Groundhog Day, The Movie

First thing that popped into my head was the scene of the groundhog driving the truck. So I grabbed Bill Murray’s words and a new sidekick to replace the quadruped. Also trying out a new pen. OHTO Rays Gel Ink Ballpoint Pen (link to an Amazon description, I’m not an affiliate). I’m gonna give it a try the whole month. I’m a felt-tip pen fan. Today I felt “meh” about it, but succeeded in smearing the pencil work in yesterday’s doodle.

Birds That Cannot Fly

I think I may be doing penguins all month…I began wondering today, when this doodle showed up, if I could draw 29 penguins in a row.

Have you ever met a penguin? They are unmistakable. A bird that cannot fly in a tuxedo of black & white; with warm colored toes and beak.

To be continued…

Fin or Flipper?

I call them flippers, but always wondered why we call the things we wear on our feet while in the water, fins. I love watching seals along the coastline…in particular, the Common Harbor Seal. But a close second are Weddell Seals that live in Antarctica. What do you call the hands and feet of a seal?

“i LOVE technology.”

I’m saying that through clenched teeth at the moment. I’d like to bill Apple for the time I spent with tech support trying to replace a damaged phone over the last two days…instead,I doodled this guy. He makes me smile. My imagination runs wild because I can only see a small part of his whole self. The looming shadow of my phone is a substitute for the string of profanities that I’d like to put in the box with the fishie…

Fishie Heroes

One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish , Blue Fish was running through my head as I was doodling. Dr. Suess and everyone listed in this little square have brought me joy, silly thoughts, unfathomable depths of knowledge, and laughter when it comes to all I know of fishes. Thank you guys!

Doodle Fish Are Sometimes an Evolutionary Dead End

I pulled out a different white pen to use, set the timer, scribbled a doodle…and stared. Not one creative thought. The scribble looked like yesterday’s scribble. My hand has muscle memory. Great. I reminded myself this is Play, so I got to it. The end.

The Quest for a New ArtsyFishy Mascot

For several months I’ve been thinking it’s time to create a new fish for my studio mascot, ArtsyFishy, so I’m doing a #dailydoodle every day in September to see what creativity bubbles up from the depths!

Comment on your favorites or join the quest and suggest fish that I can doodle!

Listen in to my live narration while I doodle a fish in under 10 minutes (from September 4th, 2022)!


My first ever ArtsyFishy and my along with my pre-September warm up doodles and September 1st doodle….



SEPTEMBER 1


SEPTEMBER 2

This is the awkwardist fish I know…the #frogfish , outstanding suggestion @andi_ipaktchi ~ I’ve never drawn one before! These adorable ambush predators don’t really swim, they fancy holding completely still and wiggling a lure to bring in prey..what’s hilariously awkward is how it walks on its fins—they would make a great #muppet. My best story ~ I was #sketching on #scuba next to one for 10 minutes completely oblivious and totally focused on a different animal. A dive buddy showed me his photo later and told me it was the biggest frogfish he’d ever seen! Don’t think I’ll ever live that one down. #fish #wip … Is this the future #fathomitstudios mascot? #fishfriday #tropicalfish


SEPTEMBER 3

Hello #Oarfish! In the 18th C it was called a sea serpent….not to worry…it eats tiny #plankton (when not trying to devour my 3rd of September). Of the 3 species discovered so far, the Giant Oarfish holds the record for the longest bony fish on the planet! I recommend finding some videos to see how it swims, they are gentle and graceful. Our first videos of them are from this century! I’ll be doing a #fish #penandink #dailydoodle everyday September to see what creativity bubbles up from the depths! Why? Check out my reel on the 1st…it’s time for a new #artsyfishy mascot. I’d love to get your votes for favorites or suggest #fish that I can #doodle - #wip #logo #design #illustration #brainstorming on a #deskcalendar @papersource #dosomethingcreativeeveryday


SEPTEMBER 4

Every Sunday in September is Imaginary-Fish-Day…completely made up (no #sciart here). It always starts with the eye…watch the narrated video on my Blog (link in profile). I’m doing a #dailydooodle #fish in #penandink (actually it’s @sharpie magic) each day in September…cuz it’sctime for a new #artsyfishy mascot. I’d luv your votes for faves or suggestions for fish I can #doodle ~ #wip #logo #design on a @papersource #kraftpaper #deskcalendar #DoSomethingCreativeEveryDay


WiP Journal Entry ~ The Return of Lange Kunst Nacht [Long Art Night]

The weather forecast said RAIN…I’ve never been happier that the weathermen were misinformed!

I’ve been in Der Kunst Club gallery for a year and a half but because of the pandemic, we really haven’t been open. Last night that changed with the 16th Annual Lange Kunst Nacht. Last time I lived in Germany, I always went to this once-a-year party in Old Town Leonberg but last night was my first time as a participant. It also kicked off my three month art show, Below Sea Level. We had live music in the gallery and a live music light show shining on buildings from the 1600s in the courtyard behind the gallery. We probably had 200 hundred people come through and I sold originals, prints, cards and books. …tbd


INTERViEW ~ Women Mind the Water

Pam Ferris-Olsen, the creator of the Woman Mind the Water Artivist Series, invited me to her podcast to chat about my connection with science, art and sketching underwater in Antarctica.

I enjoyed my time with Pam immensely! The Women Mind the Water podcast engages artists in conversation about their work. Pam explores their connection with the ocean and how it influences their art. Through these stories, she hopes to inspire others to take action to protect the ocean. 

Her podcasts are also part of the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service, Museum on Main Street. She’s completed 41 interviews with many amazing women including fellow Antarcticans, Karen Romano Young and Rose McAdoo!

Some of my favorite Qs from Pam:

  • Is there a particular message that you're trying to convey?

I'm interested in chasing and exploring things that inspire me. My passion is to inspire others about the beauty and wonder of Nature, and the only way I can do that is when I'm inspired so that it will carry through into my creative work.

  • When you were asked to go to Antarctica, did you have any idea what you were getting into? Answer at (6:21)

  • Why draw underwater as opposed to taking your pictures, or photographs, and then drawing from them, or just sticking with the photographs? (17:36)

Near the end of the interview I shared a little bit about ocean acidification and mistakenly said warming oceans were the cause, not CO2. I apologize for the mistake and have included here a link to a very brief and accurate summary about it from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Adminstration which also explains why ocean acidification is a problem for sea life: What is Ocean Acidification?

The Women Mind the Water podcast engages artists in conversation about their work. It explores their connection with the ocean and how it influences their art. Pam’s interviews are created to inspire you and move you to take action to protect the ocean. 

Thank you Pam!

Thank you to Rob Robbins, Steve Rupp and Greg Neri for sharing your photos and videos that appear during this interview.

FREE WORKSHOP ~ Draw Your Own Phytoplankton!

Join me and the awesome folks at GO2Qurious for a free online workshop. In the workhop you’ll learn a bit about plankton and then draw the diatom, Triceratium robertsianum. It was first drawn by my sci-art hero, Ernst Haeckel, in the 1800s.

Here’s a timelapse of what you’re drawing but you’ll be able to do it at a much more reasonable pace…plus you can pause the class recording (I love technology)!

STEP 1: DOWNLOAD THE BOOKLET

STEP 2. GET YOUR ART SUPPLIES

STEP 3. WATCH THE WORKSHOP [recorded Thursday, August 19, 2021]

STEP 4. SHOW US YOUR DIATOM ART! TAG US ON SOCIAL MEDIA [ GO2Qurious & FATHOMiTSTUDiOS ]

INTERViEW ~ The Past & Future of Arts in Science

Do you enjoy BOTH science and art? YOU will love this podcast!

In this podcast, you’ll discover the origins of scientific illustration and the future of virtual reality. Dr. Ben Knorlein, my co-interviewee, was on the same ocean expedition as me when I was the Schmidt Ocean Institute (SOI) Artist-at-Sea : Visit the Cruise Log for the SOI Sea to Space Particle Investigation [January 24-February 20, 2017].

PODCAST HIGHLIGHTS

@ 8:58 Hey, Kirsten, have you heard of Bilbies?

I haven't, and I've never been to Australia, but I'm guessing it's possibly a marsupial. Am I right?

Yes, it's definitely a marsupial…It's kind of like a miniature kangaroo with really big ears and a cute pointy nose, and they hop about eating grubs and insects.

…When I've never heard of an animal before, like the Bilby, the first thing I do is I go to my library and I look at I look at my books to see if I have any reference material on them. So, I actually have a book on mammals of Australia, and I'd like to share [my] sketchbook page that shows what I learned about Bilbies because of your question….[below]

Download the Resource Pack for my podcast that includes great bonus images and information.

Hop on over to Go2Qurious for more awesome podcasts about plankton, oceanography and science!

FREE WORKSHOP ~ Dive & Draw Beneath Antarctic Seas

I’m thrilled to be a part of the International Nature Journaling Week of 2021 as both attendee and instructor! Bethan Burton at Journaling with Nature AND John Muir Laws at The Nature Journal Club are helping connect, educate and inspire field sketchers and nature journalers all over the world.

INJW logo.png


See below for recordings of some amazing workshops and resources that took place from June 1 to 7, 2021.

1st June - Words

2nd June - Pictures

3rd June - Number

4th June - I Notice…

5th June - I wonder…

6th June - It reminds me of…

7th June - Mindset matters

[I'm a] Quote Geek ~ Lynn Hill

I love quotes so much, they show up in my daily life with tidbits of wisdom and inspiration perfectly timed to when I need it most. This one surfaced and I did a double take because I KNEW who Lynn Hill was. Many times, I have to look up a quote’s author….

Lynn Hill is my girlie-rock-climbing hero. I began rock climbing around 1989 while in college and she was already a star. Though I never got past a 5.11 in my climbing routes, I was in awe of her ability to scale the rock and it inspired me to always keep trying. It was awesome to have a woman mentor during a time when it was very male-dominated. I was one of the few girl climbers in my club at Mizzou…it’s been a long while since I put on climbing shoes and said, “Belay On,” but rock climbing helped me develop leg strength and agility, balance, confidence and a love for hugging rocks that has stayed with me.

There’s a great article about Lynn in the Los Angeles Times from 2020: Lynn Hill rewrote the rules for what’s possible in rock climbing.

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Achievement is not about what you’ve done, but what you’ve gained from your experience.

– Lynn Hill

Photo: Kirsten climbing at Joshua Tree in 2004

INTERVIEW ~ Journaling with Nature

A TWO part podcast interview with everything I love about science, art and nature.

Bethan Burton, Founder of Journaling with Nature, and I had a wonderful conversation about Nature, Science, Art, Creativity, Antarctica and, of course, journaling underwater! She publishes a NEW podcast every week and also founded International Nature Journaling Week ~ June 1 to 7 (INJW) in 2020.

Bethan asks such great questions!! I'm normally a listener but she got me talking about nerdy benthic info, brine channels and climate change. And, of course, how journaling and sketching open one's eyes to the world and reveal curiosities and creativities (yes, I made that word up).

In Part 1, we talk about the preparations that go into diving through the sea ice in Antarctica. Published May 10, 2021.

In Part 1, we talk about the preparations that go into diving through the sea ice in Antarctica. Published May 10, 2021.

In Part 2, we talk about blurry photos, the Benthos and discover I forgot some key science about brine channels. Published May 17, 2021.

In Part 2, we talk about blurry photos, the Benthos and discover I forgot some key science about brine channels. Published May 17, 2021.

Blurry photos can be useful.

All photographers take out-of-focus-lousy-shots, we just don't publish them. As a person who draws from my own photos, I keep them all. Here are some of the photos I'm referring to in Part 2 of my podcast interview.

Rejection—Professional vs. Personal

I know not all creations make it out into the world to be shared, but we must still create them. I know rejection is not a four-letter word but I always say lots of four-letter words when I get one. It’s been one of the biggest challenges I’ve faced as a professional artist and creator, because I take rejection so personally. I understand at a very intellectual level that to be rejected is more about the other person but at an 8 year old emotional level, it always leaves me feeling sad, mad and hopeless.