Exploring the Arabian Desert and Sharing a Passion (or two)

Art Exploring (and hawking the Arabian desert)

For those of you that know me, you know how passionate I am about animals and wildlife. Those who know me very well know my love for raptors and falconry.  Falconry can be defined as the taking of wild quarry in its natural state and habitat by means of a trained raptor. To me personally its a passion, almost as much as art, not quite , but a close second.

Getting to mix the two has been a dream. I have traveled the world and have met so many different international falconers, that I now call friends and family.  Much like the art community but smaller, we all know one another and share our lessons and information with each other. The parallels are actually amazingly similar. It is an art form and some do it better than others. Like artists, some falconers are well known and others up and coming.

This year I went in attendance with the North American Falconers Association representatives to The United Arab Emirates to Abu Dhabi. I brought some artwork, my sketchbook supplies and a Native American flute. I was prepared to see an amazing culture and hopefully share some as well. The first part of the trip was an amazing desert camp in the beautiful dunes. A tent city was set up along with huge tent facilities for speakers and demonstrations. Falconers from every corner of the world together to share the same passion.

Houbara bustard

              

We hunted the deserts on camel back with falcons pursuing a bird called a houbara bustard. A beautiful bird that very much looks like a Terryl Whitlatch concept and put together by Jim Hensons Creature shop.

The flights were amazing and the experience unforgettable. Pinching myself and wondering if I was dreaming.

At night, the campfires burned, music played, beautiful Bedouin tents were up to enjoy all of the cultural commodities. Dates, Arabic coffee (I am not a coffee drinker. Only in Arabia ), hot teas, fruits and great food. Their hospitality was amazing. One of the nights I shared dinner with the Arabian falconers in their own tent, it consisted of the houbaras that were captured with the falcons that day.

I met some very talented artist/falconers from Belgium, New Zealand, Mexico, Japan and other countries. The motivation for both art and falconry was irresistible.

A gift to a very gracious friend in the UAE

I brought a sketchbook and drew some, not as much as I would have liked too, but I did take pics.

Its amazing what passion brings when you follow your path of what inspires and drives you. In times you will be surprised where it might lead you.

In closing I did share another thing I absolutely cherish and is very close to me, the Native American flute. This particular flute belonged to my friend and brother, Robert Mirabal. I was honored to have played at the festival everyday, something that was not planned, again, where one things leads to another. I played as the United States Falconers were on the field or stage I should say and again in closing the entire ceremony with very important audience members of the UAE.

I could keep going on and on about the people and experiences , but I thought I would share just a small part with you all. Thru art I have made the most amazing friends and families worldwide.

Where has art lead you?

Whom have you met?

What have you learned?

I hope your journeys are motivating experiences that will fuel your art and passion. Look around you. We live in an amazing place.

Manny

"Just as art informs art and always refers back to itself, we as artists are a collective whole whose dreams circle back on themselves in the sense that, ultimately. I believe true artists want nothing more than the freedom to do their art. All obstacles in our way are just the tolls we pay on our separate journeys. We owe it to ourselves to make the most out of the help we're given; and we owe it to our art to stay positive, aim high and ket nothing stop us from our goals."

Bobby Chiu

Sketching hawks

gyr sketch

Mongolian Eagler

Quick Camel doodle

Native American Flute 

Sketching

I usually carry a sketchbook with me all the time. If it's not on me it's in my truck. Nowadays smartphones are phenomenal to gather reference and snap pictures one can use for later reference. But to me, sketching on the spot ,whether a particular tree in the Grand Canyon or an elephant in a zoo, there is a huge difference. Sketching trains your eye to observe the important things in a subject. The gestures and shapes that you , as an artist on the spot, will pick out as important "landmarks". Rather than seeing how many whiskers are on a cat or how many buttons are on that jacket we are focusing on an overall feeling. Shapes, silhouette and landmarks that make lines important. Yes details are important but without a strong foundation, they are all useless and irrelevant.

We are going to cover some things that work for us in approaching a sketch. What do we look for? Where do we start? What is my goal? 

 Q - What do you look for?

Manu - in approaching a subject I will look for its general shape. Back to basic cubes, cylinders, spheres etc. nothing new there, "When you feel you are in trouble, go back to your basics" Rickson Gracie.

That statement is meant for martial arts, but it applies art perfectly. In drawing animals at zoos or parks, I break the animal in three parts. Forequarters, belly and hindquarters. I look for angles and landmarks in the silhouettes. My sketching approaches can vary from using lots of gesture lines to what I call noodling. I remember once hearing animator Glen Keane talk about this type of sketching. Your pencil make lots and lots of lines trying to find that perfect one that will do the job. One important rule is to stay loose. Do not focus on hair, eyelids or minor detail. Learn to observe. This is what sketching is.

David - My view on sketching is based on surfaces. I enjoy working with masses and contrasts. The line to me is a way to organize my thoughts, design and composition on the page, where I come to life is during the contrast part of sketching. Of course, the line will always be the foundation, but strong contrasts allow me to quickly validate or cancel volumes and shapes. As one of my friend, Joe Watmough mentioned before, it is as if you were an alien who just landed on earth, and you are seeing light and shapes for the first time. By detaching yourself from the subject you observe, you can attain a truer view of it.

Team AE

On assignment for AWARE trust

We are settled in our thatched room lodges. The drive to our destination has been great. I sat in the back of one of the pick up trucks and enjoyed the views. Our wildlife vets and head of the team is Dr Keith Dutlow (I'm sure he's my long lost brother) and Dr Lisa Marabini. Instructions have been given and everyone has been given a responsibility and task. I would be the one painting on this operation :) We are told of the dangers we will face and the efficiency of teamwork. The vets will be in the air and three trucks will be the ground team. Rangers are there for protection and to help track. On this particular day we would be tracking and locating white rhinos. Rhinos are being poached at an incredible rate for their horns. Horns which consist of keratin. The same material found in hair and fingernails. In fact the rhino horn isn't even attached to the skull, it is pretty much made of a clump of super compressed hair. Not medicinal, not magical, just keratin. Those seeking the medicinal properties should in fact eat their own fingernails and hair! It'll match their own DNA much better. Leave the rhinos alone.

The group that I am working with is called the AWARE trust. The team of several vets lead by Keith and Lisa do incredible work throughout the country. We are accompanied by Anthony Newall who helps them and runs a lion park nearby. I'm a bit too excited to sleep. My brother and I want to wander into the bush with a flashlight but our gut says no. Probably a good thing. We lay down and enjoy the unfamiliar sounds of the night. I really wish I knew what I was listening too. 

Morning is up breakfast and ready to roll. Equipment is checked, teams depart and the tracking and location begins. Keith, Lisa and and incredible bush chopper pilot take the air. The truck convoy will carry the ground team and rangers.  The first rhino is spotted quickly and the operation begins. 

The care everyone shows is incredible. It's a horrible thing we have to do this to an animal that does not deserve this but it may be the only way. Every detail taken by every vet is keen. From oxygen to cooling the animal it must all be quick and precise. It reminded me of the crew at a formula race car pit. Quick and efficient. Horns are removed and blood samples taken. I think the painting of those numbers on the actual rhinos back is probably the most important painting I have ever done in my entire life. I hope one day my actual paint on a canvas or board will one day do the same for me of the feeling of importance. The entire crew picks up as the vet reverses the animals sedative. Dr Keith always remains behind making sure the animal is back on his feet and walking away. The rhino horn is microchipped and handed over to authorities. That's one rhino. We have quite a number to do. I'll report back soon. 

MANu

While in Africa

Hi all. I'm not sure how to begin this post.  I'm writing this from the bush in Africa and it's been a long day. A day that I am happy to partake in but also a day that makes me a bit confused and sad. I had my first on hands experience with an incredible group of wildlife vetenarians. On this assignment we are working with rhinos. Taking blood samples, DNA and dehorning. Its incredibly sad to me that we have to go to these extremes. These incredible animals are poached for their horns. These horns supposedly have medicinal properties. Not true. They're pretty much made out of the same thing our fingernails are made out of.  The experience has been incredible and eye opening. These animals do not deserve what is happening to them. They are just one of many species that are struggling. I always have hope.

Riding in the back of the truck enjoying the view. 

A very early art explorer. Hope we can follow in their footsteps. This is at a wonderful lion and cheetah park ran by a friend. One of the best things about trips like this is the bond and family that is formed. Great people who I will introduce to you all with time. My camera is filled with pictures and footage that I will share as soon as I can upload them. At the moment these are just phone pics. 

This is Erik. One of the last rhinos of that day. We had a hard time finding him in fact it was almost all day. It turned out he was near our camp all along.  After the vets were done with him he wandered closer our camp as he grazed.  I took advantage and grabbed my sketchbook. It was like he knew he was modeling. He came about 5 meters from me ate and then left. I ended up high on a rock as he got closer.  I drew the horn and felt sad that it's come to this so that they can live. I will report again soon. Internet is usually not available and warthogs are FAST! :)

MANu

Zimbabwe

Hi everyone! MANu here blogging from Zimbabwe. I have seen so much in preparation for our assignment.  I thought I would share a visit to a beautiful sanctuary that hold a very special little guy. Like many sanctuaries it is home to lions, cheetahs, giraffes and several of Africa's well known species, but this private sanctuary is home to a little preemie elephant named Moyo. He was found out in the bush alone. This little elephant has quite the survival story and is now in good hands. He was the last animal that we visited on the private sanctuary tour. He now is actually the weight and size that he normally would be as a newborn so I can't imagine how much smaller he was! He steals peoples hearts immediately. He is very inquisitive, playful and very handsome. I did get to manage to do some sketches and thought I would share them here. We leave out on assignment tommorrow. I will try and post if I can. Get out and draw! You will appreciate it! 

This is Pickle. He was hand reared and imprinted. Acts very much like a dog, loves his belly scratched. 

My ballpoint pen sketch of Moyo. He is really learning how to use that trunk more and more each day. 

quick sketch of a young male lion

Can anyone guess what this animal is? I will post videos of it when I can.

Here, this big boy is staring at Pickle the warthog. So close yet so far away.

I took this pic after he snatched my iPhone. He luckily couldn't get it thru the fence. Quick hands :)

Walking Backwards with Snowshoes

Alaska. The last frontier. A place I've dreamt of visiting and exploring. I got that opportunity when a friend asked me to visit. My friend is quite the avid outdoors man, that's what brought us together. He is also firefighter and hunting guide for local outfitters. I was super stoked about heading out there and exploring. I brought my travel art kit and prepared for the cold as best I could. I arrived in Anchorage and being a great host had some fun stuff planned out for us. We went looking for goshawk nests in the snow and had some friendly run ins with moose. Headed out to see some incredible glaciers and visited small towns one which host dog sledding races. It was all a great time. I snuck in sketching wherever I got the chance. Everyplace in Alaska seems to have taxidermy, skulls, old trekking equipment so the subjects are there.

One of the times we headed to his cabin, which was quite a ways out and the weather was cold! Upon arrival it was obvious we were going to have quite the walk to the front door. The snow was deep deep. He led the way with his snowshoes and I followed as we both made the best possible trail from his 4x4 to the front door using our snowshoes. The cabin was -25 inside and the first order of things was to get things warm. We brought in firewood and got the stove going. After all equipment was in we left to a nearby town and got dinner. We hiked around the banks of the frozen river and took in the scenery. We tried to follow ptarmigan and snowshoe hare tracks but no luck. Nighttime was coming quick and the temp was dropping fast. Back at the cabin the stove had done a nice job of making it warm. We chatted for a while. I got my sketchbook out and drew under the light of the kerosene lamps. Being in Alaska my subjects were its native wildlife naturally. I had wolves, moose and muskox on the brain. We called it a night and went to sleep.

About 3 in the morning all the water I drank was ready to join its cousin, the snow, outside. I climbed down the ladder and stepped outside. This is going to sound insane but it was one of the most incredible and worrisome restroom break I've ever had and possibly will ever have. It was freezing!  Not sure what the temperature was, but it was COLD. It was one of those times where things take a looOong time, (I drank too much water and Gatorade). Being outside in the middle of nowhere, in Alaska, at night, is dangerous. You feel vulnerable in this vastness. The snow makes the atmosphere at least bright, so my eyes were always in patrol mode. I know the moon makes things bright but this was a different. I've been out in the dark when there is snow, but this lighting was not the norm. I couldn't quite understand. Then I looked up! I did not expect it in a million years! The northern lights! Wow. Just beautiful, almost made me drop my guard and keep an eye out. Then all,of a sudden in live surround sound wolf howls! They were far off  but I quickly got back in locked the door and jumped in bed. The experience was surreal and incredible. What a restroom break huh?

"Oh about "walking backwards with snowshoes"...

Well I'll keep it quick. Next day I was headed outside to explore around the cabin. Snowshoes went on and I grabbed the poles I was using for balance.

"You should put on your gloves Manny." Nah, don't need them. I started out and made my way to a pretty good bank of snow, I better back up I thought. Wrong move. Inexperience. One just doesn't step backwards with snowshoes. When you fall in about five feet of snow, bum first, there is no floor. You can't just stand up, feels like you're just punching holes in the snow looking for the floor. Well undoing snowshoes should have been easy, they were right in front of my face, I was folded like a taco I realized. No gloves equals frozen hands.. I learned a couple of things that day. Wear gloves in below freezing temps it makes removing the snaps on snowshoes easier and listen to good advice. I walked into the cabin snow covered. My friend sitting on the sofa, drinking his coffee looks at me and busts out laughing. :) I love Alaska! More stories soon!

Lifes better outside! Be Prepared!
Manu                                

First "big cat" experience

The blog debuts today and we all have lots of things we want to get on it through out our busy days. I thought I would kick it off with a quick sketch of a bobcat. I have a giant infatuation with predators in the animal kingdom. Mostly the relationship with their prey, thanks to the old shows of "Mutual of Omahas Wild Kingdom." The determination of a predator to eat everyday is a tough life. Perseverance and determination are keys. (A big lesson to those wanting a job in the art world) . Not every hunt is successful and there are lots and lots of disappointments (again applies to art jobs), but the will to keep alive and hunger drives them or else the results are no good. I'm sketching a bobcat (Lynx rufus) as my sketch warm up today. I usually do a couple a day and also between work. I try to stay loose and let "happy accidents" occur here in sketching as well.

The bobcat was my first big cat experience as a kid. We were on a family trip and we were about to approach Fort Davis, TX when all of a sudden a deer (doe) crossed the road at a sprint pace about 2 seconds later a young deer also followed. Two more seconds behind, a bobcat. I can still see it in my head. All of this happened in a flash. We were all excited and sad, but that's Nature, both beautiful and cruel, We never knew the outcome but those kinds of "Mutual of Omaha" moments happen rarely and I consider them a gift!

Thanks for your time and visiting our blog, :)

Manu