ENN publishes story Climate Impacts on Olympic Peninsula Forests poster

ENN wrote a brief story on Good Nature's newest poster "Climate Impacts on Olympic Peninsula Forests." Grateful. Mahalo.

One of the many blessings of webworld is the other blogs and green news services that pick it up, post and help get the word out.

And this is before any major daily newspaper has written a story.

Off and running. Read more here. (Press release written by intern Eleanor Leonard.)

Best fishes,

Timothy

Cruisin' The Fossil Freeway exhibit Seattle Times

See Burke Museum this Memorial Day weekend in Seattle -- Seattle Times Review

Creativity Coach Tatyana Mishel

My friend, writer and coach Tatyana Mishel consults with writers, small business people, teams @ MSFT and other companies.

If you know someone or you yourself want to talk with a pro about managing your creative process, getting unstuck (oh no -- really Tim-- my creative juices flow all the time! ;) please check out her website and get in touch with her. 

Tatyana is a gifted poet, and has been in my life for 8 years.  See her "testimonial" page for ways she's helped other people.

Thanks for looking at her site.  Please share her link with friends.  You can also follow her on Twitter http://twitter.com/EvdayCreative

Creativity is the key to our future problem solving society. 

Thanks.

Timothy

PRESS RELEASE: Climate Impacts on Olympic Peninsula Forests poster field guide premiers

May 17, 2010

Climate Impacts on Olympic Peninsula Forests Premiers

For Immediate Release
Contact:  Timothy Colman, publisher
Good Nature Publishing: 206 622 9522

What Will Olympic Peninsula Forests Look Like in 100 Years? 

“Climate Impacts on Olympic Peninsula Forests” vividly portrays the ongoing effects of climate change on our beautiful native plants and animals, through the interpretation of award winning fine artist of John C. Pitcher.


May 17, 2010 – Washington State’s Olympic Peninsula  contains several distinct ecosystems and supports biodiversity of species that are found nowhere else on the planet.  Current scientific data suggests that forests in the Olympic Peninsula will experience a number of climate-related changes, including snowpack decline, increased tree establishment in meadows, threats to native species, and increased wildfire activity. 

Good Nature Publishing is proud to present the first edition poster of “Climate Impacts on Olympic Peninsula Forests.” Varying from the usual drastic-impact portrayals depicting piles of trash and helpless animals choking on cigarette butts, Pitcher relays an artist's impression of climate impacts based on best science available. 

“I wanted John Pitcher to make art showing climate impacts on Northwest forests over next 100 years:  snow pack melting, lower elevation flora and fauna chasing food and water up hill, increased invasive species and forest fires," said Good Nature Owner, Timothy Colman. “The art is not Dante's Inferno, but a reality check for people interested in learning about the way climate is affecting our fellow travelers in the plant and animal world.  From Olympia, Tacoma, Seattle, Everett and Anacortes -- all of western Washington, we see the Olympic Peninsula every day.  What a gift of light and beauty!  I think we need to look beyond the snow packed peaks, though.  The artwork is designed to be beautiful and get you wondering: What is happening to flora and fauna on the Olympic Peninsula now and in the future?"

"How do we help plants and animals adapt to the relatively fast changing climate?”  

While seemingly subtle, the ongoing climate change will inevitably raise seasonal temperatures up to one degree per decade throughout the 21^st century.  Snow packs will move higher up the mountains, causing shifts in the tree line, a drastic change in the lifecycle of the Olympic Marmot (found only on the Olympic Peninsula), and increased probability of wildfires throughout the region. 

Colman uses John Pitcher’s realistic art and a full narrative as a way to educate citizens living both on and off the Olympic Peninsula. “The poster helps people by asking each of us to consider the impacts to life in our back yard." With the use of native plants such as the Magenta Paintbrush and Subalpine Fir, viewers observe the climate changes to the Northwest region starting in Summer 2010 through the end of the century.  

Invasive plants such as Japanese knotweed, blackberry and other invasives can establish themselves now that winter snow packs melt sooner.  Lower elevation native flora and fauna are on the move, chasing food and water in higher elevations. 

Honing in on a particular landscape is one of the most effective strategies for understanding the projected effects of climate change.  This place-based approach makes the scope and anticipated effects of change manageable and transforms climate change from a remote global phenomenon to one with personal relevance and immediacy. By using the familiar landscape, Colman hopes to involve local communities. 

Good Nature Publishing is a green arts publisher in Seattle Washington, since 1996.  Retail/Wholesale is available See website for all bioregionally significant art.  

Please refer to our “Treemendous Teachers” offer for environmental educators, conservation district outreach, and master gardeners.


Poster size: 36” x 24”
Printed in the US with soy based inks on FSC certified paper 1000 # book wt paper.


Art available in paper or laminated or custom framed. 


END.

BP: Ideas from the rest of us to solve your spill problem

Crowdsource solutions to oil spill.  Interesting but the real deal has to cme from organizing, protests, and democratizing our energy system.

TSC

Partnership for Puget Sound posters: Why don't I like them?

Partnership for Puget Sound has tons of bucks -- at least relative to many grassroots green groups I have worked with in my life. They have a great mission - to clean up Puget Sound. They have good people on staff. They have us-- people who live around the Sound -- the Salish Sea-- that want to see it clean and green forever.

So why do they have so much crap for poster art? Here is PSP's poster campaign Is this funny and I don't get it? On the practical side, is it even effective?

I just do not understand.

The graphics are cheap. The message is so blunt it is off putting. And everyone who picks up after their dog is already nodding "Yes-- I do pick up after my pup." So what am I missing here?

Thanks for looking and for ideas to make me a more liberal understanding person.

best fishes,

Timothy

Mount St. Helens Blow 30th Anniversary: New Habitat Everywhere

Seattle Times writer Lynda Mapes is one of my favorite reporters. You can read why if you have a chance to read this fine story about what scientists have found out about LIFE ON EARTH since the volcano blew up over 200 square miles of forest- clearing everything down to a bald mass of ash. See Mt. St. Helens story and let me know how many new amphibians names you learned.

One of my favorite artists painted a portrait of Mt. St. Helens a few years ago that is free for you to download here at USFS PNW Research Station

And if you have interest in a wonderful tv show on Mt. St. Helens, check out PBS' show -- beautiful work that teaches us indirectly about life on Earth and our place on it-- humbling.
Amazing grace.

Timothy

New poetry anthology in the works

I am making a new illustrated poetry anthology book.

We're using another blog to post poems selected for the first draft.

Feel free to browse, and post your own or your favorites from other writers in the comments section.

Thanks.

Timothy

So you want to get your book published?

How To Publish Your Book


I get called every week from writers seeking advice on publishing their book.

This is understandable, since I made a mistake of calling what is basically an art design business "Good Nature Publishing" and get listed by Yellow Pages, Google, etc...under the generic title "publishers."

So motivated self directed writers interested in getting published do what seems reasonable. They start calling publishers in their area and asking "How do I get my book published?'

I offer you a few ideas here to save you time and unnecessary phone calls to random publishers.

1. Please consider what kind of book you are writing. What is the subject matter?

2. Who publishes this kind of book? If you have your opus written, who publishes books like yours?

3. Where do you find out who publishes your kind of book? Generally-- the answer my friend is in your public library and bookstore. Go to your favorite robust bookstore and find the section that closest fits your genre. Fiction, self-help, history, sports, biography, non fiction-- you know the area you would find yourself on the shelves after that glorious day you are published. Go there.

4. Take notes of publishers names of books that are already published in your niche. Don't wasete your time cold calling anybody with publishing in their title.

5. Contact the publishers you have researched by mail, and follow up by phone. This route will probably take you from Seattle and other small press towns to New York, Los Angeles etc...

6. Consider how serious you are to get this book published.

a. Get an agent whose job it is to read, giggle test your writing and pitch the book to publishers the agent has already developed relationships with in NYC and other publishing hubs.

b. Consider self publishing online yourself and being your own distributor. You need a good editor ad a graphic designer to shape up your text.

c. Keep writing and editing while you are working to find your publisher.

7. Have fun on your search!

While I have limited interest in publishing books, if you get to the place where you are self publishing and need help with editing and preparing a book for press online, we can help you.

But if you want to get published, please review points 1-5 here. And best of luck on your journey.

Writing, editing and publishing are worthwhile adventures in self discovery, and can lead you to friendships, a fullfilled life, and wealth beyond measure: the satisfaction of seeing your thoughts organized into book form.

By taking the first steps toward getting published, researching who publishes your kind of writing, you can save yourself a lot of stumbling around in the dark and random calls to friendly art publishers.

Good luck!

Timothy Colman, poster sherpa
Good Nature Publishing
http://www.goodnaturepublishing.com