loving art, science and creative kids
5/26/2018 12:54:14 PM
Beginnings
Acrylic on canvas /30” by 40” / $499
Did primitive man start the Bigfoot myth thousands of years ago?
Sasquatch and the Bear
Stories of gigantic human-like creatures hiding in the northwest woods have been told for hundreds, maybe thousands of years. Last century the Sasquatch flame was fueled by a 1923 investigation that took place on the east side of Mt. St. Helens. The area, now known as Ape Canyon, was named because of a Bigfoot siting by a group of gold prospectors. The men shook with fear as they ran from the woods shouting that they had been attacked by 7 foot ape-like animals throwing boulders. A member of the party said that animals were first seen in the afternoon. He shot at one creature who fell off a cliff after being hit three times.
That evening the “gorilla men” returned and attacked their small cabin near Spirit Lake. The prospectors described seeing four erect standing creatures who moved with human-like strides and were covered with long, black hair. “Their ears are four inches long and stick straight up. They have four toes, sort and stubby,” described one witness who estimated that each animal weighed over 400 pounds.
About 50 years later, just south of the Oregon boarder, images were caught by Yakima cowboys who claimed to have seen a gorilla-like creature covered in fur. It too stood upright, but was hunched over with exposed breasts. The animal, who came to be known as Patty, was captured on a film that is considered to be the best of the Bigfoot documents. To date, no-one has definitively proven that the creature on the film is a fake, but then again, no says it's true. Images of Patty have been printed on mugs, magnets, cards and t-shirts in gift shops around the world.
There have been hundreds of sitings and numerous theories about whether Bigfoot exists or not. I have a new one that popped into my head after looking at a life sized image of a short faced bear at the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center in the Dalles. I was so surprised by its size and demeanor that it made me wonder if stories surrounding Bigfoot originated with native people who lived during the same time period as the now extinct bear.
For decades, first Americans were thought to have traveled over Beringia, a land bridge between Siberia and Alaska,10,000 to 13,000 years ago. Anthropologists called them the Clovis people because of arrow points found in Clovis, New Mexico.(1) A 2014 genetic study of a one-year old boy believed to have died about 12,700 years ago is the oldest Clovis skeleton ever found. However, evidence now shows thatthe Americas were occupied by human beings much earlier. In 2017 remains were uncovered of people who lived in a cave system in the Northern Ukon Territory of Western Canada going back 24,000 years. ,
These recent finds have led to new theories about how the Americas were populated. Anthropologists still commonly believe that people landed in Beringia when the climate was a bit warmer and damper than on the mainland.. They imagine that woody shrubs and animal bones provided enough fuel for small settlements to exist over 15,000 years ago. When the ice sheets melted they these hunter gatherers started to disperse south. But, as I mentioned, there were other ways that the Americas were populated.
Recent discoveries in South America show genetic links in common with people from Australia, New Guinea and the Andaman Islands. Evidence of human settlements in Chile dates between 14,500 and 18,500 years ago. These early settlers built fires, ate seafood and used stone tools. How they got to Chile is still a mystery. Some anthropologists hang on the the Bering land bridge theory and conjecture that there was a break in the ice sheet on the Pacific coast that allowed canoes to travel south while others postulate that they came by boat from southern Asia and Australia.
Discoveries dating from 15-25,000 years ago made me curious about how early families survived lived and what they taught their young. Reading about them led to my own ideas concerning the myth of Sasquatch. I’m certainly not an expert but it is fun to imagine.
The short faced bear was a giant animal considered to be the fastest running bear that ever lived. When he stood on his hind legs he reached between 12 and 14 feet. Unlike the pigeon-toed bears seen today, its toes pointed straight forward which let him run over 40 miles and hour despite weighing over 1,500 lbs. (One was found that weighed 2,500 lbs.) Bears roamed North America from 1.8 million until 11,000 years ago. It is now known that there were many years when they were present at the same time as early Americans.
At one time about 800,000 roamed the land, making them the most abundant species of bear in North America. The animal was so large that it had to consume 35 pounds of meat daily to survive. As the human population grew, however, bears were forced to compete with hunters for food. And, as their hunting skills increased, they were able to kill the bears for their fur and meat. Eventually, the ice age ended, the climate warmed, and the species became extinct.
My theory is that when standing, bears with short snouts and forward pointing feet looked human. I can image parents sitting around the fire at night and telling stories to their children of what will happen to them if they wander off alone in the woods. Tales passed down from generation to generation are a bit like like whispering down the lane. They grow and get changed over time. A myth eventually builds that grabs the imagination of thousands of people who believe tit to be factual.
What do you think?
Artist's rendition of Bigfoot above shows him to be ape-like. But could he have
been bear-like? There are no skeletal remains. recreation of Short Face Bear by Wideopenspaces
(1) According National Geographic, for years Clovis people were thought to be the first people to occupy the Americas. They were were named for their distinctive spearheads found near Clovis, New Mexico. However, new radiocarbon dating shows that they inhabited the continent later and for a shorter period of time than previously believed. There is mountingevidence that there were people living in the Americas before the Clovis people arrived.
References:
Hogenboom, M. (2017) The first people who populated the Americas. BBC.retrieved from http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20170328-the-first-people-who-populated-the-americas
North American Bear Center, (2018) Extinct Short-faced Bear. retrieved from web site
https://www.bear.org/website/bear-pages/extinct-short-faced-bear.html
Giant Short-Faced Bear Facts.( 2018) Extinct Animal Facts. retrieved from web site at http://extinct-animals-facts.com/Extinct-Animals-List/Giant-Short-Faced-Bear-Facts.html
hofer,J. (2017) 7 Facts about an Extinct Giant Bear. Wide Open Spaces. retrieved from http://www.wideopenspaces.com/7-facts-extinct-giant-bear/
Sottile, L. (2017 )50 Years Ago, One Scratchy Home Movie Made Bigfoot a Northwest Icon. Northwest Lore. retrieved from https://www.pdxmonthly.com/articles/2017/9/13/50-years-ago-one-scratchy-home-movie-made-bigfoot-a-northwest-icon
Lovgren,S. (2007) Clovis People Not Firsr Americans, Study Shows, National Geographic News. retrieved from https://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/02/070223-first-americans.html
5/19/2018 2:53:48 PM
In Transition
Into the John Day Fossil Beds
24” x 30” / Acrylic on deep canvas/ $ 599.
Dig It -Try Something New
Summer is a time to inspire youth and renew your craving for adventure. For mystery lovers, it does not get much better than going on a big dig! Paleontology and archaeology sites around the world provide unusual ways to satisfy curious minds. So put on that pith helmet and take off for the experience of a lifetime.
You are never too old. Last week I drove to Fossil, Oregon with my eldest son. We went behind the High School with shovels and pails and dug for treasures, finding 30 million year plant fossils. A nearby trail through the John Day National Monument pointed out environmental changes over a 50 million year period. The above painting was my way of documenting what we saw.
Imagine how exciting it would be to find a dinosaur bone sticking out of the earth in Texas, Montana or even China? You will immediately be transported back 65 million years to when these colossal creatures walked the earth. If you participate in the painstaking job of exposing these heavy fossilized bones, you will have plenty of time to wonder how huge creatures managed to forage for food and raise their young. You might question why they went extinct and which mammals, birds or amphibians today are distant relatives. Fossil digs take perseverance and careful adherence to strict research rules often in uncomfortable environments. But it is heartening to be part of a team which is why so many families sign up to go on volunteer expeditions.
Museums are great places to go for inspiration. The Fort Worth Museum of Science and History has an outdoor dino-pit so children can get the feel of a dig. The Science Museum of Minnesota and the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, installed labs where visitors can watch scientists work uncovering and assembling fossils. There may even have a fossil for you to excavate. In front of the world famous Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, the La Brea Tar Pits bubbles with animals trapped thousands of years ago. The museum has a display of many of their discoveries.
If you don’t have the time to go on a dig, you certainly can live vicariously through videos and movies. Dr. Stefano Piccini was inspired as a youngster and went on to study Geological and Paleontological Science from the University of Bologna. He now travels the world uncovering fossil and mineral deposits and employing the latest techniques to restore and display them. He shares his excitement with the public through television presentations, lectures and installations of geological and paleontological specimens in museums and private collections.
What gives a child the impetus to seek a career in geology or paleontology? It often starts with a gift by a relative. An dinosaur dig toy, a visit to a museum, a book or exposure to a fossilized tooth may be enough to ignite the spark to ignite curiosity. Small beginnings can lead to large discoveries. It worked for me. As a child I visited museums in Philadelphia with my parents. The Franklin Institute, with its hands-on approach to learning, and the Natural History Museum inspired me to pursue a career as a museum executive.
It is a good time to have a job as a paleontologist. New imaging devices and global warming have exposed an unprecedented number of fossils. According the Bureau of Labor Statistics, geoscientists, which include paleontologists, earn an average of $106,390 annually. Though universities and museums are experiencing difficulty getting funding for research projects, industry jobs are expanding. Infrastructure laws for highways, gas and oil drilling and pipelines, electric and phone lines have become more restrictive when it comes to collecting and preserving fossils. This has led to the expanding field of environmental consulting.
But industry is not the only place vertebrate paleontologists are found. It may surprise you to know that medical and dental universities use them because of their knowledge at the cellular level. Science journalism, artists and special effects workers are also in demand as are governmental jobs with the Bureau of Land Management, The National Park and Monuments, and the National Forest Service..
Whether seeking a career or a volunteer position it is key opening to take off blinders and open yourself to previously unimagined opportunities. The world is a intriguing planet to explore above and below the surface.
Art is always for sale. Contact me at [email protected].
5/12/2018 7:05:13 PM
Family in a Turkish Village
Acrylic on Canvas/ Black Frame24” x 48” / $690
The Kurds are an ethnic group that spans Turkey, Iran, Iraq and Syria. Historically and linguistically they are classified as belonging to the Iranian people. Since the end of the Ottoman Empire they have been separated by boundaries created by foreign interests. During the 20th century the Kurds regained their voice and began instigating a call for Kurdish nationalism. What is the right path for these people? Who is to decide their future? And who should take responsibility for upheaval and displacements caused by foreign powers?
Case for a History Sleuth
In the New Reformers (1844), Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “We are students of words: we are shut up in schools and colleges and recitation rooms for ten or fifteen years and come out at last with a bag of wind, a memory of words and we do not know a thing.”
Emerson’s sentiment rings true to me. I had a difficult time studying history and found the required readings had little relevance to my life. As a teen, anything that occurred before I was born, was unimportant. My focus was on booys and school activities and what I would do with the rest of my life.
This myopic view is not uncommon. What occurred hundreds of years ago doesn’t matter to most children. One of my grandsons is an exception. His interest in history was actually peaked by teachers who did not require him to memorize dates and battles but inspired him to learn through games and play acting. More likely, though, he likes history because he has been fortunate enough to travel abroad with his family and see remnants of the past for himself. Walking grounds where past civilizations tread or reading letters by eye witnesses can make the past come alive.
Yet, despite visiting ruins and reading about the ancient world, I doubt that teens understand how history influences what is going on in the world today. For most children, the past is represented through storybook tales that have nothing to do with computers, YouTube, cell phones or space exploration. They are enthralled by League of Legends, Minecraft, and Tetris.
A grasp of history is imperative for our leaders but also important for the rest of society. It is not the facts, but the values, mistakes, and influences on the direction human civilization that matters most. Past events provide avenues for contemplation that test our values and contribute to our sense of identity.
“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it,” said philosopher George Santayana. There is truth in his words. Wars in the United Staes and Europe have often served as breeding grounds for more wars. After WWII we carved countries into new entities without understanding the ties that previously stabilized the regions. Distrust and ongoing fights within these new borders continue to plague these politically created entities. Men like Napoleon, Stalin, and Mao Tse Tung used war as opportunity for regime change. Over time their initial good intentions led to dictatorships. When foreign powers intervene in the internal affairs of sovereign states, war becomes protracted. This pattern is repeated time and again throughout the ages.
How can history be made fascinating yet useful? Primitive people used to gather around the fireplace to teach through oral presentations that stimulated emotions. Stories of creation and historical events combined with moral lessons were often animated by dancers and masked actors. Until television, storytellers in were in great demand and commanded respect. Troubadours in the middle ages sang about historical and current events. Abraham Lincoln mastered the art of storytelling and spun tales that captured the imagination of his audiences in order to get his points across. He knew that information is digested more easily when facts are connected to emotions. Stories help people to remember what is said and provide a way for them to relate to one another.
Another way to teach history is to develop cases that challenge students with hidden messages. They are asked to become detectives and look for clues from bygone eras. Facts become illuminated as the past is unravelled and not because it was presented for memorization. Cases can be entertaining and offer opportunities to observe, interact, and understand human nature.
Just as forensic experts are scientists who use sleuth-like strategies to solve crimes, case system participants are similarly immersed in the scientific method. They form hypotheses, collect data, analyze it, and report results. The outcome may shed light on a current societal issue and inspire a new hypothesis to be tested that is relevant today. Using the scientific method as a system for solving problems can help illuminate conflicting and confusing data.
For example, the Supreme Court is often asked to clarify what the signers of the constitution meant when they wrote certain articles. Though it is difficult to put ourselves into a dead person’s mind there are many clues that can be used in an analysis. Were the signers religious? Well educated? Family men? What were their professions? Were they wealthy or poor? And a topic I find most interesting—what happened to the founders after they signe.? Did you know that that some were considered traitors? Several became bankrupt. A few had their homes ransacked?
By studying the American revolution, students learn to question gain insight into the cost of freedom. Change does not happen smoothly as can be seen by many the conflicts plaguing the world today.
As adults, it behooves us to help youth become history sleuths. We have an opportunity during vacations to look behind the surface when we take them on trips to parks and historical places. It is our job to teach the next generation how to think. I do believe we can do a better job showing them how the past relates to the conflicts of today.
References:
Clairmont, N. (2017) “Those Who Do Not Learn History are doomed to repeat it. Really? Big Think. http://bigthink.com/the-proverbial-skeptic/those-who-do-not-learn-history-doomed-to-repeat-it-really
5/4/2018 6:16:29 PM
Seeking Perfection
Acrylic on Canvas / 20” by 24” / $399
What do you see as the truth of this image?
Do you think you and your neighbor would describe it in the same way?
Do You Mean It?
When you say something do you mean it? Can another person depend on your words and attest to the integrity of your intention? What do you do when you make arrangements to meet someone and an opportunity arises that is more interesting? Do you break your commitment by phon, text, email? If you do, are you honest about your reason for backing out of the engagement or do you tell a little white lie?
There was a time when a person’s word and a handshake was something to be counted on. It was all it took to seal a deal—no notaries, legal documents or witnesses needed. When there were disputes they were taken to the tribal leader who would dispense justice. Notice I say justice, meaning fairness. The outcome is not dependent on who has the best lawyer.
In our country, we are urged to be more careful for times have changed greatly in our litigious society? An attorney friend recently said that if it wasn’t signed and sealed there was no promise. He mentioned that we can basically say anything and change our minds without concern of a lawsuit.
I’ve since discovered that this lawyer’s remark was nuanced. Verbal agreements are binding as long as the proof will hold up in court—which isn’t easy. So what has to be done to turn a verbal promise into a court approved contract?
One way to validate an oral agreement is to put your words into immediate action. If one party acts and the other is in compliance, evidence is created that proves there was a deal. Emails, letters, memos and receipts all reinforce handshake deals. Telling a friend what happened during the meeting and sending a “thank you” letter describing what was said are two other ways to seal a deal.
It is unusual for handshake arrangements to wind up in court, though it is possible. When they fall apart it is usually over details. If you are exchanging a toaster oven for two hours of roof cleaning, you are probably OK with a verbal agreement but to rent an apartment or engage in work for hire, it is best put the arrangement in writing. Both parties must be crystal clear over the terms of the agreement they have entered into. If all details are not clear then there is a potential for a dispute. You may make an agreement for someone to design a logo for your business that is not in writing. But once it is complete, you may discover that you do not own the logo because transferring intellectual property rights is not bound by a verbal agreement.
The reason I bring this topic to your attention is because we live in a political climate that is filled with he said/she said accusations. I wonder about truth and how a person can be held accountable for words spoken in private. Fabrications have been part of American politics for a long time. Resumes are routinely puffed up, misdeeds hidden, sexual affairs denied, and false information presented to the public. But today’s lies are blasted through internet sites at ever increasing speed. We are showered with falsehoods and burdened by untruths. Yet, often there are no consequences when it comes to false political claims. It takes so much time to fact check that most of us are unwilling to work at discovering the truth.
Entrepreneurs often say they will only do business with someone they trust. Some are more content with a handshake agreement, believing that written contracts somehow undermine trust. However, since no one can ever assume that something will not wind up in court, it is at least wise to have credible witnesses to a business agreement.
Politicians are another story, for most voters don’t start out by thinking of them as people to be trusted. They are not surprised when they hear of their misdeeds. The consequences from making false claims are rarely strong enough to dissuade voters from supporting those who espouse their political views. There are many examples of politicians sent to jail who wind up getting elected to office. In 2016, for example, Chicago councilman Robert Battle was sworn into office for a second term while serving time in the county jail on multiple felony charges.
Political fabrication has become an art with “Pants on Fire” burning “tolerance-to-falsehoods” into our psyche. We have become immune to lying. I’m concerned. Are you?
Do comment below.
Nixon,S ( 2014) When your word and a handshake meant something ChicagoNow. retrieved from http://www.chicagonow.com/lupus-purple-reigns/2014/12/when-your-word-and-a-handshake-meant-something/
Harline, K. (2018) Oral Contracts: Do They Carry Any Weight? legalzoom. retrieved from https://www.legalzoom.com/articles/oral-contracts-do-they-carry-any-weight
Walker,D (2018) Does a handshake form a legally binding contract? Business advice. retrieved from http://businessadvice.co.uk/business-development/business-planning/does-a-handshake-form-a-legally-binding-contract/
Miller, M. (2016) Meet the Midwestern politician sworn into office while in jail and awaiting trial for murder. Chicago Tribune. retrieved from
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2016/01/25/meet-the-midwestern-politician-sworn-into-office-while-in-jail-on-murder-and-drug-charges/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.8fac4b1d0be4
