Noah's Crows

The Folk Tree presents

Noah’s Ark: Two by Two
July 18 – August 15,

a group exhibition including the work of approximately forty artists invited to interpret the story and the animals that populate it. Ark imagery and both real and mythological pairs of creatures in a wide variety of media are on view. Artists’ imaginations have literally run wild for this exhibition, with arks made from unusual materials such as palm fronds, and missing links and harpies among the species represented. The opening reception is scheduled for Saturday, July 18, from 2 – 6 P.M.

from the press release: Terry Davitt Powell, whose mixed media work Noah Counted on Crows is on display, comments,

It is stated that Noah sent crows (or ravens) to look for land after the rains stopped. The crows came back with nothing in their beaks for several days and then, when they didn’t return, Noah figured they found land and he sent the dove to confirm this. The dove brought back the branch with leaves. My piece focuses on this part of the story --the pair of crows flying over the waves as the weather clears and the weary ark waits.

If you are in the Pasadena area, come to the reception this Saturday, July 18, from 2 – 6 pm.

I can't wait to see the other work in the exhibition. When I took my painting in I spotted a pair of elephants posed like Frieda and Diego Rivera in their famous portrait! One of my favorites was this piece, Come and Go with Me by Katrin Wiese. She has also painted the deck of the ark, alive with creatures.

Crows at Bunny Gunner

Crazy Tea

Bunny Gunner is a great little gallery in the Art District in Pomona, California. Suzie and Juan are celebrating their second successful year with a summertime-themed show at Bunny Gunner. I was included. Summertime around my place, means very few flowers. It is just too darn hot. However, one persistent wildflower that grows all over the country bursts forth with new white blossoms every evening. Jimson weed. It took me a few years to get one of them started in my side garden. I never knew they bloomed in the evening until I experience it. Because they are a native plant, they come with native bugs which attract native birds. Bonus!

I collected and pressed a lot of the blossoms. In photographing them, I noticed the folded-over centers resembled the beak of a crow. Which led to the following paintings. Small, 8 by 10 inches. They are named after the plant.

Mad Hatter

The Crow and the Foe

Thanks to Grace and Lauren for sending this photo of a very angry crow tackling a huge vulture. The photo was featured as photo of the day on a British news site, Telegraph.co.uk.

The caption to the photo reads: A crow hitches a ride on a vulture in Soria, Spain.

But I think Lauren nailed it:

I doubt the crow is actually “riding” on the vulture, rather maybe the crow was being territorial and dive bombing the bigger bird? The photographer got an amazing shot. And that vulture is one bad-ass looking bird.

Corvid Intelligence Test

Ravens are some of the cleverest animals to exist in the wild. Watch this amazing and complicated test of their intelligence here. Clip taken from BBC animal show Clever Critters, narrated by comedienne Dawn French.

Pretty Girl, an American Crow in Venice (California)

This is a very long video...about 18 minutes. It is very interesting to hear what this man has to say about the American Crow who adopted him and has been his companion for three years. He introduces quite a bit of information about this particular crow and crows in general all based on his observation of her behavior. It is not all 100 per cent accurate, but not too far off either and he keeps it interesting.

Crow on Goal

A Carrion Crow wearing a Japan national soccer jersey dribbles a miniature ball toward a goal at a Japanese zoo. "We tried to coach owls and falcons as well, but the crows were the best," said zookeeper Satoru Tanaka.

Soccer is for birds here — more specifically the crows.

A flock of the birds dressed in soccer jerseys showed off their dribbling and shooting skills at a Japanese zoo as football fever gripped the nation.

The four young carrion crows at Tokuyama Zoo in western Japan used their beaks to dribble a miniature ball toward a soccer goal, sometimes tackling each other for possession before scoring, according to head zookeeper Satoru Tanaka.

"The crows get tidbits every time they score", Tanaka said.

"We tried to coach owls and falcons as well, but the crows were the best. They're such intelligent creatures," he said. "The birds have only received about a month's training," he added.

The zoo is now trying to teach the avian team to pass and take free kicks, according to Tanaka.

Crow Catches Fish Using Bait