On November 30, I have the pleasure of leading a group of youngsters through exercises in an art journal on nature in a program called "Reading and Writing...Naturally," based on Henry David Thoreau's classic, "Walden." One visual aid I will be using is my art book, "A Field Guild to Livingston," which I wrote to accompany my Habitat Bear named Livingston. In 2005, 41 fiberglass bears in three poses were painted by artists and put on display outdoors in Livingston County during the summer. Then they were auctioned off at a banquet attended by 330 people that raised $65,000 for Habitat for Humanity . My bear snagged $800 and was displayed on a pedestal at the Millpond before the auction. I was and am a member of the Newcomers and Friends of Livingston County, who sponsored my bear, and we wanted to reflect Livingston County in its personality. So I named the bear "Livingston" and painted "his" clothing with local and state features and added things, such as a Painted Turtle (our state reptile) at Livingston's feet. I imagined him as a juvenile, being one of the smaller bear forms, and I wanted him to be educational with a friendly expression. My part of the library program uses a book with a bear as the main character, "Henry Hikes to Fitchburg," by D.B. Johnson....go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Hikes_to_Fitchburg. Livingston looks a bit like a younger Henry, and my book illustrations are drawings with watercolor, just like my workshop with the children will be. The librarians did not know all this when they asked me to do the program. However, "A Field Guild to Livingston" was in my exhibit, "Books and Boxes," at the Brighton District Library in 2009, as part of the Art at the Library program of the Brighton Art Guild. Go to http://www.brightonartguild.com/norma-gray-gallery-at-the-brighton-library.html. Some features included on Livingston Bear are the Chain of Lakes on his belt, a White-tailed Deer which is the Michigan state game mammal, and Brook Trout, our state fish native to Michigan. His three buttons refer to the heavens: the stars Ursa Major (the Big Bear); Callisto the she-bear queen of the crescent moon; and the low sun representing sunsets and sunrises. Livingston stands with one foot in water and one in sand, representing our beautiful local beaches and lakes. Eastern White Pines, our state tree, fringe his jacket, and deciduous trees, so beautiful in autumn, circle his sleeves. This program is sponsored in part by Michigan Center for the Book and Brighton...Naturally (go to http://brightonlibrary.info/brightonnaturally). Enrollment is closing soon, so to get your children or grandchildren ages 8 to 10 into the program, call the library promptly at 810-229-8676. Go to http://brightonlibrary.info/events/day/2013-11-30.
EXTRA: Learn more about our state symbols at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Michigan_state_symbols
