Sunrise Bliss

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I love where I live. It’s the perfect time to be a morning person. Simply bliss. 🙂

Meet Percy

Posted on October 3, 2013 by MaryALivingston

I’d like to introduce you to Percy. He’s a love. The poor little penguin is hatched to a pair of gulls. Don’t worry, Percy has heart, lots of heart.

Percy is hatched to a gull family. Character development for Percy Learns to Fly. ABTA Products and Publications. Schetter/Livingston 2013

I met Percy through author/educator Patricia Schetter. Patty is an all around awesome gal who has followed her bliss. She is a Behavior Analyst and Autism Specialist and she teaches fellow educators. You can find out more about Patty here.

Percy Learns to fly was the first book I illustrated. Lucky me! To study for Percy, I went to the San Francisco Zoo and observed the penguins. You see, we don’t have penguins in the wilds of Northern California, so the zoo was pretty much my best option for a hands on look at the movements and behaviors of a penguin.

In Percy Learns to Fly, Percy faces danger.

As I poured over the story and got to know Percy, I fell in love with his personality and strong heart. Percy teaches a lot about persistence and how in the right environment, we too can soar.

So how about you? What’s your environment for bliss?

I’ll have more to post on Percy in the coming days…yes, that’s a tease, so stay tuned!

Mrs. Hatcher comforts Percy after a long day. Percy Learns to Fly

Author’s Day at Lumberjack Fiesta

Posted on July 28, 2013 by MaryALivingston

We had a great time at the 66th Annual Lumberjack Fiesta in McCloud, CA.

Out of the Blue Bliss

Posted on June 19, 2013 by MaryALivingston

Years ago while I was creating designs for my parish’s liturgy committee, I decided to enter a liturgical art contest.

My art didn’t place in the contest. Not even a mention. More than a year later, one of the images of my work appeared on the cover of a magazine owned by the company from the contest.

It was my first time as a published artist. It didn’t register with me at the time, even when I opened the magazine and saw my name for the cover credit. As I look back on it, I am glad I put myself out there by entering the contest. The experience fostered a seed planted long ago.

I am acquainted with several artists who volunteer their time to illustrate sacred stories. You never know where it will lead, for me the experience was far richer than getting notice on a magazine cover. In fact, I would describe it as bliss.

Cover art by Mary A Livingston
6’x9′ in fabric

Vulture Chick & Wood Duck – birds of a different feather

Posted on May 23, 2013 by MaryALivingston

– Vulture Chick and Wood Duck Hen in pencil.

“Z” at Zeebra Designs put out a call for Timeout for Art. Here is a pencil sketch inspired by a recent visitor to the turkey vulture nest.
What happens when a wood duck invades a vulture nest?
Video tomorrow.

Eerie Sounds from the Vulture Chicks

Posted on May 14, 2013 by MaryALivingston

It’s Tuesday, time for a Turkey Vulture (TV) update.
The turkey vulture chicks have grown rapidly their first 4 weeks. They are beginning to get their juvenile plumage. Notice the dark brown, nearly black, feathers showing up in the wings and down their backs.

Capturing pictures of the turkey vulture chicks in this deep nest requires some old school photography techniques. Everything is set manually. I preset the focus, set the aperture, shutter, and flash. Then I hold the camera over the entrance to the nest and take a series of shots. I can’t see anything, even if I were to stick my head into the dark deep nest. After the flash fires the first time, the chicks begin their eerie vocalizations. My friend, Rhythm, over at Reading With Rhythm calls turkey vultures “spooky birds.” The ominous sound made by the chicks, plays into that role perfectly.

Turkey vultures do not have voice boxes. They only grunt and hiss. The eerie ghostly sound in the video is the sound the turkey vulture chicks make. No chirpy chickies here.

This little guy was all sprawled out on the nest floor. Must have been a busy day.

The chicks begin hissing a warning…stay away…they hiss.

Vulture Chicks – 3 weeks

Posted on May 7, 2013 by MaryALivingston

The turkey vulture chicks are about 3 weeks old. I was amazed at the lack of odor from the nest cavity opening. Previously, when a parent was in the nest, the smell was malodorous. This time, however, with only the chicks, I was shocked at the lack of stench when capturing this image. Curious because it looks like it should smell bad.