bats in the belfry

'Love Me'  Necklace 18"long, bat 3x5"; sterling silver,
colored pencil, mica;  Kathleen Faulkner

Here's what the average human thinks:  Bats are ugly and scary and carry rabies.

Here's what scientists think: Bats are necessary for pollination of over 300 species of plants.  A single brown bat can consume 500 or more mosquitoes in an hour. The economic impact of the loss of bats in North American agriculture is anywhere from 3.7 million to 53 million annually.

Here's what the bat thinks:  I'm as afraid of you as you are of me.  I won't hurt you.  I just want to take care of my babies and eat bugs.  

Thoughts on community

'Our Town' Necklace 30" sterling silver, colored
pencil, paper, glass lenses;  Kathleen Faulkner

This is about another type of community: the one most of us don't see much or think about. 

We really can't say what a hungry white tailed deer's thoughts are as she's run out of someone's urban garden.

Can you imagine the stories and memories a spotted owl might have as he watches his home be destroyed so we can have toilet paper?

Consider the wolf, running for her life from the giant flying monster that's shooting to kill.   Maybe she's thinking,  "Please don't murder me.  I deserve life just like anyone else."

Everyone has a story to tell.