This Stunning Work of Art Will Delight Birders and Bloggers Alike!

This magnificent work of art by the exquisitely talented Susan Fletcher King left me speechless with awe! The name of the piece is "The Visitor", and the web image doesn't begin to do it justice.  In reality, this incredible piece is 60 inches tall and 24 inches wide. It isn't simply a painting done with oils or watercolors, either (although that would be fantastic, too).  "The Visitor" is an meticulously crafted, 3-dimensional piece of fabric art!  According to the artist, the piece "was started as a whole cloth which has been dyed, painted and stamped.  The great blue heron, boat, dock and weeds were then added as rough-edge appliqué.  These pieces were also painted.  The entire piece was then assembled and stitched (quilted)".  How's that for creativity and talent?

"The piece was made specifically for an invitational, juried show with the theme "Exquisite Moment".  This show is held annually, seen in various venues in the US and in Europe, and is curated under the name dinner at eight artists  I have been selected as one of the artists and this is the third year that I have been invited to enter and have been accepted."  Congratulations, Susan Fletcher King!

I cropped the image even closer to give you an idea of the incredibly detailed work in the piece. Check out the shading on the Great Blue Heron's neck, and the beautifully rendered wood grain of the boat.  It's no wonder the piece was accepted for a art exhibition entitled 'Exquisite Moments!  Ms. King's artist's statement for the piece makes "The Visitor" all the more magical:

 Little miracles happen very occasionally, and if we are lucky we might be in the right place at the right time to witness one. Here, this great blue heron is stepping from his world into ours and gives us an exquisite moment we will always remember.

Some of my readers and some of my fellow "Birders Who Blog' might have a slight sense of deja vu upon seeing Susan Fletcher King's "The Visitor".  If it seems familiar, there is a good reason for it.  The above photo was taken by my husband, Tom, while we were vacationing on Cape Cod last year - and it has appeared in an earlier post on this blog.   Susan Fletcher King came across the image on the web, and kindly asked permission to use it as a model for her artwork.  Believe it or not, Tom will be credited as the photographer whenever and wherever "The Visitor" is shown publicly.  Congratulations to my better half!

If any other bird photographers out there would like to see their fine photos transformed into a fantastic work of art, you'll be happy to learn that Susan Fletcher King does commission work, and she loves working from photos.  You can contact her directly at susanfletcherking.com, and I can promise you'll be thrilled with the result.  She is an extraordinary talent!

Birders who Blog, Tweet and Chirp trek through Rhode Island!

I was flattered to be invited to a birding expedition by members of the Birders who Blog, Tweet and Chirp online community a couple of weeks ago. Both my husband and my son came along for some new birds and to meet expert birders.  Within minutes of arriving at Trustom Pond National Wildlife Refuge in Rhode Island, we spotted what we thought was a juvenile Black-billed Cuckoo, but actually is a Red-eyed Vireo.  Thanks to Ryan Schain for the corrected ID.


Red-eyed Vireo, originally uploaded by Ryan Schain.
This is Ryan's image of a Red-eyed Vireo.


Compare Ryan's photo to mine, and you'll see why I am convinced he is right; This is a Red-eyed Vireo!


We also saw a young Ring-necked Pheasant. This bird was so tame that someone said it felt like being at the zoo!


She walked along the path very close to humans, and didn't seem at all shy.


We also got some great views of Ospreys hunting and nesting all over the preserve.


This is one gorgeous specimen!


Love the wing tips and the mask!

The trip was fantastic!  The Framingham bloggers missed the morning session and were late for the afternoon walk as well, so were are not in the group photos.  They are great photos, though, even without us.  I borrowed one from Dawn and wrote in everyone's name so I won't forget them. 

Our tireless leaders were Dawn and her husband Jeff from Dawn's Bloggy Blog. Cindy from Living in Brooklyn-Longing for Maine was there, and another Cindy, too. My cousin and mentor, Cathleen was there(actually my first cousin once removed), who is very well known as BirdingGirl in the land of blogs. Larry from The Brownstone Birding Blog was there, and Dan Forestal of Nature Observances by Forestal. The Bird Man of Bridgewater, John (Tucker), was also there with his sister Jane. Since Tom and Pete and I aren't in the picture, you'll have to guess what we look like!

I may not have seen all the birds there were to see, but I had a fantastic time all the same.  That Trustom Pond Refuge is one of the most beautiful places in New England, and worth a visit if you ever have time. And if you are ever invited to a Birders who Blog, Tweet and Chirp get together, make sure you sign up for the adventure.  You won't regret it, I promise you!