"Manatee" - whimzicals

TITLE: Manatee
EBAY ID: whimzicals
ARTIST: Jo Lynch Whimzicals

Why I'm using my creatvity to save the rainforest...

Saving the Rainforest is important to all of us whether we are aware of it or not. Making this quilt with the many endangered species on it is just a small way in which we can help make a difference, bring awareness to the Rainforest plight, and become a part of the healing. Like the spreading rings on a pond from a single drop, we must all try to do whatever we can to save both our Rainforest Lands, and the endangered species. We must continue to spread the word.......

"Endangered Legend" - Artschtick

TITLE: Endangered Legend
ARTIST: Deb Keirce
EBAY ID: Artshtick

Why I’m using my creativity to save the rainforest …

In a former life, I was a biochemical engineer, helping to bring manufacturing processes to life, to create newly discovered or synthesized pharmaceuticals. A very scary fact is that we are fresh out of ways to develop new antibiotics. This is scary because bacteria are NOT out of ways to mutate, and become immune to the antibiotics we can produce. Vancomycin is our last resort antibiotic - when bacteria are immune to all the others. Vancomycin resistant strains of common bacteria are on the rise. Patients who harbor vanco-resistant infections cannot be imprisoned in hospitals, so when they are feeling better, they are out and about in the general population, and those bacterial strains are going global.

What does all this have to do with the rainforest? There are a few undiscovered places we have access to, that may hold the key to finding new pharmaceuticals, and the rain forest is key to those discoveries. The oceans and space would be the other two. Anything we do to destroy the rainforest is potentially destroying products that could be discovered and developed to reduce human suffering in the future. It takes a lot of money and manpower to launch research programs in a rainforest. Some pharmaceutical companies have started the effort, but it will be generations before they will recover their research expenses, so we need those rainforests around for a VERY long time!

"American Bald Eagle" - artistnannie

TITLE: American Bald Eagle
EBAY ID: artistnannie
ARTIST: Fran Brooks

Why I'm using my creativity to save the rainforest...

Whenever I see a movie or read a book where an animal is killed for sport or no valid reason, I am brought to tears. When watching TV programs where wolves, for example, are being saved from extinction and reintroduced into areas where they can run free, makes me happy. I enjoy painting animals and started adding them into my landscapes several years ago, then progressed to painting bird and butterfly portraits as well as wolves and my favorite dog breed, our Border Collies.

I entered my painting of the American Bald Eagle in the Endangered Species contest as it too was once on the brink of extinction, but has now made a triumphant comeback in the wild and is close to being taken off the list of threatened species. I was curious as to how this came to pass, so researched the bald eagle and came up with these facts. The decline in the eagle population was due to several reasons. Humans moving into territories with deforestation causing eagles to die off due to lack of food and shrinking habitat. Pesticides used on mice and other small animals, and then eaten by eagles who would ingest the poison caused sterility and death in eagles. Power lines placed too close to high tension wires would electrocute eagles when wings touched both wires at the same time.

Over the years power lines were replaced and spaced further apart, pesticides have also been banned from use and laws were passed to preserve eagles in the wild. Eagles were also hatched in captivity and then reintroduced into the wild. The eagles have begun to flourish again on their own and the American Bald Eagle continues to thrive because people decided to do their part to save these magnificent birds. I decided to participate in the Endangered Species Quilt project as my small part in helping to make others aware of the habitats that are endangered and the creatures that live within. I am thankful and humbled to be a small part of this project with many talented ACEO artists.

"Golden Lion Tamarin" - carolynn.mc

TITLE: Golden Lion Tamarin
EBAY ID: carolynn.mc
ARTIST: Carolynn McDade

Why I'm using my creativity to save the rainforest...

Earth is blessed with beautiful wilderness, rugged mountains, sparkling water and the life that abounds within. We all belong to this exquisite planet, and each life given is precious. Whether it's the massive blue whale, a timid wren, or the insect in your garden, these remain our fellow, earthly residents.

As the human creatures of this planet, we seemed to take advantage of what Earth had to give us in ways which has destroyed natural home grounds for many of our fellow creatures. I don't think we did it on purpose. Perhaps it was because we thought Earth would give endlessly.

In the past few decades, however, we have come to realize Mother Earth can't always replenish herself... environments are unwittingly destroyed, and animals lose their comfortable, flourishing homes.

Today, governments around the world are making the move to guard species which are dwindling. Preserved wilderness areas are being set aside for much of earth's wildlife, on land as well as in the waters.

The Golden Lion Tamarin ACEO is a good example of an animal which may not be able to survive the wilds of our planet much longer. Their habitats in Brazil have been invaded by logging and farming/agriculture. The once beautiful canopies are all but lost - 1-3% remain. These canopies were the Tamarin's source of food and shelter. Sadly, the remaining 400 or so Tamarins are in grave danger of extinction.

I am pleased to be a part of the Endangered Species Quilt project as a contributing artist. I urge everyone to re-use, recycle and take care of our planet.

"Golden Tamarin" - roadmaster6767

TITLE: Golden Tamarin
ARTIST: Mack Buroker
EBAY ID: roadmaster6767

Why I'm using my creativity to save the rainforest:

Plants and animals hold medicinal, agricultural, ecological, commercial and aesthetic/recreational value. Endangered species must be protected and saved so that future generations can experience their presence and value. The way I see it, I can't paint a picture of a gorilla if they no longer exist.