Natural History of Mark Catesby

by O.M. Braida Dear Friends: The following brief biography will give you some insight into the work of Mark Catesby (1682-1749) – an English naturalist.  Born in 1682, the fourth child of a lawyer, Catesby was raised in the town of Sudbury in Suffolk, England. He was not a trained artist or botanist, but was influenced strongly by the noted naturalist John Ray, a family acquaintance. As his own interest in natural...

November Soul Biz – 2011

Bluebird by Mark Catesby [Bluebirds] make their nests in holes of trees, are harmless birds, and resemble our robin-redbreast. Mark Catesby *** A bird does not sing because it has an answer. It sings because it has a song. Chinese Proverb *** I once had a sparrow alight upon my shoulder for a moment, while I was hoeing in a village garden, and I felt that I was more distinguished by that circumstance that I should have been...

Happiness Generates Happiness!

 By O.M.Braida Dear Friends: We’ve talked before about creating art that is fresh, alive, and contemporary.  It may be old information, but sometimes going back over what we think we know, helps us achieve a new perspective. Contemporary still life is a testament to the mysterious act of seeing and relating images to contemporary culture.  Often it is sensuous, provocative, and psychological and reflects some influences...

October Soul Biz – 2011

There may be more to learn from climbing the same mountain a hundred times than by climbing a hundred different mountains. -  Richard Nelson   Don’t ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive. -  Harold Whitman   The very purpose of our life is happiness; the very motion of our lives is toward...

Here, Here – Cheers to You Friend of Nature

BY O. M. BRAIDA - Dear Friends:  The following story of my 2008 trip to Kentucky is reprinted here as a tribute to John Beckner – Academy friend, botanist and former orchid identifier for the Marie Selby Gardens.  This August I left to teach again in Kentucky.  I called John to see how he was fairing.  A recent heart attack had left him weak and I wondered if I would make it back to Florida in time to see him...

September Soul Biz 2011

For John Beckner (1932-2011)   Quotes by John Muir   John Muir (1838 –1914) was a Scottish-born American naturalist, author, and early advocate of preservation of wilderness in the United States. His letters, essays, and books tell of his adventures in nature, especially in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California. Millions have read them. He was the founder of the Sierra Club in which John Beckner was a member. Climb...