Thursday, May 3, 2012
Monarch Butterflies
The climate of Central Mexico’s fir forests is just right for monarchs: not
cold enough for the butterflies to freeze, but cold enough to keep their
systems dormant until spring. However, global warming is causing more cool-weather
precipitation in these areas, which is bad news for the butterflies since they
can freeze to death if temperatures drop too low. Increased cool weather
precipitation also spells trouble for monarchs because their wings must remain
dry to stay warm—when rain follows a cold front, butterfly mortality can soar
The striking monarch butterfly is tougher than it looks. This tiny flier
undertakes an incredible 2,000 mile journey every winter in search of a few
specific mountaintops in the fir forests of Central Mexico. Amazingly, the epic
migration to and from the fir forests spans the life of three to four
generations of butterfly, meaning no single individual ever makes the entire
journey. Yet the species as a whole instinctually knows where to find these
isolated mountaintops year after year.
Time Project 2011-2012
After completing the first year
of making one piece of sculpture a week for 52 weeks all 10 of us from the Time
Project decided to continue on. This time we committed to making one piece a
month and then as usual meet monthly at each others houses to critic each
others work. We also decided to take on two new members. I chose for the first
half of 2011 to complete a film on climate change, using my work to illustrate
the story as told by two prominent scientists, Bill McKibben and George
Woodwell. After finishing the video I decided to go back to making
sculpture I continued on with my environmental sculptures that
related this time to endangered species. I also decided to work big using
driftwood, wire and any other materials that would help to make my point. I
also continued to include a written explanation about my motivation for the
piece.
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