“Pteranodon illustration © Hall Train”
SONSI member Hall Train created some wonderful illustrations of dinosaurs and other prehistoric life for a symphony, composed by Dean Burry and performed by the North York Concert Orchestra.
http://www.musicaltoronto.org/2013/04/11/toronto-composer-dean-burry-combines-symphonic-music-with-a-3-year-olds-favourite-topic-dinosaurs/
Battle of the Titans at RBG
Many SONSI members will be able to recall visits to the Hall Train Studios for past events. There is always something fascinating to look at some point in the transformation from concept to reality, though the destination is often far away. This year the destination of one of Hall’s exhibits was a hop, skip and a jump away for many members in Hamilton’s Royal Botanical Gardens. Battle of the Titans is an exhibit focusing on two well loved titans; the Triceratops and Tyrannosaurus Rex. SONSI members gathered in larger than usual numbers for a tour of the exhibit by no other than Hall himself. The exhibit opens through a relatively small entrance, flanked on either side by life sized models of the heads of T-Tops and T-Rex. This opens into a clear, bright, wide space. Following the hint at the entrance to pick a side, turning left of the entrance around the head of the T-Tops will acquaint you with this creature; walking around the right side of the gallery will bring you up to speed with the T-Rex. In the centre of the exhibit, the lower level is dominated by life sized replicas of the two, clashing. Each display area has a specific focus, from what was eaten and why, to what came back out and why that it is important. There are really interesting interactive skulls demonstrating how each creature saw, wonderful images of their young and how they might have experienced their early lives and even information on just how brainy they were. In keeping with the location of this exhibit there are specially selected plants all around the exhibit both living and fossilized, all of which were present during the era of these dinosaurs. The blood, gore, and horror of past impressions seem to be swept away with this exhibit, it feels fresh and engaging with current research and discoveries, told in videos of lively, prominent paleontologists throughout the exhibit. The result is an impression of two animals with relatable circumstances (such as the challenges they faced due to the changing climate), instincts and motives, not the other-worldly, blood dripping from their fangs, monsters that have been the accepted image for so long. Read more…
SONSI members at “Windows on Evolution”
Two SONSI members, Lori Dunn and Dino Pulera, have work in the current Science-Art Nature on-line exhibit Windows on Evolution.
Lori Dunn’s scratchboard work, “Canine Ancestry” was one of six pieces from the Windows on Evolution show selected to be printed and exhibited at the Darwin Day symposium and luncheon at Stanford University – scientists from many departments including NASA attended this event. “Canine Ancestry” will also be used to accompany a lecture on evolution next year at
Stanford U.
Lori Dunn: Canine Ancestry.
Exhibit 2013 Reception
Hanging the exhibit. Photo: Emily S Damstra
Sonsi’s third annual exhibit began on Saturday February 2nd at its most eastern location so far, the Richview Public Library in Toronto.
The space is intimate, bright and airy and the shelves of books nearby are a fitting accompaniment to SONSI’s art. The library even set up a table of books in their collection with works of art by exhibiting SONSI members.
Books illustrated by exhibitors. Photo: Emily S Damstra
Thanks should go to everyone who’s efforts both great and small made this event and exhibition possible.
- Elizabeth
To see more pictures from the Exhibit hanging and reception, please click on the Event photo page.
Exhibit catalogue
The SONSI Exhibit 2013 catalogue is now on-line. If you cannot make the show, or if you would like to revisit favourite works, it is now possible to view the works and their descriptions at Exhibit 2013 Catalogue. You can also download a PDF version, SONSI 2013 catalogue , with colour thumbnails. The print version reads beast when printed on two sides of paper, or view it in Adobe Reader with the page display setting: Display Cover Page During Two-Up.
Exhibit 2013 Opening Reception on Saturday
We hope to see many of our friends and supporters at the SONSI Exhibit 2013 Reception this Saturday. The weather looks like it will cooperate: colder, scattered flurries, but no accumulation, on Friday. Possibly some sunshine on Saturday.
Everyone attending the reception will have a chance to vote for his or her favourites for the People’s Choice Award. First prize is a gift certificate from:
Painty McGee’s Art Supplies – 2914 Lake Shore Blvd W., Etobicoke, 416 259-8392.
Our thanks to Jahnine Farquhason of Painty McGee’s for her generous support of Exhibit 2013.
Exhibit 2013
Poster design: Meaghan Lynch
EXHIBIT 2013
Southern Ontario Nature and Science Illustrators 2013 Exhibit
Richview Public Library Art Gallery, 2nd floor
1806 Islington Avenue (at Summitcrest Drive)
Toronto, Ontario
February 2 – 24, 2013
Poster and on-line catalogue coming soon!
Google map of Richview Library: http://goo.gl/maps/4NKsQ
December potluck
On December 15, SONSI members gathered at the home of SONSI member Fiona Reid to share a delicious potluck dinner, and o see each other’s work from this past year (and beyond!). It was a lively evening filled with great conversation. Hearty thanks go out to Fiona for once again welcoming SONSI members to her beautiful home.
During dinner, a few of us mentioned that we’d like to have recipes for the others’ dishes, so someone suggested the recipes be posted online. Below are a few.
I highly recommend them!
-Emily
———————-
Delectable Butternut Squash (from Elizabeth Gatt)
I Butternut squash – peeled, deseeded and cubed
2 cloves garlic – roughly chopped(or grated)
2 tbsp. fresh rosemary – chopped
1 tsp. cumin seeds
300ml vegetable stock
150ml single cream – I used whipping cream and less of it
25g pumpkin seeds
25g breadcrumbs
50g mild goat cheese – I used Feta because I don’t like the taste of goat cheese – crumbled
coarse sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
1. Preheat the oven to 300. Place the cubed butternut squash in a shallow ovenproof dish
or roasting pan. Scatter over the garlic, rosemary, cumin and seasoning. Pour in the stock
and bake 40-45 minutes until the squash is almost tender. (you may have to play with the time on this
depending on your oven)
2. Increase the oven temperature to 350. Pour the cream over the squash and scatter with the pumpkin seeds, breadcrumbs
and cheese. Return to the oven for a further 12 -15 minutes until the top is bubbling and golden.
Serve with green salad and crusty bread. Serves about 4. (I doubled the recipe for the potluck) Read more…
Congratulations! to Karen Reczuch
The astonishingly beautiful children’s book, Loon, which SONSi member Karen Reczuch illustrated, continues to rack up awards. We blogged about its success at the Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children’s Book Awards earlier this year. Now, as the year comes to a close, we would like to congratulate Karen on a triumphant success for Loon:
- The Norma Fleck Award for Canadian Children’s Non Fiction
- The Children’s Literature Roundtable Information Book Award
- A USSBY Outstanding International Book
- A Canadian Children’s Book Centre Best Books 2012
- and short-listed for the Shining Willow Award and The Silver Birch Express Reading Program
- Trish
