Thank you to my friend Mark at the Ontario Bee Keepers Association for permission to use his photo for reference . This little painting is for the miniature show in The Art exchange The painting is 3x5 mixed media, and called 'Pollinator Gold' . I'm planning on putting a 'blurb' on the back like this...
WHITE ASH
FRAXINUS AMERICANA L.
The graceful Ash tree is a medium size tree who’s tough wood has been the traditional wood for baseball bats, oars and handles. It makes beautiful furniture. It’s winged seeds, much like maple keys, are food for many birds and small mammals.
Emerald Ash Borer arrived from Asia in 2002 via hardwood packaging. They first appeared near Detroit and have spread rapidly to Ontario, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Maryland, West Virginia etc etc . It’s rapid spread is due entirely to mankind, as the insects rarely fly more than 1/2 mile in their lifetime. The EAB has caused 10's of millions of Ash trees to be cut down, and cost governments 10's of millions of dollars trying to stop it. Once infected by EAB a tree will die in 2 years.
BEES
A pollinator is directly responsible for 3 of every 5 bites of food we eat, and indirectly for the other 2. The ‘gold medalist’ of pollinators is the bee.
Bee keepers are reporting 30-90% death rates in 35 American states, 5 Canadian Provinces, and several European countries.
Scientists think a combination of parasitic mites, climate change, pesticides, habitat loss, Israeli and Kashmir bee viruses and a mysterious phenomenon called Colony Collapse Disorder are to blame. No one knows what causes CCD, only that it causes the hive to become so toxic that adult bees abscond, and predators like hive beetle will not enter. Crop losses are all ready in the millions, and will continue to rise.
A pollinator is directly responsible for 3 of every 5 bites of food we eat, and indirectly for the other 2. The ‘gold medalist’ of pollinators is the bee.
Bee keepers are reporting 30-90% death rates in 35 American states, 5 Canadian Provinces, and several European countries.
Scientists think a combination of parasitic mites, climate change, pesticides, habitat loss, Israeli and Kashmir bee viruses and a mysterious phenomenon called Colony Collapse Disorder are to blame. No one knows what causes CCD, only that it causes the hive to become so toxic that adult bees abscond, and predators like hive beetle will not enter. Crop losses are all ready in the millions, and will continue to rise.
This one is the same size and called 'Eating the Ash' and it's blurb is...
WHITE ASH
FRAXINUS AMERICANA L.
The graceful Ash tree is a medium size tree who’s tough wood has been the traditional wood for baseball bats, oars and handles. It makes beautiful furniture. It’s winged seeds, much like maple keys, are food for many birds and small mammals.
Emerald Ash Borer arrived from Asia in 2002 via hardwood packaging. They first appeared near Detroit and have spread rapidly to Ontario, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Maryland, West Virginia etc etc . It’s rapid spread is due entirely to mankind, as the insects rarely fly more than 1/2 mile in their lifetime. The EAB has caused 10's of millions of Ash trees to be cut down, and cost governments 10's of millions of dollars trying to stop it. Once infected by EAB a tree will die in 2 years.
Wow am I a wet blanket or what.
The 'secret commission is also progressing, I think by next week it'll be done, once it's delivered, and I have permission I'll show it to you.
I had some major excitement this week when my pug painting was chosen for the featured artist of the day on fine art views on thursday.
whoot! and then today on painters keys 'in praise of weeds' was featured! double whoot! it's just a shame that I haven't finished with the adjustments that I want to make to 'weeds'. Working toward the mini show deadlines I've been focused on the little guys.
Things are rocking and rolling! MUST PAINT ttfn
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