Some SciArt for September and New Things for ... the uh, end of the year

I've been taking part in #SciArtSeptember for the last several years. Check out the hashtag on Instagram!* Since I have such a big portfolio of prints I am often re-sharing art to match the daily prompts but each year I make a lot of new science art each September. Here's some of my new work.

Vincetoxicum rossicum, gel plate print, 11" x 14" by Ele Willoughby, 2023

For the #SciArtSeptember theme “strangling” I made gel plate prints of Vincetoxicum rossicum, also known as European swallowwort, or Dog-strangling Vine. Introduced to the northeastern US gardens in the mid-1800s, it’s become wildly invasive in south and central Ontario. While it doesn’t actually strangle dogs, it can be a risk to native plants and animals. It’s illegal to buy, sell, trade or purposely sell dog-strangling vine in Ontario; nonetheless I found this unwelcome plant in my garden. It can produce 28,000 seeds per square metre which are spread by the wind. They can crowd out native plants and mats of tangled vines make it hard to even walk through the forest. The leaves and roots can be toxic so animals avoid them and thus end up putting even more pressure on yummier native plants. They are also a threat to the monarch butterfly, a species at risk; their eggs laid on the vines do not survive to adulthood.

European Swallow-wort, gel plate print, 11" x 14" by Ele Willoughby, 2023

If you find them in your garden (here in North America) you should dig it up and place it in a black plastic bag; don’t add it to compost or it can spread. Or, if you are like me, use it as free art supplies!

Tomorrow, the prompt is simian, so here's a sneak peak at my post.

A Conspiracy of Lemurs, linocut, 9.25" x 12.5" by Ele Willoughby, 2023

I decided to extend my ongoing series of Terms of Venery prints by adding a primate. The term for a group of lemurs is irresistible: a conspiracy. Looking at photos of ring-tailed lemurs I can imagine where the term arose. They are very social and live in large groups, huddling to socialize and for warmth. I wanted them to look like they were up to something and made the word lemur with their famously striped tails. Endemic to Madagascar, these wet-nosed primates are sadly endangered due to habitat loss.

I've also been thinking ahead, and though I don't mention [REDACTED winter holidays] until after Halloween, because it can all be a bit too much hype, if you like to send cards, check this out. I have new and returning  [REDACTED winter holidays] cards in my shop! It's good to order early to receive them with plenty of time to send them out to your friends and loved ones.

My 12 Days of Christmas card design - find it in my shop!

*I'm also posting on Bluesky, where I'm @minouette and at @minouette@spore.social on Mastodon. Sadly, I think I am going to have to remove my account on what is left of Twitter.