you don’t have to know what you’re doing: turkey vultures, vivid paintings, & tasks

Saturday, September 7th is International Vulture Awareness Day, which I would have NEVER known until I worked on Judy and Little Bear. Turkey Vultures play a key role in our story, as they do for Judy at her cabin, as well as for the ecosystem of the Metolius River area.

These imposingly huge, beastly, hunchbacked birds land near the tops of giant pine trees near Judy’s cabin. The first night I visited Judy and Camp Sherman, I counted 13 in one tree. In the morning, they’d moved to a snag–basically a dead tree with open limbs–and we could see them without obstruction. And just as Judy said they would, they stretched out their mighty wings to full width to warm in the rising sun.

I am so glad to have had a reason to learn more about these fascinating creatures and the important work they do.

Related to ecosystems, but not specifically turkey vultures, I am also glad I could attend my friend Amy Daileda’s opening for her show at Autumn Coffee Roasting.

My favorite painting in this current show is of a milkweed seed pod. Her design captures the moment the pod opens to release seeds for next year’s growth, which, combined with knowing Monarch butterflies need milkweed during their great migration, felt like a resilient symbol of hope.

I should add that the coffee at Autumn Coffee Roasting is fabulous, and the owner’s mom makes most of the baked goods. It’s a welcoming space.

So, now that I’ve told you about turkey vultures and my friend’s art, here’s my own update. I’m a tad lost. I’m stuck between wrapping up some projects and the easier task of daydreaming about new ones. My friend h. sent me this from Sweatpants & Coffee. It absolutely hit the spot and will be my mantra for the next month or more:

I never know how things will turn out when I start a drawing. My new work is no exception–some of it meets the standards of my daydreams, some of it does not (and you won’t be seeing those), and some of it went in its own direction without asking my opinion at all!

So, in the spirit of just taking action, September will be a month of tasks: printing new designs, photographing my new work, then re-stocking my online shop. This will take the whole month. It’s tedious work, and I’m not very quick at it. But that means I can spend October sharing new work with you, telling you the stories behind some of the designs, taking pre-orders, and working to fill those orders. Plus, it will feel good to see those online “shelves” full again.

So, here’s to getting tasks done this month. Thank you for following along, and I’ll see you in October!

–TRISTA