Author: Marilyn

I'm an artist working primarily in wood. My work has taken a story-telling path over the past two years.

Great Horned Owl

The Great Horned owl, known for its tufted “horns” and striking yellow eyes, is a powerful predator found across the Americas. It is adaptable to various habitats, feeding on small mammals, birds, and reptiles. This bird is recognized for its distinctive hooting call and remarkable hunting abilities, making it a fascinating species.

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This pyrography piece is inspired by a photograph taken at the Desert Museum in Tucson. The Owl was a rescued abandoned chick found in a Walmart warehouse. As she was raised without her parents, she has not learned how to hoot.

The piece is 12.25″ x 17.75″ Framed

Techniques: wood burn on Sycamore, aniline dyes, acrylics and alcohol inks

Hunter moon

Each full moon is associated with an indigenous name. Hunter moon is typically associated with October

„Hunter Moon“ is finally finished! it’s the latest in my series based on indigenous names for the full moon. Having lived in Canada for over 20 years I have been privileged to see foxes hunting in the snow.

Experience the Schützenfest: A Tradition in Lipperode, Germany

The image shows 6 vignettes of people involved in the activities of the Schützenfest. At the top is the shooting target and bits of wood are flying everywhere after the latest shot. The other pictures are of the backs of people sitting or standing. One image is of one of the flab bearers looking tired and ready to go home

Over the past four years, I have attended three Schützenfeste in Lipperode, Germany. The Schützenfest is a local village-based three-day festival that has its origins in the 15th century, where militias trained for village defense. Nowadays, the shooting is restricted to hitting a wooden target designed in the form of a bird. There are prizes attached to parts of the bird. The person who shoots the last piece of the bird from the target is crowned King and takes over the social activities of the Schützenfest club for the following year. During the three-day festival, there are many parades with marching bands from other villages as well as the host village. Needless to say, beer is the common accompaniment to all these activities. In Lipperode, the “uniform” is a top hat with oak leaves, a white shirt and pants, and a black jacket with a yellow and red sash.

It has taken me several years to feel comfortable at these events, largely due to my impoverished German. However last year, Werner, Andreas’s brother in law took me under his wing and steered me to the good places to get some sketching done. My German can get me started in simple conversations and so I am slowly feeling more comfortable with these events.