PHOTOGRAPH

Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)

While males are the bold black and striking bright orange, yellow, and red for which the Red-winged Blackbird is named, females are a light brown color. The male Red-winged Blackbird is known to have up to 15 female mates. Males fiercely guard their nests relentlessly chasing and attacking the perceived predator, regardless its size. Although studies have shown that the genetics of Red-winged Blackbirds throughout the world are very similar, they differ in coloration quite a bit. Some biologists think this color differentiation exists to enable birds to recognize their own kind in places where flocks overlap.

LOCATION

Crab Cooker Hot Springs, CA

Sprinkled through the valley near Mammoth Lakes and the Mammoth Mountains in Southern California, the Crab Cooker Hot Springs gurgle up their scalding waters. Multiple manmade pools have been created to gather the water and create serene hot tubs for visitors to enjoy. Camping is not allowed directly next to the spring, but public land is a very short walk away, and you can always find camper vans dotting the vast landscape across the valley. No longer a hidden gem, the hot springs are well frequented and fair warning—clothing optional is the norm.

FRAME

Woman’s Tongue (Albizia lebbeck)

Albizia Lebbeck, as it is scientifically known, is native to the Indian subcontinent and Myanmar. It is commonly grown in Australia and other tropic and subtropic places. I get my supply of Woman’s Tongue from Key West, Florida where it is invasive. A wood salvager who has removed the trees from construction sites and properly mills and drys the wood rather than sending it to the dump is my source for a lot of my wood.

THE ELEMENTS

Fire, Water, Earth, and Air

In the display case in the bottom of the frame, four items are preserved glass vials. The items represent the elements: fire (wood charcoal), water (mineral oil), earth (soil), and air (a milkweed seed). I include these items in my work as a symbol of the interconnectedness of all life on earth, and as a reminder that humans must do better.

The Plaque

I engrave a wooden information plaque for each work. The plaque includes what the photograph is of, the location of the photograph, what type of wood the frame is made of and where I got the wood from. The plaques also explain what the vials are in each display case, and even state the meaning of my logo. The plaques are attached magnetically and can be removed to read or to store on the back of each frame if you prefer not to have it displayed on the front.