This header photo is Marguerite Henry's fault. That's why I am sitting in a kayak in the Chincoteague Channel trying not to drop my camera into the drink while the World Famous Saltwater Cowboys swim the wild herd to Chincoteague in the annual wild pony roundup (Pony Penning) made famous in "Misty of Chincoteague" and other Marguerite Henry books. The rest of this is because of Zorro, and Roy Rogers, and the Lone Ranger, and Mike Nelson in Sea Hunt, and Mowgli and Bagheera, Tarzan, Flipper, Trek Wars, J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis, Captain Jack Sparrow and Marvel Comics and many others whose stories inspired me to go out and make a few of my own.
Go make some yourself.
Go make some yourself.
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A moment to remember the awesome art of Robin Wood (1953 - April 19, 2021)
Long ago in the 80s, I was a regular at local science fiction conventions. One of our circle of nerds was a fabulous artist named Robin Wood. At least a few times I sat, or jumped off picnic tables (Dragon Magazine Cover below) as a model for fantastic characters... click here: (Watcher in the Hills) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robin_Wood_(artist) Dragon Magazine cover #105 the aforementioned picnic table epic... ROBIN WOOD, ARTIST
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Pics from random adventures
I draw from experience: in writing or illustrating, it helps to have felt the wind in your hair, the thunder of flying hooves of the whisper of running dog feet on snow, or the roll of the sea (or at least, the choppy waves of The Chesapeake) under your hull. I am a voracious reader (especially fantasy, and non-fiction: nature, biology, history). I love movies (epic adventure, sci-fi, fantasy, animation) and well done TV.
I live with some feline voids, ponies and one old sled dog. I have trained actual wild mustangs, small teams of huskies, paddled my kayaks from creeks to river to marsh to sea, volunteered with wildlife rehabbers, and won an underwater tricycle race.
I hope my own stories, fiction or fact, illustrated or written, might inspire someone to have their own adventure, their own learning experience, and to reconnect with the world of wind, water, earth, and fire and other living things. That's why we're here.
Special thanks to Dave Tristan, Steve Carey, Becky Zinn, the Pride II crewmember who shot the pic of me at the helm, and others who committed these memories to film and digital.
Pics from the Dark Ages
(historical recreation in the 80s)
In Native North America it is said that orca and wolf are the same spirit wearing different shapes for land and sea...
In any place where there are seals, there are legends of the Seal Folk who take off their skins to walk on land in human form...
Storyteller/psychologist Clarrissa Pinkola Estes Ph.D.., in "Women Who Run With the Wolves" talks about the problem of losing your "sealskin/soulskin", and how faerie and folk tales teach us the answers...
Orca ("swordwhale" in parts of the world) looms large in the myths of the Northwest Coast, and there are stories of the whale folk who take off their fins to walk on land in human form. The fin becomes a boat...
In any place where there are seals, there are legends of the Seal Folk who take off their skins to walk on land in human form...
Storyteller/psychologist Clarrissa Pinkola Estes Ph.D.., in "Women Who Run With the Wolves" talks about the problem of losing your "sealskin/soulskin", and how faerie and folk tales teach us the answers...
Orca ("swordwhale" in parts of the world) looms large in the myths of the Northwest Coast, and there are stories of the whale folk who take off their fins to walk on land in human form. The fin becomes a boat...
blue boat home
That's Mak-eh-nuk's Fin, named for the legend you just read. This big blue boat has been my guide to various adventures, mostly in my own backyard. In a kayak, you can creep up quiet backwaters, or leap the waves where the water stretches to the horizon. Click on the pic for more on the song: Blue Boat Home. (pic by buddy Dave Tristan, shot from Sae Hrafn, Viking Longship of The Longship Company longshipco.org).
Some other names for orca: mak-eh-nuk (Kwakiutl), keet, skana, zvaardwalvis, swordwhale, (used in various places in Europe), agliuk (Aleut), niss'onkhgessyak, pictwhale, epaulard, kosatka drava, vaghund (hunting together like dogs), akan, grampus, svinka, innuatu, sadshi, repun kamui (master of the open sea)...and in Australia & New Zealand, just orcs.
J.R.R. Tolkien got his name for the mutated villains of his tales from a completely different etymological source.
In the tales of J.R.R. Tolkien, the Elves, in the end, sail west to the Blessed Realm, leaving humans to their world of Middle Earth. In my tales, and illustrations, they are still here, disguised perhaps, but very much involved in teaching, making connections between humans and the rest of the Natural World. Bringing us back our sealskins, soulskins, our lost fins.
The various "fins":
Some other names for orca: mak-eh-nuk (Kwakiutl), keet, skana, zvaardwalvis, swordwhale, (used in various places in Europe), agliuk (Aleut), niss'onkhgessyak, pictwhale, epaulard, kosatka drava, vaghund (hunting together like dogs), akan, grampus, svinka, innuatu, sadshi, repun kamui (master of the open sea)...and in Australia & New Zealand, just orcs.
J.R.R. Tolkien got his name for the mutated villains of his tales from a completely different etymological source.
In the tales of J.R.R. Tolkien, the Elves, in the end, sail west to the Blessed Realm, leaving humans to their world of Middle Earth. In my tales, and illustrations, they are still here, disguised perhaps, but very much involved in teaching, making connections between humans and the rest of the Natural World. Bringing us back our sealskins, soulskins, our lost fins.
The various "fins":
- big blue boat: Perception Sea Lion, 17.5'
- blue: Wilderness Systems Cape Horn 15' aka The Tardis (sticker on bow)
- bright green: 10' Lifetime Tahoma SOT (sit on top), good little pony boat
- yellow: Ocean Kayaks Scupper Pro SOT 15' best SOT ever
- turquoise: Necky Esky 16'
- red: Eddyline Merlin 14'
- mermaid fins by Fin Fun
A Brief history of My Time....
Environmental Educational Art: Displays for Nixon County Park...and others
(all can be seen under the environmental Education section here on this site)
https://www.swordwhale.com/environmental-education.html
Trees: Leaf mural: oversized leaves of local species on wall with ID guide. Large size engages audience and draws them into appreciating and understanding the different shapes of leaves.
Salamanders: "Soil, It's not just dirt". Concept by NP naturalist, illustrations by me; cartoon salamanders to make concrete certain concepts of soil conservation.
Salamanders again: Illustrations for salamander display in new amphibian and reptile room. Life-sized Hellbender with "what makes it an amphibian" elements. Oversized cartoon salamander pointing the way into the "salamander burrow" (and kids can take their pics with "Sal"). Close to the ground mural, four amphibian environments, puzzle pieces of amphibians from those environments: smaller kids place frogs and salamanders and toads in correct places.
More Trees: Touch Room mural: Forest, with fox, owl, oriole and nest and other denizens of the deep green.
Ocean! Touch Room mural Ocean. Includes life-sized blue whale on 20' wall... perspective is my friend.
Watershed project (under WREN Grant): mural of East Codorus Creek Watershed on wall above new water fountain.Educational display replacing old, purely decorative mural. Aerial landscape/map interpreted in a way that show's the water cycle and our impact on it. Maps and Photoshop roughs (and projecting the rough on the wall to paint) are useful.
Chipmunks: researched, written and illustrated on eleven feet of brown paper (laminated) to show (in particular children) the secret underground life of a chipmunk burrow.
The Bear facts: "How Does Your Paw Measure Up?" Concept by NP naturalist, bear paw illo on display glass barrier in main display room.
Raptor Red: full sized portable mural ("standee" of painted plywood) of a Utahraptor for Dinosaur Weekend. (Utahraptors are about the size of a horse).
Wetland Mural: for touch room, various plants and creatures in a scene from a Pennsylvania wetland
Wetland Art: watercolors for a local watershed alliance
Christmas Magic Mural: 2020, 8 foot by 16 foot latex exterior house paint on plywood, woodland Santa with PA animals
Counting and Alphabet murals: Boetcher House in Lancaster PA has a nature based daycare, and needed some murals of an alphabet and one to ten counting with animals.
Art classes: wildlife sketching, watercolor for all ages.
Aaaaaand... Passport for 4000 (acres of) Hikes series. Identifying signs for native plants. Interpretive sign at Rocky Ridge Park. Illustrations of New Freedom Train Station and other points of interest. Props for Reptile Week and Dinosaur Weekend (lifesized portable murals). Wetlands posters for Envirothon.
Assateague Ponies: Photography and design (with input from other Pony Ladies) for educational signs
Random...
Cover art for Winterdance Dogsled Tours' "Iditarod Dreamer, A Rookie Team's Journey".
Art for local Siberian rescue
Art for non-profit website promoting animal welfare.
Photography for local educational farm.
Sketches (storyboards) for local screenwriter for use promoting her screenplay (privateers, War of 1812).
2009: Holiday card for Pride of Baltimore II, Baltimore's iconic tallship, a reproduction of the wicked swift and agile privateers of 1812.
Life sized, portable, arctic animal murals for bibleschool program.
Scrivenings (fanfiction category: based on the works of JRR Tolkien): www.fanfiction.net and others. Nine stories posted to good reviews. several pickier websites asking to post stories. Nomination for several awards. I consider this practice for writing my own original story cycle.
Cover and interior illustrations for "Stardark Songs": a collection of poetry by well-published author Nancy Springer.
Illustrations for short story in Humpty Dumpty Magazine: "Where Do the Animals Go in the Winter?"
T-shirt designs for Dreams From Home, a cottage industry: consortium of artists based in Cranbury NJ.
Sales to Pendragon Gallery, Annapolis MD.
Paintings in the collections of several authors and artists: Nancy Springer, Real Musgrave, Gil Fitzgerald, Joan Vinge.
Gaming Art in the Dark Ages...
Cover illustration for "Dragon" Magazine (TSR: the gaming company who made the fantasy role-playing game Dungeons and Dragons famous). Full color painting for magazine cover.
Illustration for Bill Fawcett of Mayfair Games. PO Box 48539 Niles IL 60648-0539. Gaming Company doing modules for fantasy role-playing games, did interior illos for the following: Shipwrecker, Deadly Power, Throne of Evil, Ice Elves, Elven Banner, Fantastic Treasures II, Monsters of Myth and Legend. Interior illustrations for "Quest for the Dragon's Eye" and "Quest for the Unicorn's Horn" by Bill Fawcett, choose your own adventure style books for young readers, published by Berkeley Books.
Conventions
EveCon, Aberdeen MD. Artist Guest of Honor.
Novacon, Lancaster PA. Artist Guest of Honor.
Unicon, Silver Spring MD. Artist Guest of Honor.
Archon 7, Overland MO, Best Display, Best Original Concept (fan category).
Chicon IV, Chicago IL. World Science Fiction Convention. Art Show awards:Best Humor, Best Color (fan category).
Philcon 82, Berta
Philcon 81, science fiction convention honors: Berta Award (Best Exhibit, fan category.
York Academy of Arts, York PA.
Majored in commercial art with illustration, photography,
fine art minors. 1974-1977
Environmental Educational Art: Displays for Nixon County Park...and others
(all can be seen under the environmental Education section here on this site)
https://www.swordwhale.com/environmental-education.html
Trees: Leaf mural: oversized leaves of local species on wall with ID guide. Large size engages audience and draws them into appreciating and understanding the different shapes of leaves.
Salamanders: "Soil, It's not just dirt". Concept by NP naturalist, illustrations by me; cartoon salamanders to make concrete certain concepts of soil conservation.
Salamanders again: Illustrations for salamander display in new amphibian and reptile room. Life-sized Hellbender with "what makes it an amphibian" elements. Oversized cartoon salamander pointing the way into the "salamander burrow" (and kids can take their pics with "Sal"). Close to the ground mural, four amphibian environments, puzzle pieces of amphibians from those environments: smaller kids place frogs and salamanders and toads in correct places.
More Trees: Touch Room mural: Forest, with fox, owl, oriole and nest and other denizens of the deep green.
Ocean! Touch Room mural Ocean. Includes life-sized blue whale on 20' wall... perspective is my friend.
Watershed project (under WREN Grant): mural of East Codorus Creek Watershed on wall above new water fountain.Educational display replacing old, purely decorative mural. Aerial landscape/map interpreted in a way that show's the water cycle and our impact on it. Maps and Photoshop roughs (and projecting the rough on the wall to paint) are useful.
Chipmunks: researched, written and illustrated on eleven feet of brown paper (laminated) to show (in particular children) the secret underground life of a chipmunk burrow.
The Bear facts: "How Does Your Paw Measure Up?" Concept by NP naturalist, bear paw illo on display glass barrier in main display room.
Raptor Red: full sized portable mural ("standee" of painted plywood) of a Utahraptor for Dinosaur Weekend. (Utahraptors are about the size of a horse).
Wetland Mural: for touch room, various plants and creatures in a scene from a Pennsylvania wetland
Wetland Art: watercolors for a local watershed alliance
Christmas Magic Mural: 2020, 8 foot by 16 foot latex exterior house paint on plywood, woodland Santa with PA animals
Counting and Alphabet murals: Boetcher House in Lancaster PA has a nature based daycare, and needed some murals of an alphabet and one to ten counting with animals.
Art classes: wildlife sketching, watercolor for all ages.
Aaaaaand... Passport for 4000 (acres of) Hikes series. Identifying signs for native plants. Interpretive sign at Rocky Ridge Park. Illustrations of New Freedom Train Station and other points of interest. Props for Reptile Week and Dinosaur Weekend (lifesized portable murals). Wetlands posters for Envirothon.
Assateague Ponies: Photography and design (with input from other Pony Ladies) for educational signs
Random...
Cover art for Winterdance Dogsled Tours' "Iditarod Dreamer, A Rookie Team's Journey".
Art for local Siberian rescue
Art for non-profit website promoting animal welfare.
Photography for local educational farm.
Sketches (storyboards) for local screenwriter for use promoting her screenplay (privateers, War of 1812).
2009: Holiday card for Pride of Baltimore II, Baltimore's iconic tallship, a reproduction of the wicked swift and agile privateers of 1812.
Life sized, portable, arctic animal murals for bibleschool program.
Scrivenings (fanfiction category: based on the works of JRR Tolkien): www.fanfiction.net and others. Nine stories posted to good reviews. several pickier websites asking to post stories. Nomination for several awards. I consider this practice for writing my own original story cycle.
Cover and interior illustrations for "Stardark Songs": a collection of poetry by well-published author Nancy Springer.
Illustrations for short story in Humpty Dumpty Magazine: "Where Do the Animals Go in the Winter?"
T-shirt designs for Dreams From Home, a cottage industry: consortium of artists based in Cranbury NJ.
Sales to Pendragon Gallery, Annapolis MD.
Paintings in the collections of several authors and artists: Nancy Springer, Real Musgrave, Gil Fitzgerald, Joan Vinge.
Gaming Art in the Dark Ages...
Cover illustration for "Dragon" Magazine (TSR: the gaming company who made the fantasy role-playing game Dungeons and Dragons famous). Full color painting for magazine cover.
Illustration for Bill Fawcett of Mayfair Games. PO Box 48539 Niles IL 60648-0539. Gaming Company doing modules for fantasy role-playing games, did interior illos for the following: Shipwrecker, Deadly Power, Throne of Evil, Ice Elves, Elven Banner, Fantastic Treasures II, Monsters of Myth and Legend. Interior illustrations for "Quest for the Dragon's Eye" and "Quest for the Unicorn's Horn" by Bill Fawcett, choose your own adventure style books for young readers, published by Berkeley Books.
Conventions
EveCon, Aberdeen MD. Artist Guest of Honor.
Novacon, Lancaster PA. Artist Guest of Honor.
Unicon, Silver Spring MD. Artist Guest of Honor.
Archon 7, Overland MO, Best Display, Best Original Concept (fan category).
Chicon IV, Chicago IL. World Science Fiction Convention. Art Show awards:Best Humor, Best Color (fan category).
Philcon 82, Berta
Philcon 81, science fiction convention honors: Berta Award (Best Exhibit, fan category.
York Academy of Arts, York PA.
Majored in commercial art with illustration, photography,
fine art minors. 1974-1977
