My birds of 2015: birds of glass by Wayne Stratz

 

 Only two have not found new homes and they remain in my critter section of my etsy shop along with a couple butterflies and a funky turtle. A few were commissions. The male and female cardinal, although I had started the female cardinal when someone asked if I had ever created a cardinal, but the male cardinal was a commission from the start, as was the hummingbird. I remember the day a hummingbird visited a Hosta bloom, raising their favor in my garden. A couple birds were revisited designs: The Blue Jay and the Goldfinch both chosen for the patterns created by their plumage The Blue Jay was a chance to celebrate a corvid, a rare one with color. The Goldfinch that rare bird that passes up on bird feeders to eat seeds from a variety of my flowers. At the end of the summer opening the front door always meant a burst of gold flying from the sunflowers. And the Great Blue Heron and the American Kestrel were birds I loved that were new designs. I still see herons on a regular basis, in fact one flew over my car as we drove to Margaret's sisters on Christmas. Kestrels are a bird that I saw all the time in the late 70's and early 80's. I hear their numbers are dropping and I can say I rarely see them though I have not moved out of their range.

I ended the year creating two more heron mosaics when asked by a friend for one of them. A Wood Duck has been simmering in my mind for months. Maybe this will be the year.

What is your favorite bird?

winter delight in the art of Sue deLearie Adair

Dark-eyed Junco; etching with colored pencil by Sue deLearie Adair as seen at Cornell Ornithology Lab

Summer has been lingering here, but there have been some moments of cool crispness. Birds are getting itchy to prepare for the change in seasons.

The neighborhood House Sparrows have been behaving differently, flocking more so these days, and the Goldfinches are loving our sunflowers. Here in Southeast PA, more bird species will leave than arrive for winter. But one of my favorite birds is about to become common after not being seen all summer. So the blooms fade, but the Juncos delight.

Dark-eyed Juncos surely dug our bird feeders last winter and hung around into spring before they headed north to nest. I could have very well seen a junco while in Ithaca, NY where we saw the splendid bird art of Sue deLearie Adair on exhibit at the Ornithology Lab of Cornell University.

Her art was behind glass so it was a bugger to photograph, but the junco cooperated and then a sideward glance caught evidence that her art can be quite colorful.

"Day-time Night Heron" Black-Crowned Night-Heron; Watercolor, colored and graphite pencils by Sue deLearie Adair as seen at Cornell Ornithology Lab

Sometimes all you get is a Silhouette: The Wall of Silhouettes, by James Prosek

The Wall of Silhouettes, by James Prosek at Cornell Ornithology Lab. Photo: Wayne Stratz (2015)

While Jane Kim is creating a world of colorful birds in her mural, James Prosek is showing how knowing shape and form can help when color is not perceived when birdwatching.

The walls are alive with birds at the Visitor Center of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

James Prosek began his career with a book of watercolors celebrating trout. See his colorful fish here.

A Blue Lift for Jane Kim of Ink Dwell as she creates a world of birds

Jane Kim at Cornell University Ornithology Lab creating bird mural

more stuff here

Finding Crow Shirts: Shopping Stratoz Style

Andre Harvey, Sounding The Alarm, 1983  Bronze on Walnut Base at the Brandywine Museum. Photo by Wayne Stratz

 I dig birds. It is that simple. I have for a long time. Cornell University celebrates birds and has recognized the value of those who feed birds.

So when we dicided to take a short vacation to re-explore Ithaca, I was curious if we could visit the bird lab. We could. The next few posts will celebrate the art and nature we experienced. But let us start with the shirt on my back. Margaret says, "They have a shirt with you written all over it." 

That was just the cool front. Come back to see that in the next post. 

Then we opened it up and read the back. Celebrate the amazing life of crows. I do it in my classroom, on afternoon walks through our neighborhood, in sermons I have given, and now on my back.

Stop! Watch a crow.

My Crow Research shirt tells it like it is. Photo by Margaret Almon

something beautiful from Lyme CT -- Barbara McKie's quilt "Pelican's Partner"

Barbara McKie Lyme CT  "Pelican's Partner"  Photo by Wayne Stratz

A friend at work was hospitalized this recently because of the dreaded tick bite infecting hime with Lyme Disease. He was out of the hospital and fighting the disease with meds. News of the disease brings back my memories of being sickened by a tick; fortunatelyI did not need hospitalization.

I wonder how tired the people of Lyme CT are of the disease named for where it was first recognized. Maybe they would like to be known for their artists instead.

It turns out she has a two studio home like we do at Nutmeg Designs. Click here to see more of her art and discover what her husband is up to in Lyme.

and so, what is that you would like to be known for? How about your town?

Reflections from the Jesuit Center: after discovering the nonexistant gate, a walk back up the hill

On the grounds of the Jesuit Center, Wernersville PA, 2015 by Wayne Stratz

After discovering the gate was not where it was supposed to be, and being told where it was by the passing by Jesuit; I had to walk back up the hill to the Jesuit Center.

Five images have survived the purge of photos taken on that walk up the hill. The first is a celebration of a lush evergreen botanical life.  The second photo shows the ravages of an aging leaf. The summer is early but the great vibrancy of a springtime leafing Maple has moved on to leaves showing the signs of a hard life.

On the grounds of the Jesuit Center, Wernersville PA, 2015 by Wayne Stratz

 Then there was this Maple seed. A sign of hope. One could say, "a dashed hope" as it rests on the macadam driveway at the Jesuit Center, but a tree could still emerge. Who knows where that seed could travel to if forces lifted it up?

On the grounds of the Jesuit Center, Wernersville PA, 2015 by Wayne Stratz

It sure was a wet June this 2015, after a dry springtime. Talks of drought were gone and fungi were sending up their fruiting bodies. And like the Maple leaf, it captures my destination in the background.

On the grounds of the Jesuit Center, Wernersville PA, 2015 by Wayne Stratz

I am no bird photographer and my camera is really, really not up for the job, so when I got home with hundreds of silent photos, this Blue Jay delighted me. I knew it was there. I had hope that it was in the frame. I clicked. Hopefully in the next moment it would be nourished by a leaf eating insect on this Maple tree.

On the grounds of the Jesuit Center, Wernersville PA, 2015 by Wayne Stratz

A Year of Birds starts with a Blue Jay

Blue Jay stained glass mosaic designed and created by Wayne Stratz

In the midst of 2014 a few things came together to inspire me to focus on my passion for birds in 2015.

1. On my silent retreat I read a book of essays on birds.
2. I finally bought a bird feeder.
3. I ended the year with making a white-breasted nuthatch

White-breasted nuthatch stained glass suncatcher designed and created by Wayne Stratz

So I hope to be productive in the studio. The Blue Jay returned. The Goldfinch design needs to be grouted; and a brand new celebration of female cardinals has been designed.

And I hope to see 100 species by graduation.

See all my animals for sale here

 

 

 

A week of poetic feet selfies #2 --- what we can't know by James LaVilla-Havelin

what we can’t know

the number of the dead
the stretch of an hour
a bird’s heart
how our embrace feels to the embraced
the moment of a flower’s opening
dirt’s weight
outermost ripples of friendship and love
peace
what our hands do while we sleep
a lie’s uncurling
the depth of loss
an insect’s view
silence
morning brushing against treetops
how we are remembered

James LaVilla-Havelin, "what we can't know" from Counting. Copyright © 2010 by James LaVilla-Havelin. Used with the permission of the author.

As seen on the Poet Walk at the Memorial Art Gallery, Rochester NY

 

 

 

A trio of quilts: Gloria Loughman, Ellen McMillen, and Diane Doran

 

A Slice of Oz by Gloria Loughman from Australia

A Slice of Oz by Gloria Loughman caught my eyes for the fine combo of greens and violets.

Almost Amish by Ellen McMillen of Downingtown, PA

Almost Amish by Ellen McMillen of Downingtown, PA; caught my eye for the improvised take on the standard log cabin design.

Sunrise Serenade by Diane Doran of Glenelg, MD

Sunrise Serenade by Diane Doran of Glenelg, MD; caught these eyes for color, design, and perhaps the birds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

N is for Nuthatch ~ the A to Z of one word messages

White-breasted Nuthatch
created and designed
by Wayne Stratz

Yes, that is a bird and not a one word mosaic sign, but we have not done an N word (commissions welcomed if you have one in mind).       

So...

Bird names for me are often one word messages. Name four species of woodpeckers and you can take me back to a spring break camping trip to the Smokey Mountains, a forest east of the Cascade Mountains in Oregon, a time share in WI, and the Monocacy Creek that I walked to as a teen in search of solitude. 

Maybe going for a walk recently with Mosaic Woman on a path along a busy road during rush hour will come to mind if you say Red-Winged Blackbirds to me ten years from now. We stood as they perched and called out and flashed their red allowing us to appreciate their beauty.

And that makes these one word messages indeed.  So where do nuthatches take me? My childhood home and the oak trees that soared above our house and the tiny birds that delighted me as they behaved in a rather unexpected way.

  What animal name creates a one word message in your mind?

2012, The Second Half

Our church finally stumbled upon a new rector,
 she is wonderful.
I greeted her with this card.

I began what will hopefully be more mosaics
inspired by the photographs of KerriFar

I started making 3D suncatchers
and when our good friends moved
out of our neighborhood,
I gave this one to warm their new house.

My friend Deborah began leading interfaith services at our church.

Finally, I set up coloring pages for sale on our etsy shop

in the midst of self doubts, I created a pug mosaic

The Fit got personalized

A client saw one in our house and asked for three bigger ones.  One of the biggest commissions of the year was created by Margaret

Any time any one asks for three Dr Ed's mandalas, has to be a highlight of the year.  I also was commissioned to make one for Dr Ed's daughter

End of the year date at the art museum

and there was that magical time
being inside what I called
 The Wernersville Tree


and I made pizza
and taught
and listened to jazz

A Few of My Favorite Things 4 ~ Woodpecker, a Haiku

Photo by Paul Stein

I love birds, but if forced to choose a favorite family, let me say it is the Picidae.

Maybe my next bird mosaic will be from my favorite group.  But for now I must sharpen my writing skills because I will be faced with a Haiku challenge on New Years Eve.

Woven together,

forests need undulating
flight of woodpeckers

Kerri Farley's Blue Jay Inspires Me

For awhile I was remebering which social media platform I met folk at, but lines are being blurred.  It was likely following each other on Twitter is where it began.  But I am a fan of her photos on Flickr and her blog A Little Piece of Me.  I was so happy when she said I was free to be inspired by her photos to create a Blue Jay mosaic, and her post, Sweet Soul Shining Through is the one that resonated.

I am taking some time on this day off (as Hurricane Sandy approaches) to finally place the Blue Jay into our Mandala listings on etsy and to publicly give my friend Kerri the thanks and praise she deserves.

I know there is more inspiration awaiting me over at A Little Piece of Me.  We will see.  We will see.

P is for Photos by Purpleface and Paul

My photos don't do them justice, but I love the work by these photographers and I am glad that now that P has rolled around (doing O tomorrow) I remembered that I wanted it to be for two great photographers.


Paul Grecian is one of those people who it is an honor to be at a craft show with because his work is amazing. We loved his work even before we did our first show, before he became our friend, before I lined up to spend this Friday hanging out with the man at one of my favorite places.

Mosaic Woman allowed me the pleasure of picking out one of his photos, we chose Seating For Two ( I say we because I knew she loved the photo and waxwings). But I got to say that Downward Facing Dog (not what you will expect) among others were high on the list.

Friend Paul's art at Facebook.



Purpleface (Sarah Lewis) first entered my life at Flickr, then twitter, then facebook, then my studio. Well her photo is there and it has a special location on the top of a very special book case. On the side of the case are notes from a retreat at The Jesuit Center. Below the photo are many types of stained glass and below that my collection of books on spirituality... That white grid thing is where I cut glass, so Purpleface is close by when I am cutting and grinding glass.

Purpleface said something kind about a stained glass heart I had made, so I thought: Fair Trade Across the Atlantic. But then I had to choose a photo. Life can be hard when you hang out with such talented folk. It was not the speediest of transactions but it sure was joyful when we each finally had art from the other.

The photo is called Crisp, and a much more crisp shot can be seen here.

Friend her art at Facebook. She is one of the best friends I have never met.

7 for the weekend--- The letter N

1. Nevelson's Sky Cathedral and we saw it in DC.



2. Nebraska: The place our U-Haul broke down as we moved from Oregon to Illinois, but also the land of Sand Hill Cranes:

photo by James and Deb

3. New Thought: as light replaces bitterness I had a great idea to get lots of students involved in the garden this summer, even if my schedule will not allow me to be with them as much as I would like.

4. Norah's Nearness:






5. Northern Lights--- Something that I have never seen which I think would bring me joy:

photo by Keith Marshall

6. Northern Flicker: Something I have seen many a time and always brings me joy:

photo by Pazzani

7. a man a bit like you and a bit like me:

Seven on Sunday--- Ducks

buy it here

1. By the diplomas not hanging on my wall, I am a Koncrete Warrior Duck. In 1992 when Mosaic Woman and I were receiving our masters degrees, I could not imagine the Ducks playing for a football championship and if I spent money on cable and if the game started earlier, I would have sadly watched them lose last week. But hey, only two teams made it to that game and the U of O colors inspired the above piece, which by the way was designed while I was sitting in a staff meeting at a job I can have because of the masters degree.

2. Mergansers are cool:

photo by Judy H

3. Ducks can frustrate me. I do not have a scope as many a serious birder does, and since ducks tend to hang out on water it is hard to sneak up for a closer view. But I try to keep in mind it is a two way street, both I and the duck need to desire to see each other.

4. In 1987 I drove from Pennsylvania to Edmonton (2500 +/- miles) to pick up Mosaic Woman who had flown up earlier. As I drove across the northern plains I wanted to stop constantly as I passed by billions and billions of potholes filled with birds. Now I read things are not so good for life in those wetlands.

5. Duck Ellington ?????

It's a cold rainy day in the zoo and the animals are bored. So they call Duck Ellington who flies in with his piano and creates a jazz-jam that chases the clouds away and gets all the animals dancing.

6. Head north on route 202 from Lansdale and one will soon pass by the Duck Deli: a BBQ restaurant in New Britain, PA. Named for Duck, NC of course; where the original Duck Deli is located. Anyway, some very good lunches have been had over the past 15 years, and yes, I was at the original Duck Deli on the Outer Banks before I had known of this one. The Town of Duck, NC plans to have its fifth jazz festival this October, while the Duck Deli has sponsored jazz festivals in PA.

7. some Funky Cold Duck Jazz:

Crafting on Thursdays- 2 passions finally meet for the Audubon Art and Craft Show

... well, unless you count the penguin.

Mosaic Woman and I were put on the waiting list for a summer show, and then with three weeks notice we found out we were accepted. The Audubon Art and Craft Show happens this weekend in Hawley, PA and thanks to it I finally got around to designing some bird sun catchers.

The Abstract Torso (do birds have torsos)

What is happening here is a male red-winged blackbird has both wings arched over its back. The left is seen in full, the right goes high enough to flash colors at a local female. Around here, they are a much better sign of spring than robins which can be seen off and on through out a winter. The blue... well, not all things are what they seem even on a black bird.

The plain and fancy PA Dutchie style...

Flipping through my bird book I was caught by the coloration patterns of the Rose-Breasted Grossbeak. A bird which I see most years that I bother to look for birds, but not close to every day. So unlike the Red-Winged blackbirds that I can see while commuting every day of spring and summer. They are more of a special event.

the realism design...

White-Breasted nuthatches crawl head first down trees and pry into the bark for meals. They like myself are year round residents of Pennsylvania and any trip to Peace Valley Park is likely to give the pleasure of one showing itself to me.

So stop by our booth to see the birds and stop back next Thursday to see if any crafting has been done. I hope so.

...

of Birds and Bonaventure

Vestiges, Bonaventure says we are surrounded by vestiges. Open your eyes to creation and you will see living signs that God has been there. Contemplate the nature of the creature and you will start your journey to God.

I dig birds, so when I read chapter two of Bonaventure three weeks ago just before I went to church my mind went to...

leaping for joy when I first saw a Pileated Woodpecker... I was in NC with a great bunch of friends, who went to the mountains for spring break.

a flock of Bobolinks that said, "hey look at us, " after not one had shown their face to me since the first spring of birdwatching when I was 13... I was alone at Valley Forge on my 33rd birthday.

a yellow-bellied woodpecker that said. "hey, would you rather enjoy my beauty or have your job cause your head to explode,"... I chose beauty.

The Gold Finches who perch on spires of anise hyssop and say, "thanks, for not having a grass lawn"

and the memories kept coming and coming and coming. And I wanted to share them with my group of friends at Holy Trinity, but we canceled that Monday and we never got to Bonaventure the next Monday, but three days ago... I told some of my stories...

and now in three days I have more

the catbird that made a trip to the garbage cans more interesting.

the friend who I gave a description of a bird as we pulled into her driveway, and 20 seconds later I turned the pages to show her a Rose-Breasted Grossbeak in my bird book.

another friend that said "what" as we stood outside at work then directed his eyes to the words I said, so that he could see a White-breasted Nuthatch on a Silver Maple.

and the robins that attacked a squirrel in the front yard across the street this morning as I walked to my car.

15 years ago I set out to see a hundred birds by the last day of the school year. The day I reached my goal, I got to work for a message to call Mosaic Woman. She told me that my grandmother had died. As I flew home to Pennsylvania, I read that Emily Dickinson once wrote that the dead visit us through birds.

Today I walked through Lansdale with Mosaic Woman, who now after walking through half her life with me, shows me birds. and my eyes are directed to a hawk perched on a church tower above the door where I returned to a journey with God.

the introverted bird watcher leaves his comfort zone

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Originally uploaded by NatureShutterbug

a few posts back while reflecting on my 45th birthday, I said that I had made a birthday resolution. with 350 plus days to go... I accomplished it, well kind of.

I never understood why folk would bird watch in a group. I have had some birding buddies over the years, but I would hazard that 90% of my birding time has been solitary. I have known of a birding group for ten years. My resolution.... be brave... join a group.

Sunday I heard thunder for what seemed to be 8 straight hours so it was a grand thing that the group met on Saturday, which was the coolest morn we have seen in a long time. One wrong turn and a need to fuel up the car got me to the Peace Valley Nature Center over by Doylestown, just on time--- I didn't need to do small talk!

OK advantages---

1. these folk know their birds by sight and call.
2. these folk are friendly

The list of birds seen while not huge, was decent, but let me say that it was the blue-gray gnatcatcher (photo found at flickr) that made my day. My general lack of birding means it has been years since I have seen some common birds and this would be an example. They are a bit bluer, but are kind of like a miniature mockingbird.

but this is what lingers for the day...

1. a group of children showed up with their moms and the leader of the walk adapted. He lowered the legs on his spotting scope and called the children to see amazing closeups of kingbirds , herons, ducks.... The man was truly sad that the local bald eagles were missing for the day. His willingness to welcome the children come along will create love of birds. We need more of this kind of action, and I am also glad that none got between his kind actions and the children.... I am sure this is ringing bells out there.

2. I chickened out of the coffee hour after the walk... OK, so the birthday resolution may not yet be fulfilled for the goal was to meet people and who knows maybe make a friend or two. I did chat a bit as we walked, but maybe next time I will get there a moment early and stay for some conversation afterwards since birding is not really a talking event in my eyes, even if you are part of a group.