Studio Sneak Peeks
A blog about my work, research and processes. Printmaking, collage, drawing, folktales, history and wildlife.
Love birds: nature lore and valentine’s day
The image of two fondling love birds on a Valentine’s card may be considered very cheesy by some. But there is a strong association between birds and Valentines day in folk traditions.
The Folklore of Christmas
Mistletoe is a classic plant of Christmas decoration. It was considered rather magical because of the way it grows as if floating in trees. In reality mistletoe is hemiparasitic meaning it takes nutrients from trees in order to grow. The seeds are spread via birds who eat the berries and wipe the sticky seeds from their beaks onto the branches where they take root and grow. Mistle Thrushes get their name from the plant but Blackcaps are the most voracious consumers of mistletoe according to the British Trust for Ornithology.