day! Featuring the Endangered Ark Exhibit.

Participating Artists Nanci Amaka Kirsten Carlson Kayleigh Chalkowski Deanna Gabiga Ryan Schulz Michelle Schwengel-Regala Danya Weber Tammy Yee

The Endangered Ark is a group exhibition to celebrate and support the endangered species of Hawai’i through art and community action. Taking place at alternative gallery space, Ark of the Unicorns, it will feature the work of eight Hawai’i based artists. Inspired by the recent political climate that has shown to be subversive to conservation goals, and specifically, the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The show will feature original work depicting the endangered and extinct species of Hawai’i and concepts surrounding endangerment.


The Endangered Ark sets itself apart from other exhibits about endangered species with an interactive component that invites visitors to write on postcards about why they value endangered species protections. Postcards will be hung on a wall in the gallery and, after the closing party, they will be mailed off to relevant legislators and allies. 30% of proceeds from work sold will benefit Kaua’i Forest Bird Recovery Project to support on-the-ground efforts for endangered bird conservation.

For more information, please contact Kayleigh Chalkowski (kchalkowski@gmail.com) or Nanci Amaka (nanciamaka@gmail.com). See further updates about the show on Instagram @theendangeredark or on Facebook at facebook.com/theendangeredark 

Illustrating 'Alae 'Ula or Hawaiian Moorhen for the Endangered Ark show

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Illustration Challenge: Asp Turtle or Aspidochelone

Just playing...Procreate illustration of an Asp Turtle or Aspidochelone, from medieval bestiaries. #illustration #illustrationchallenge #kidlit #medieval #bestiary #art #procreate

Water was finished in Photoshop.

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Happy Thanksgiving!

Free print-and-fold pattern for your Thanksgiving Turkey card found on my origami website: http://origami-n-stuff4kids.blogspot.com/2009/11/thanksgiving-origami-turkey-card.html

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Hawaiian Hoary Bat

Halloween is around the corner. What better time is there to learn about Hawaii's only endemic land mammal, the endangered Hawaiian hoary bat or ʻōpeʻapeʻa?

I love following the HVNPS and all the good work they do. The last time I visited Kilauea, I was alarmed by the spread of Rapid 'Ohi'a Death--I saw 'apapane, but no 'i'iwi. Learn more about Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park at https://www.nps.gov/havo/index.htm and follow them on Instagram at hawaiivolcanoesnps (https://www.instagram.com/hawaiivolcanoesnps/).

Meet the ‘Ōpe’ape’a—Official State Land Mammal of the state of Hawai’i! About 10,000 years ago, a relative of the modern North American Hoary Bat crossed some 2,300 miles of ocean to the Hawaiian islands by the strength of its own leathery wings, becoming the only endemic land mammal in the state of Hawai’i…and then proceeded to shrink! This bat is now 30-40% smaller than the mainland species, with males weighing a meager 15-18g. And yet the ‘Ōpe’ape’a will fly more than 12 miles one-way in the course of a single night—that’s quite a distance for a 13-in. wingspan! Photos courtesy of Bryant Olsen and F. Bonaccorso #BatWeek #NPSbats #HVNP100

A photo posted by Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (@hawaiivolcanoesnps) on Oct 25, 2016 at 1:58pm PDT

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Halloween Haunted House Origami Tutorial

Download my free Halloween Haunted House origami pattern at:
http://origami-n-stuff4kids.blogspot.com/2010/10/halloween-haunted-house-origami.html

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Day 6 Illustration Challenge

I haven't been sticking to my goal of one a day, but I have been sticking to working as quickly as possible and finishing each illustration in a single sitting.


 

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Halloween Vampire Bat Origami Tutorial

Print and fold a Vampire Bat for Halloween! 

Free pattern available at http://origami-n-stuff4kids.blogspot.com/2011/10/vampire-bat-origami.html.

 

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Day 4 Illustration Challenge

The Roxy illustration challenge continues! One of my favorite poses, a combo of "What did I do?" + "Talk to the Butt." #illustration

Here's the video of my process...

And once again, here's my dainty princess. That face says it all...she's clearly embarrassed by my sophomoric attempt to familiarize myself with a new medium.

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DAY 3 ILLUSTRATION CHALLENGE

Quick rendering of my niece...I loved the play of light in this underwater scene.

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Illustration Challenge: Week 1

I started off calling this "The Roxy Challenge."  My goal was to loosen up each day with a quick sketch of my bulldog, Roxy. She's funny, she's flatulent, and she sleeps 20 hours a day (mostly under my drafting table)--the perfect model for a children's book illustrator!

However, Roxy wanted no part of that modeling nonsense. She scratched. She fidgeted. She licked her toes. And she insisted on critiquing my work, nosing through all of my sketchbooks before finally resting her chin on my iPad.

Day 1

Day 2

Clearly, she's unimpressed with my work.

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Paint the Town Peaceful: The Mural That Stopped Violence

Living art in Las Palmitas, aka "La Bella Airosa." What are the possibilities when a community invests itself in beautification?

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Conservation success...Kakapo Baby Boom!

Finished my Kakapo origami for my upcoming book, "Easy Bird Origami," in time to learn of successful conservation efforts in New Zealand! There are only 125 Kakapos in the wild--thanks to an intensive breeding program, 33 fluffy chicks have hatched this season. Go Kakapo! http://www.earthtouchnews.com/conservation/success-stories/baby-boom-for-one-of-the-worlds-rarest-parrots

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Illustration tutorials

Helpful tutorial on color theory.


And what's color without composition?

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GoPro vs Bulldog--Keeping Busy Between Books

Taking my "studio assistant" Roxy for a walk, I thought it would be great to mount a GoPro to capture Kailua Beach from a bulldog's perspective...if anything, as inspiration for a new children's book character.

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Butterfly Emerging

My obsession with butterflies goes beyond origami...I do raise monarch butterflies at my home in Hawaii, using crownflower as a food source for the larva and lantana to attract adults. I'll write more about what goes on during metamorphosis on my Origami Page.

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