The Snake River dam system (37 dams) has depleted the salmon runs and many other fish species over the past decades- to the point where many are endangered. This has cascading effects on the ecosystem as a whole. The Southern Resident task force concluded the main contributor to the orcas threatened status is lack of salmon, in addition to vessel noise and pollution. The lack of salmon is due to the Snake River dam system (and I imagine pollution as well). Over $17 BILLION dollars of public money has been put into replenishing the salmon runs to minimal success. The issue is the dams, the salmon need their restored ecosystem to flourish and in return, sustain the larger ecosystem. Consider contacting your local representative about dam removal as much of the orca task force funding has been reassigned due to Covid. 

For more information and involvement check here: Wild Salmon.Org

 An Idaho representative, Mike Simpson has a dam removal proposal which aims to appease concerns of tribes and farmers with the goal of bringing back the salmon. Please contact your rep to sign on to this proposal and support it. More info can be found here in the Idaho Statesmen, among many other news articles. 

I've attached a 4x6 postcard you can print out and send to your representative asking for their support on this proposal and perhaps go further. You can print out and send, post however many you want. I printed them on a cream cardstock and they look pretty nice :) At future shows I will be handing these out for free as well.
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Write a postcard to Patty Murray's office at:
The Honorable Patty Murray
915 2nd Ave, Suite 2988
Seattle, WA 98174
CALL and leave a message at Sen. Murray's Seattle office: (206) 553-5545

Write a postcard to Maria Cantwell's office at:
The Honorable Maria Cantwell
915 2nd Ave, Suite 3206
Seattle, WA 98174
CALL and leave a message at Sen. Cantwell's Seattle office: (206) 220-6400

This is just for Washington, but if you're in neighboring states, reach out to your rep!

A more contextual sidenote, I was doing research for an orca tattoo design and got caught up in the tragic story of the Southern Resident Orcas. A few years ago Tahlequah, one of the Orcas in J Pod carried her dead calf for 17 days, over 1,000 miles. It broke my heart then and everytime I'm reminded of her, I know there's more we can always do. If you end up making a piece for this issue, please send me a pic or link, I would love to share it. :)

Next month I'll be partnering up with nature educator and forest-sprite-come-to-life, CJ Kinton in leading a 4 week, online, nature journaling workshop. This workshop is through the Earth School of Witches and Wizards CJ has created to bring earthcraft and natural educational engagement through an accessible platform. I will be providing art lessons to help accurately render and speed up the drawing process of a natural specimen. I'll also be providing a few scientific illustration coloring pages. It's a unique workshop for all ages, no experience is needed just an interest in art and nature.

HONORING SUN RETURN: FINDING YOUR INNER SPIRITUAL PATH 
an online pagan nature journaling workshop
January 8 - February 4, 2021
Gift certificates available, give the gift of experience!
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​A breakdown from CJ:
It's a new year - where are you going and how will you get there? Might I suggest getting outside with an attitude of appreciation, and seeking the advice and wisdom of our living planet?
Four weekly sessions: Preparing for the Journey (air), The Path Through the Tangled Wood (earth), Alchemy (water), and Shadows and Light (fire). You will... expand your natural history and science; transform natural materials into earth art; write and draw in your journal; awaken your senses, and shift your perspective... building your personal pathfinding altar as you go. Labyrinths, symbols and signs, oh my!
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A private Facebook group will allow participants to chat, inspire one another and share work, experiences and ideas. Guidance from your friendly facilitator will be via short videos each week, as well as activities, rituals, information and links, which you can peruse on your own schedule. This workshop is for adults and teens, but adults who sign up could easily do the activities and journaling with kids.
Your personal path is one that helps you become/be your best self. My own personal path is to help heal the relationship between humans and our planet, and that's why I offer these workshops.

4-week series, Jan 8 - Feb 4, with sessions posted on Fridays
Fee: $40 - sign-up deadline is Dec 31 - email me at earthschoolwitch@gmail.com

You'll need to supply your own sturdy notebook or journal (or just sheets of blank paper); pencil, portable sharpener and eraser; ink drawing pens, ideally with varying tips (fine, medium, full); and soft lead colored pencils.

Below are a few of my most recent drawings from collected specimens and tree references in my neighborhood.

I'm looking forward to my first teaching endeavor! :)

You can preorder the calendar HERE. My illustration submission was created entirely in procreate. As of now, I sell my riso prints in person at markets or artwalks. Stop on by the next event to see them in person! It turned out I actually already had some riso prints in my art collection. Below are a few awesome riso print artists to check out

Above is a few of the MANY beautiful pieces of Printer Johnson. Based in UK, they have an Etsy and website.

Natalie Andrewson! So many cool designs AND riso color charts to see how you can build up color

Simonet Cechova who is an all around amazing illustrator.

Please share any riso prints and artists you like, I’m super new to this world and absolutely love it.

A new forest piece is completed! This one is based off the Olympic National Forest and particularly inspired by the brochure artwork filled with animals and plants! (Check out the photos below). This piece is 30” x 40”, colored pencil on illustration board and took just over 122 hours to complete. It is for sale, shoot me a message if you’re interested at erinfox1224@gmail.com. Below are some details of the piece. 

A HUGE inspiration was this beautiful poster made by J Dawson. Go to the Olympic National Park to explore and grab one of these. Below the poster are a few photos I took in my summer explorations in the beautiful Olympic National Forest. 

Inktober is done! Be boop di doop, those be le small drawings. This is the first year I’ve done everyday and followed a prompt list. (One is missing above because it was an odd number and I can’t have my squares lookin janky) Some prompts were fun, most were meh but I think that’s the challenge of it, helps with discipline. These were all done on an amazing hot press paper- first time I’ve used hot press and WOW, the goauche looks so much better, smoother.

It was fun but I’m glad it’s done. 

Etsy shop is open, the link will always be in the ‘shop’ tab but you can check it out HERE

I will also have a running list of any markets or shows in the shop tab as well. 

Super excited to be opening up an etsy shop in less than a week!! What goods will I have you ask? Stickers, sticker packs, sticker sheets, postcard packs, prints, so many things! Everything made in the Cascadian bioregion and will be shipped in compostable packaging

I have a piece in the online show, "Political Discord" at Las Lagunas Gallery which physically resides in Southern CA. Luckily for you, you can see the whole exhibit online HERE! It's an interesting show which can help digest or reflect on the times we're in. The show runs through November 3rd- be sure to vote and vote properly however your area is doing it!

As mentioned previously, I'll be opening up a shop on this website November 1st. I had a successful booth run at the Crown Hill Artwalk in October, I'm super excited to get the online shop up and running. I'll be around town this fall/winter at various online and socially distant markets, as dates are confirmed I'll be posting them here.   

And A final, yes! yes!- I've been doing #inktober, I'll make a post on it when completed, or head on over to my instagram and follow along :) 

I’ve been working on making sustainable, local products for the past few months and will be selling these goods at the upcoming CrownHill Artwalk this Sunday, Oct 4! With the pandemic, artwalks have been put on hold. To adapt, this event takes place outside in different peoples yards. I will be at 9233 6th Ave NW in le ol Crown Hill neighborhood. People have really come together to put this on, you can find a map of other artists and info here.

Everything I’ll be selling is made within the bioregion, as sustainable as possible, with small businesses. All packaging is 100% biodegradable and plastic free!! And I was still able to do this all affordably, so I can pass along those deals.  

What new goods do I have to offer?

• 6 different insect postcards with scientific and common name on back
• 4 other new postcards
• 2 sticker sheets, one botanical, one insect with botanicals
• A holographic sticker!
• 6 different die cut stickers
• 3 larger, rectangular stickers
• 5 different insect prints Roughly 8’x10’
• A variety of handrawn/painted postcards

What are the prices?

• All stickers $3
• Postcards $2
• Prints $10
• Handmade postcards $5

Very good dealz all around ;) 

A wide variety of studies, mostly explorations in gouache and life sketches. I really enjoy working with gouache but definitely have A LOT to learn about it, as you can see these are all very uneven in color which has to do with the water to paint ratio, and general paint quality. These are the basic Reeves set which is one of the cheaper ones out there. Fun to experiment with for sure. These studies are a fun way to take a break from larger, more difficult projects I'm working on but still encourage growth. 

Another practice I've been incorporating into my sketchbook is timing it, grant it, I don't always remember to do this but when I do, it's very beneficial. As you can see from the last two plant still lifes- the timing improved drastically. Now, the hour long pothos drawing is a bit more complicated but it's still interesting.