From Eels to Jaguars!

175 Foot Giant Jaguar Seen on A-Mountain Today!!!

stephaniejoh — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 20:11:20 +0000

With the help over 50 friends, neighbors, and volunteers WE DID IT! We carried the jaguar and all its glorious biodiversity up and down A-Mountain as part of the first annual Beyond-Tucson event!

Thanks to Sandy Landham of Environmental Flying Services we even had a plane for Paul Hamilton of Biodiversity Photography (and my super-supportive hubby) to take photos from overhead. And, because of the patience of our neighbor Mark DeLevie, some sweet video was taken as we emerged from the gazebo on the mountain. Here, check out these images and video clips and see for yourself how beautiful it was:

Randall Longcore was our on-the-ground photographer. Randall must’ve run about 10 miles today getting images to share. We’ll post his stuff in the next blog. I can’t wait to see them and the close-ups of all us jaguar-handlers! But here’s just one more for now:

Photo by Randall Longcore

Lots of folks who were on the mountain for a morning run or bike ride were quite intrigued and excited, including a local boyscout troop who “ohhed” and” ahhhed” over the images we carried. One of the best moments was when the folks from SIA Tech High School ran to meet us in the gazebo to add their last-minute but lovely heart-covered panel. We decided to let them bring up the rear to remind everyone that panels can still be made. Yep folks, this jag is a juvenile, who will continue to grow as he migrates all over jag territory!

So, please share your comments, stay posted for Randall’s as well as others photos and video, and a final THANKS to Defenders of Wildlife for coffee, bagels, and getting this thing off the ground!!!

Here’s a close-up of SIA Tech’s gorgeous surprise panel:

A Panel for the Underfrogs!

stephaniejoh — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 00:48:12 +0000

I was speechless today when the Fed-Ex guy arrived with a new Sewing Spots Together panel freshly made over the holidays by Nathalie Aall and family in Utah. As you can see, she gave a focus to those cute little critters often found over the heads and under the feet of jaguars. The pictures speak for themselves. but do you know that amphibians all over the world are vanishing and need our attention? If you aren’t familiar with the organization, Save the Frogs, check them out…… they do important work for all of our frog friends.

The Fed Ex guy had to wait for me to open it so he could see why I was so excited!

The golden frog is now basically extinct in the wild and scientists are struggling to save them!

Esther, Nathalie's mom and fellow artist, crocheted 26 of these leaf bunches by hand over a VERY busy holiday season!

The cute toe pads on this poison frog are to die for!

Everyone loves a tree frog!

Now, that's a mouthfull!

I’ve got to run now and add this panel to the tapestry before the big day when our jaguar climbs A-Mtn!

A big warm furry HUG to Nathalie, her mom, and her grandmother, Caroline for the beautiful work they did! WOW. And here are photos of the awesome women at work:

We are all truly impressed by the variety and volume of embroidery floss at this household!

“Hey mom, if a jaguar and an allosaurus got into a fight, who would win”?

stephaniejoh — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 00:18:26 +0000

The Tucson Children’s Museum not only displayed Sewing Spots Together last week, but the young visitors created a whole new panel for the project. Very Sweet. Thanks to Jennifer and all!

The Allosaurus gives the jaguar a nod.

Our Jaguar Joins Beyond-Tucson

stephaniejoh — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 19:16:51 +0000

From the Beyond-Tucson website:

“The tragic shooting events of January 8, 2011 shook our Tucson community, affecting each of us deeply. It was a horrible day.

But in the days and months afterward, our community came together in a way it never had before. We supported each other, leaned on each other, and generally looked out for one another. The sense of togetherness was tangible.

BEYOND is a community-wide event to commemorate the anniversary of January 8th, celebrate the spirit of togetherness we felt in the days and months afterward, and re-commit ourselves to working together to build a stronger community every day.”

This is an invitation to you folks to have a part in Beyond-Tucson and Sewing Spots Together… to bring attention our conservation initiatives. After all, this is about more than just saving a big beautiful cat.

We are currently in a mad rush of creativity as we have just been invited to be a visual and media highlight of the Beyond events taking place in and around Tucson this January 7^th. And, with your addition we can make it big enough to generate environmental curiosity and excitement in our community. Our goal for Beyond is to make the jaguar long enough to eclipse the “A” on A-mountain on January 7^th!

Beyond is a way of honoring friends and loved ones injured and lost on January 8^th, acknowledging how the events of that day have changed us, celebrating our community, and committing to building a better future together. I, for one, would like to work with you to create a future together that has room for the jaguar and all native life.

Please see and share this informational PDF which explains more fully what “Sewing Spots Together” is, how it will be part of Beyond on January 7^th, and exactly what you can do to join us and make it a big environmentally-attention-getting success! It’s free and fun. Also, please find Sewing Spots Together on Facebook!

Together, piece-by-piece, stitch-by-stitch we can sew spots together.

New Zealand’s National Aquarium Hosts Our Eel!

stephaniejoh — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 19:18:14 +0000

Velvet is currently on display at the National Aquarium in Napier. How cool to go see our handmade tuna, as well as the real live longfins they have there!

Our Velvet hangin' with her fishy mates!

An elderly longfin eel in captivity.

Here is what Carol Larson, Education Team Leader at the National Aquarium, had to say about it:

“Velvet goes around our Exhibition Hall and up the ramp to the foyer…. she looks great swimming down the ramp to the Pania of the Reef tank. I have seen many people touching the fabric and making comments. One mother was telling her small daughter that ‘school children made this’! You all are reaching far and wide with this project and it’s travels. Well done!”

Thanks Carol, and “well done” yourself and for all you folks there do to educate and inspire regarding the amazing life under New Zealand’s waters!

Velvet Swims to Hawke’s Bay

stephaniejoh — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 20:08:08 +0000

Thanks to the flexibility and patience of Gabriela Gomez Fell and others in Hawke’s Bay Velvet was enjoyed by many, including visitors to the National Aquarium. Here is the full newspaper article on her visit in the Hawke’s Bay Today . Somehow, “Velvet” took on the name of “Wendy” in this article, but, no worries, it looks like her tuna-in-trouble message got through regardless.

Here are some photos of Velvet being hung in Hawke’s Bay:

I love how the head and tail circle around to meet.

How to deal with the great mess of tuna?!

The ties Peta added are really working well! Thanks Peta! If you want to see all the photos, go here http://www.dropbox.com/gallery/34542351/1/Velvet?h=539bd0

Thanks Gabriela and everyone in Hawke’s Bay!

Tuna in Wellington!

stephaniejoh — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 20:58:57 +0000

Due to all the busy-ness here in the desert with the growing jaguar tapestry, one would think that with regards to the dear eels that a cat got my tongue! Well, I may have taken an eel-blog writing break, but our velvety tuna hasn’t rested one bit. Check out these photos taken in Wellington while she was on display at the Education for Sustainability Conference :

Here’s what our own Gill Stewart had to say about the event:

“Velvet made a spectacular entrance on the 2nd day of our conference. She was everywhere you looked. This foyer area worked out really well. (The conference) was held at Rutherford House – part of Victoria University. The conference was for Early childhood, primary, secondary and community educators.

I think Velvet has inspired some more people to be involved – a heard a few getting very excited about it. Actually the building was across the road from parliament grounds and it was on our election day ! She would tie up beautifully to the fence now !! Might even get right around – the front bit anyway.

Susan Karels, the Enviro Schools Regional Co-ordinator from Northland spoke for Velvet under the theme: Bright Ideas.

People making odd comments on the You tube clip of (Stephanie) feeding the eels at Mt Bruce …. like ‘yum !’ and ‘don’t you know it is dangerous!’ Ha! “

Gill was referring to the time she and I spent last year together feeding the “big girls” at Pukaha (Mt. Bruce). Here is the YouTube video Gill took that day. The longfins were indeed silky and gentle…… but I am glad I was wearing rubber waders, as they were looking for their daily feed!

Continued “Thank You” to Gill for all her help and skilled photography as well as Susan Karels from Northland!

Velvet’s Pak-n-Save Swim to Featherston’s Community Centre

stephaniejoh — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 22:58:50 +0000

An excerpt from Featherston Community Centre’s November Newsletter:

“Greetings from the Featherston Community Centre!

VELVET: the Travelling Tuna Tapestry!

A very special guest here at the community Centre 14-20 November

We will be hosting Velvet an extremely well-travelled eel for a week in November From 14-20. It would be great to see children and adults alike coming down to the centre to check out Velvet and share stories about our slippery slidy friends.”

And, thanks to the continued support of Gill Stewart and Peta Campbell-Ludden Velvet is now travelling in two lovely Pak-n-Save bags. They fit nicely in the back of the Ludden’s car as Velvet was chauffeured around the Wairarapa. Hopefully lots of folks will get to see her and contribute to her length while at the Featherston Community Centre.

Nathalie Aall’s Rainforest Reality

stephaniejoh — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 01:40:24 +0000

Nathalie Aall, who recently received her masters in biological sciences (with a focus on herpetology) from West Virginia’s Marshall University, has been graciously volunteering here at RAEI‘s Tucson-based office for the past 10 days. Not only has she helped find students interested in doing field research during the organization’s Amazon trips, but she extended her love of the rainforest and all its wildlife towards “Sewing Spots Together”.

Nathalie at work on her panel

Nathalie is a shining example of how one person can give a little love and time and create something beautiful for our jaguar.

Nathalie's hand-drawn (oil pastel) toucan

With a little help from her companion, Ross Maynard, she has sewn together a fantastic panel all her own.

Nathalie's Rainforest Jag Panel

Ross and his turtle addition.....go herps!

Nathalie, whose creativity seems to be inherited from her ultra artistic mom, is planning to join RAEI in Ecuador and Vietnam in 2012, and she’s excited to think that she’ll get to experience the biodiverse rainforest first hand.

Nathalie is not only a biologist, but also an artist, as you can see. She works mostly in pastels and used some oil pastels (for fabric) here with bright, realistic results.

Nathalie's hand drawn tree frog on leaf

Clearly Nat’s skills lend themselves to fiber arts…….. and we are so lucky and re-invigorated to have her. Her ingenuity and enthusiasm has been so contagious that several other folks (including me) have stepped up to make a panel all their own.

Nat's bat

Nat's spider

So, a huge “Gracias” to Nathalie for the sumptuous addition and breath of fresh creative air… not to even mention all her fabulous cooking!

Nathalie's "rainforests of the world" map

Jaguar Spotted in Tucson Mountains!

stephaniejoh — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 20:50:25 +0000

Ok, it’s a jaguar made by of old clothes and scrap fabric, but it’s a beauty… and it’s growing every day!Here are friends Paul Maier, Stephanie Bowman (project instigator), Nathalie Aall , and Ross Maynard with the jaguar at less than full size. About 12 more panels have been or are being created so that we can eclipse the giant “A” on Tucson’s A-Mountain this coming January 7th. On the 7th Sewing Spots Together will be part of the Beyond events that are going on all around town that day. Click on the above link to learn more about how Beyond is helping Tusconians commemorate the tragic events of January 8th, 2011 as well as to revisit the creative community spirit that appeared in the days following the shootings that took and changed many lives. Beyond can help us join together to create a bright future for Tucson and beyond.

I hope you’ll join me and fellow jaguar panel creators in January as we display our work as one loooooooooong jaguar on A-Mountain…… and begin to create a future where there is room for all wildlife, including Arizona’s other wildcat!