zaterdag 26 november 2011

Raccoons from Rotterdam Zoo (Diergaarde Blijdorp)

The raccoons from Zoo Blijdorp have a new home since June. The construction was possible by a donation from the Friends of Zoo Blijdorp. Their new house is an American woodcutter's hut surrounded by garden and water.

 


  
Raccoons can wash their food in the water…


… and also swim.  

The racoons came from AAP (Aap=monkey). AAP gives primates and other exotic mammals a better future. Theyrescue animals and make the case for better animal legislation in Europe. These raccoons lived by people at home
and ended up in this Foundation.
Stefan Timmermans told  in a lecture for the Friends of Rotterdam Zoo
(Diergaarde Blijdorp) that raccoons aren’t pets.
They look very cute but they remain predators.
Raccoons are active at night and they chew everything.


The word "raccoon" (ahrah-koon-emwas adopted into English from a native language and it means the one who rubs, scrubs and scratches with its hands. The sense of touch is indeed the most important sense for the raccoons. Raccoons can do everything good: swimming,climbing and running.

Thinking...


Looking for something delicious...






Some sketches in their old home. It’s not easy to draw raccoons 
because they are not stil for one second!

The Raccoon Book, 2010. For a inkt drawing see please my Flickr.



vrijdag 4 november 2011

To give something a second life...

This weekend is the Book Art Fair in Leiden. I exhibit my work there for the fourth time.
Also for the fourth time I make collages for packing material for my work (small books, bookmarks and linocuts). I had many scraps of paper from collages and instead of throwing away I wanted to give it a second life. Also discarded envelopes, wrapping papers and acid-free folders get a second chance. It costs nothing, you can recycle anything and people find nice this kind of packing material. If I have a busy day it is nice to craft in the evening to relax.

acid-free folders

envelopes

paper bags
 
Where do all these scraps of paper come from? In 2006 I made collages for a party at my work. It was quick and easy to hang and then discard.

 In 2007 I made collages for the farewell of a Deputy Director (her specialty is portraits).
 
And for Christmas of 2007 I made collages for a wall with posters (at my work).

Then I painted a few sheets of paper with acrylic for a few collages. For more collages see please set collages at my Flickr.