Fall 2021 I was accepted into an Art + Science program through CU Boulder. With a cohort of artists and scientists, students and professionals, we were guided through designing a project emphasizing community engagement and climate change.
My project evolved into several layers of art and action around Rocky Mountain wildlife. First, I spoke with wildlife biologists and photographers about their work around a wildlife species. With much interviewing, editing, reading, and design help, I wrote up their background and interesting stories, combined with information about the animals and their challenges, including climate issues.
I also created original artwork to hang in a show at Pine Moon Fine Art with beautiful wildlife sculpture by Sandy Graves.
Taking these new linocuts and others I’ve made in the past, I printed and trimmed the original black and white prints to become book covers for the articles I’d written. I have a long history of loving hand made books, so it seemed natural to want to turn the articles into books. Paulina M. Johnson gave the content a classy, easy-to-read look, and I got to work sewing books. While sewing, I realized these were zines! A zine is a self-published, non-commercial print-work that is typically produced in small, limited batches. So now, they are officially called Wildlife Zines. :) I will be sharing them online on my new blog, This Wild Life: Art, Science, and Animals of the West, or get in touch if you’d like a physical copy.
