Tag: The Art of Ecology

A Behind the Scenes Look at my Studio

Life has changed a lot for me recently and my focus with The Art of Ecology has become more focused and purposeful. By combining creative, hands-on endeavors with environmental science, I can facilitate a sense of stewardship and responsibility for the environment in others. I do this through informal environmental education online, through social media, …

A Disappearing Understory and the Deer Causing it

This juvenile deer watched my every move, but was still desperate enough to keep eating despite my presence. If there's food, the deer will come!

Where I used to live in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, you could go into a soothing forest, yet only see trees. You should see trees, yes, however you shouldn’t ONLY see trees! In this area, the land was disturbed and cleared for agricultural purposes. Now, many field properties are transitioning and going through succession into forests. …

Birdtober Art

Bald Eagle Birdtober mixed media art

Birdtober (#Birdtober2022) is an art challenge made by @AHolmesArtStudio on instagram to follow along, learn more about the great diversity of both birds and the art styles of people all around the world! While I went with the overall themes of the prompts, I didn’t draw the exact species, deciding to draw the same genus, …

Scientific Illustration Step-by-Step

Scientific illustration may seem daunting at first, however there are some great reasons to try your hand at it! First, as you draw, you are forming new pathways and connections in the brain. Secondly, each time you draw a piece, you are making some in-depth observations about it and may learn something new about the …

Coffee Ice Cream, but without the Coffee Beans!

Caffeine, while very helpful to wake people up in the morning, however when used in excess, it can have some pretty harmful side effects. Personally, caffeine doesn’t impact me the way it does for most people (a blessing and a curse since I can enjoy a cup of coffee at night, but can’t use it …

Brush up on Tree Leaf ID in time for Fall Foliage Week

sassafras fall foliage for fall foliage week

Did you know that the last week of September is National Fall Foliage week? As the season changes from late-summer to early autumn, we start to see the impacts of less light and cooler temperatures on the trees around us. Many are turning from green to red or yellow, and they are stunning! As we …

Marine Ecosystems & Their Connection to Land

We land-dwellers don’t usually consider the importance of marine ecosystems in our day-to-day lives, understandably. The times we usually think about the ocean are when we are on our summer vacations to the shore. In reality, the ways we are connected to marine life are closer than we may think. What Does the Ocean do …

A Fluffy Pet or Destructive Invasive Species?

I absolutely love cats – their cute ears, long whiskers, unique eyes, and soft tails – they’re adorable! However, as an ecologist and cat-owner, I can definitely speak to the fact that cats are environmentally destructive in North America, and pet owners should be conscientious of how much outdoor time their cat gets. Let’s examine …

Go Buggy for Moth Week

Coming off of National Pollinator Month in June, many of us are thinking about and understand the importance of butterflies, birds, and bees as pollinator species. Did you know that moths also play an important role in our ecosystems, but that not all of them are pollinators? While yes, some, such as the Hummingbird Clearwing …

Blueberries – More than a Tasty Snack!

blueberries - more than a tasty snack

Summer is here, and many of us love nothing more than a big carton of deep blue-ish purple blueberries! Wherever we can get them from the grocery store, farmers markets, or local community agriculture programs is so exciting, but did you know that blueberries are native to the eastern United States? We can go out …