This is a handmade linocut print inspired by the seasonal return of arctic terns to the New England coastline. It includes flying terns with native New England coastal plants in the foreground including: swamp thistles, bristly fox, sea blite, beach grasses and cloudberry flowers and berries.

PRINT SIZE: 9" x 12"
PAPER SIZE: 12" x 15"

INK/COLOR OPTIONS: This is printed with Caligo safewash non-toxic ink in either black or aquamarine. The aquamarine is hand mixed so please expect slight variations.

PAPER:
This is printed on traditional Japanese Awagami Select Hosho Paper both of which are archival quality. Hosho paper is a handmade paper from Japan, a cultural treasure and time-honored heritage that has been handcrafted from natural materials for over a thousand years with a strict attention to quality and preservation. Hosho is made from the branches of the kozo, gampi and mitsumata, preserving the bush/tree, making it a more sustainable choice than other papers. It is acid-free and archival quality and has a rustic natural handmade feel.

DETAILS & INSPIRATION:
It is not only humans that tell stories. . . In the voice of bright white feathers and a charming black cap, a story darts its way through gusts of wind off the coast of Massachusetts hatching out of makeshift nests of pebbles and dry grasses. . it is a seasonal story that unfolds in the months of April and May on Mass Audubon’s Tern Island in Chatham and Plum Island. Though only a short-term sojourner, these migrating birds give back to the land by distributing cloudberry seeds, the primary way the seeds of this wild plant are dispersed. Terns teach us that even temporary guest can still contribute to a landscape’s thriving. . .a heartwarming story of reciprocity and interdependence between life that is rooted and life that is migratory that can be witnessed year after year. This artwork is inspired by this story and its precious wisdom. I purposefully designed this piece so it would look like the cloudberry flowers are inside the terns and vice versa to show how each species is integral to the other's survival.

GIFT IDEAS:
This would make a great gift for mothers day to celebrate mothers of all kinds whether it is your mother, or grandmother, friends who are mothers, or your own inner mother, or in celebration of some passion project you or a loved one is mothering into the world. It would also be wonderful as a gift in honor of a reciprocal or interdependent relationship. It would also be appreciated by someone who loves meaningful handmade gifts, and wildlife.

PACKAGING: This print will be carefully packed in a recycled clear bag and shipped in a recycled cardboard mailer. FeathersandFolktales uses eco-friendly packaging supplies from EcoEnclose. A one-page insert including a description of the folktale is included with the print.

Please note that the copyright of this work is retained by the artist.