Up at the quack of dawn

Up at the Quack of Dawn (c) 2019 17.5x13 $1825.00

Through the years I have hiked and photographed this beautiful trail in Pasadena, CA called Lower Arroyo Seco, meaning "dry stream" in Spanish. The trail leads you under the magnificent Colorado Boulevard Bridge, which is the only local bridge listed on the National Register of Historic Places, built in 1913. 

Just south of the bridge is where a small pond resided brimming with countless Mallard ducks and their adorable ducklings!

The Devils Gate damn, just north of this lovely area is where the problem began this year for the Lower Arroyo Seco area. A four year renovation project launched, plowing down 70 acres of enhanced habitat for wildlife due to LA County neglecting this area for years, allowing non-native and invasive plant species to thrive. Their plan is to remove 1.7 million cubic yards of sediment, with 400 trucks moving through this area per day for the next 4 years. It is said by many that the amount of sediment removed will harm a delicate ecosystem housing endangered and sensitive wildlife...yup it certainly has!

With the abundance of rain we received this year, it caused all that loose sediment and soil to flow down and fill up that pond where I took the photo for this drawing. I hardly even recognized the area when I went there a few weeks ago...one lonely drake left by himself, all the others had fled apparently. 

So, this drawing I created has great meaning to me more than ever and symbolizes what we lost. 

This is what it looked like weeks ago, just a small waterway going through...once the weather gets hot I'm not sure even this will be there. And certainly no more ducks or herons will be there.

My great hope is that 4 years down the line this precious area will be restored and waterfowl and other native wildlife will once again return. I really miss those ducklings!

A sitting duck

Sittin' in the Mornin' Sun (c)2018 11.5x10.25 graphite pencil

A few years ago my sister and one of my best friends flew to WI to attend Barbara Jaenicke's pastel workshop at the beautiful Dillman's Bay Resort in Northern WI!

While slowly making my way to class one morning from our cute little log cabin I spotted a funny looking duck out on the pier in front of the classrooms. I had never seen a duck like this before, so my attention quickly diverted over towards her and with camera in hand I sat with her for quite awhile, missing out on part of the morning session...leaving my friend and sister wondering what had happened to me in such a short distance!

At the very end of December 2017 I started to draw Myrtle the female Merganser from WI, trying to get her complete in between commissions with a deadline in my head of April 15th. Not for tax day of course...but to enter her in the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum's Birds in Art Exhibition. 

You see, I use to live about half an hour away in Plover WI so this was a pretty big deal even then. In 1994 I was even invited by a friend who's air brush painting juried into the show, to the closed artist reception, meeting in person Robert Bateman, Carl Brenders, Richard Sloan, just to name a few of the master artists there! Ever since that exhibition, I had always wanted to enter a piece of art in it but was too intimidated to even try. That is until now!!

Now I feel I am skilled enough, experienced enough, and feel worthy enough to be in the same exhibition as the great wildlife masters I have admired and been SO inspired by through the years. So I tried, and if I don't get in I am ok with that as at least I finally mustered up the courage to go for it this year. Next year I will be even more confident and ready to enter again!!

**stay tuned for my next post about how I designed and composed my drawing of Myrtle**

In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.

~John Muir~

Reflections on a Pond (C) Kathryn Hansen 7x9  $419.00