Menagerie & Mettle

"I create because it is what my hands do when my mind is elsewhere" - unknown

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"Until you spread your wings you have no idea how far you’ll fly.” Anon

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To hear never-heard sounds, 

To see never-seen colors and shapes, To try to understand the imperceptible Power pervading the world; To fly and find pure ethereal substances That are not of matter But of that invisible soul pervading reality. To hear another soul and to whisper to another soul; To be a lantern in the darkness Or an umbrella in a stormy day; To feel much more than know. To be the eyes of an eagle, slope of a mountain; To be a wave understanding the influence of the moon; To be a tree and read the memory of the leaves; To be an insignificant pedestrian on the streets Of crazy cities watching, watching, and watching. To be a smile on the face of a woman And shine in her memory As a moment saved without planning.

Dejan Stojanovic . . I liked most of this poem. There is so much here on earth to like. To care for. To feel. Perhaps there is the moon. Or mars. And windmills there... for water. .

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People leave traces of themselves where they feel most comfortable, most worthwhile.

Haruki Murakami . . I remember as a child, horse-riding through the mists in Kwa-Zulu Natal. My uncle bred Nooitgedagters - a sturdy local breed of hardy horse. They lived wild in the lowveld of the farm, but when it was time to round up the cattle for dipping and branding - these horses were the only way. And even as a young child, they were safe to ride. The morning I took this photo reminded me so much of these memories. So this not perfect but emotional piece is just that. Nostalgia. . www.menagerieandmettle.co.za 

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Beauty is no quality in things themselves: It exists merely in the mind which contemplates them; and each mind perceives a different beauty.

David Hume . . For more please visit my website: www.menagerieandmettle.co.za 

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Men have no more time to understand anything. They buy ready-made things in the shops. But since there are no shops where you can buy friends, men no longer have any friends. Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

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“Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything.” ― Plato . I tried a few versions of the "Birds on a wire with windmill" but think I like this one best. The others did not have the roof which maybe helps in context. As for the birds... constant daytime music. And free to fly! .

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Fear is the main source of superstition, and one of the main sources of cruelty. To conquer fear is the beginning of wisdom. Bertrand Russel . . What we do not know or understand we fear. I believe education is key, especially in our beautiful country! .

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Excited to be taking part in this group exhibit!

A little bit about the Windmill Series:

Windmill Series

This Windmill Series was begun in response to reading that WW3 is likely to begin over water, not land or religion or any other reason. For me Windmills are symbolic of our need and search for water. As a ‘farmer’, water is everything. Windmills are essence. And timeless. A testament to inhospitable places, perseverance and dreams coming true. But it is also testament to how we as humans have reshaped nature. And at times testament to nature having the last laugh. The thread of the series is the windmill.

Mostly it is hand drawn and then super-imposed onto a landscape photograph I have taken along the way - similar to the way we have positioned ourselves into the landscape and tried to control it – for better or worse. Sadly, I am not sure nature can recover as she once did. This series is young and just beginning. There is more to the story and more artworks in progress.

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This has been an incredibly busy but productive month! A total of 51 A5 ink drawings. My focus for Inktober was wildlife and conservation - which resulted in the Barcode Series. Each image has an accompanying text related to it and the value of conservation. I do not feel I am done with this series yet, so there will probably be more to come.

Inktober, is a worldwide challenge to complete one A5 ink drawing each day in October. There is an official prompt list, some of which drawings I did. These were more exploratory and lots of fun!

I will be exhibiting at the Assemblage Inktober Exhibition with a mix of my Barcode Series and a few of the more colorful Inktober prompt inspired drawings. Here is a little selection - you can see them all on my facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/MenagerieAndMettle/) or on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/menagerie_and_mettle/). 

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Seahorses are fish. And apart from their unusually equine appearance, they are among the only animal species on Earth in which the male bears the unborn young. They are also monogamous, so will not mate until a new partner is found if their previous one was lost. Millions of seahorses are taken from the wild every year: some for the aquarium trade (survival in captivity is low), others as curios or souvenirs (which is often illegal) and more so to be used in traditional Asian medicine. Seahorses are one of the first commercially valuable marine species to be protected by the world's largest wildlife treaty: Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). From IUCN website: "The Knysna seahorse is truly a national treasure. It is South Africa’s country’s only endemic seahorse and is one of only two Endangered seahorse species in the world. Found in only three Southern Cape Estuaries (the Knysna, Swartvlei and Keurbooms Estuaries) the Knysna Seahorse is an iconic species for Knysna, South Africa and the world. The Knysna Estuary is among the most heavily used water bodies in South Africa. Unfortunately this has led to a decline in the health of the Knysna Estuary ecosystem and native fish populations attributable to habitat loss, over-fishing, pollution, and warming sea temperatures." . Barcode series. Our wildlife has value: the function they perform in the wild. Conserve. Preserve. .

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There is my Inktober plan, a message, a mission for wildlife, the barcode series ... and then there are the others. Not sure how I feel about them. But, (way behind anyway...🤣).. official Inktober prompt: roasted. Was going to be a sort of dragon, became a unicorn. Ish? .

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Mushrooms. Fungi. They recycle dead material back into the soil to be re-used. They assist in plant growth, including crops. They are a food source and some are even of medicinal importance (think penicilln). Fungi can even be used in biocontrol instead of chemical pesticides (although there are the harmful kind too which can cause crop diseases, animal diseases and food spoilage). But, if we did not have fungi, we would possibly be lost under piles of dead plant and animal remains... . . Barcode Series. Wild 'life' (Nature) has value: the function they perform in the wild. Conserve. Preserve. .

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Waterbuck, like the name suggests, are generally found near water. They have a white circle on their back-ends, commonly joked about as having sat on a newly painted wet toilet seat! They are large but gentle, and can often be seen coming to drink in the early mornings and late afternoons. Even though they emit a musky sort of scent, they are preyed upon by many of the larger predators and often will escape to deeper water if possible, rather than running away. . Waterbuck avoid overgrazed areas, feeding on taller grasses in bulk (lots of roughage). In this way they perform a vital function, feeding on less palatable grasses and opeing up areas for new growth. . Barcode Series. Our wildlife has value: the function they perform in the wild. Conserve. Preserve. .

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Tranquil. For me there is peace and tranquility in nature. So this is a flower person. Or fairy. Either way, a part of nature. A piece of nature. And we are a part of nature. Perhaps there are times we forget? 😊 .

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These birds are often overlooked in the wildlife context. Being the largest bird, and flightless at that, they are easily spotted and so perhaps not as sought after as other birds. Yet they were almost wiped out in the 18th century when they were hunted for their feathers. Today they are farmed, and being domesticated allow for their feathers to be plucked instead. They are also farmed for their skin and meat. . Ostriches have excellent hearing and eyesight and are not caught off guard often when predators are near. A good companion to have around! Their eggs and young are often a valuable food source for many species. Very few make it to adulthood. Ostriches are also considered to be a dangerous species in the wild and are not to be dismissed as a potential threat. Here I just loved their expressions! . Barcode Series. Our wildlife has value: the function they perform in the wild. Conserve. Preserve. .

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Eland. The largest antelope. Held in high regard by the Bushman (or Khoi San) people for many reasons within their traditions, their art, their language (the clicking sound an eland makes when walking) and for the fact that one eland provides a significant amount of meat. I have often wondered what our countryside would be like if we 'farmed' our indigenous wildlife for meat. They belong here. They would do far less damage to our environment, especially if farmed in a holistic integrated ecosystem with other wildlife that exist in that specific area. Unrealistic. Perhaps. But why not? . Barcode Series. Conserve. Preserve. Our wildlife has value: the function they perform in the wild. .

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Although I am not convinced I can keep up with 2 challenges... it was fun to try colour - in response to my discovery (not personally but in researching frogs today) of the Strawberry Frog. A new species in SA. Does it actually exist? If it does... it is potentially very poisonous. So, official prompt for day 1: poisonous. Official Inktober 2018 prompt list. A few days late. Pushing boundaries. Discovering ink. . 😊 .