Insect Art Card Launch

A five-year old collaboration between two very different Metchosin organizations—the Metchosin ArtPod and the Metchosin Foundation—has produced a new fusion of nature and art: a set of Insect Art Cards.

The first two years of BC Art Nature Card projects merged the artistic talents of 72 Vancouver Island and area artists under the coordination of Memet Burnett at Metchosin ArtPod, the scientific enthusiasm and financial support of the Metchosin Foundation, and the avian knowledge of naturalists at the Rocky Point Bird Observatory under the supervision of birder extraordinaire Ann Nightingale. The result was two sets of popular Bird Art Cards. In 2022, the bird sets were joined by a deck of Mushroom Art Cards.Thirty-six different artists participated in that project.

Some of the artists and volunteers pose for a group portrait. Photo by Steven Kelly.

After a year’s hiatus and with the prodding of a batch of artists keen to take on yet another kingdom, insects became the focus for 2024. This new art card project tapped into the expertise of Claudia Copley, Entomology Collections Manager and Researcher at the Royal BC Museum. The texts provided by Claudia for the back sides of the cards are fascinating and informative. Flip the cards over and you will see the gorgeous work of 36 local artists who donated images of their artwork for this fundraiser.

The launch party for BC Art Nature Cards 2024: INSECT Deck happened on National Insect Appreciation Day, 8 June, at Bilston Farm, 4185 Metchosin Road, between 1-3 pm. Many of the artists and people from the general public attended. The people who came joined in an insect “hunt” for the images in the set that had been posted around the grounds. Claudia and Darren Copley took people around the grounds for a look at live insects. Neville Winchester brought display posters about Metchosin’s five-year insect study with Malaise Traps. 

The Insect Art Card launch was helped by a kind and timely grant from the West Shore Arts Council.

Joan and Margaretha explain how the project came about.
Neville Winchester's new poster about Metchosin's 5-year insect biomass study
The Copley's beat the bushes for insects--and find them!

Metchosin MycoBlitz 2023 foray

We will be contributing Metchosin mushrooms to the SVIMS annual mushroom show, which will be on Sun, October 22, at the Royal BC Museum, 10-4pm (free, admission by donation). To join us in our Metchosin mushroom hunt, meet Andy and Kem at 9:00 am on Sat, October 21, 2023 in front of the District of Metchosin offices. We should be done by about 11:00.am.  Mushrooms are a-poppin’ in Metchosin. We may find such beauties as the false chanterelle pictured here, which appeared last week.

Lyn Baldwin — Nature Journalling — Talk/Walk Sept 2023

On September 1 and 2, 2023 Lyn Baldwin joined Metchosin residents for a Talk and Walk based on her new book, Drawing Botany Home, and on nature journaling. 

 

 

 

Lyn, a professor at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, read from her book. She also brought along several of her illustrated nature journals.  After the talk, she signed books.

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Explaining how to use the art kits.
Some "found" art in a maple stump.
One of the exercise journals produced by a student

 

 

On Saturday morning, a group of 15 artists and would-be artists met with Lyn at Matheson CRD Park to do four exercises in nature journaling. Lyn brought along small painting and drawing kits and art paper for each of the students. They wandered along the path to the lake, pausing to do the exercises.