Some weeks ago I shared with you the development of the
linocut Legacy, an image of a MacGillivray's warbler. Other than calling it a commission, I was a little vague about the purpose of this image. But no longer! Yesterday (was it only yesterday?) its roll as the presentation piece for this year's Rich G. Levad Award was fulfilled.
The Levad Award honors the memory and work of
Rich Levad who, after retiring from teaching, turned his lifelong love of birds into a second career with
Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory. The award goes each year to the person who, like Rich, has provided distinguished service to the ornithological community, made scholarly contributions to the field of ornithology and/or has enthused others about conserving birds and their habitats through sharing his or her personal knowledge and experience.
Ongoing challenges with Lou Gehrig's disease led Rich to retire (for the second time) in 2006. He passed away in 2008, but not before adding one more accomplishment to his long and impressive list. Rich typed the manuscript for his book "The Coolest Bird: A Natural History of the Black Swift," meticulously and with one finger.
At the RMBO Annual Picnic on Saturday, Rich's wife Karen (on the right) and RMBO board member Carol Cochran presented the 2010 Richard G. Levad award to Hugh Kingery, a fixture in the Colorado birding community.
Very cool! (Both the print of the MacGillivray's and the award deal.) What a great story, and a lovely way to make the award something really meaningful (including your work).
ReplyDeleteCongratulations Sherrie. It's a such a sweet monument...what a treasure.
ReplyDeleteSherrie the piece is gorgeous. I went back and read your first post on this and I am all for using whatever means we have to produce a beautiful piece of art. I simply love your work!
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely work of art, and a touching tribute. Thanks for sharing the story of its creation and its inspiration!
ReplyDeleteHey, Sherrie, you know, you're pretty good.
ReplyDeleteSherrie, your linocut, "Legacy" is beautiful. What a wonderful tribute and story about a man who contributed so much to the world of ornithology.
ReplyDeleteWhere does this ceremony take place?
:-) You guys flatter me. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteLindy, the presentation was at the RMBO headquarters, "The Old Stone House" at Barr Lake State Park near Brighton, CO. It's a cool old building that I was around to help restore... gee... 10 years ago now?