Meet artist duo Bird and Marc of Camp Mustelid. To me, their art feels like getting a warm hug. Together these two have found a recognizable style inspired by the natural world, encouraging you to notice the little wonders all around. These two are excellent world builders and character developers, creating whimsical, cozy, and bewitching pieces you want to step into.
Together Bird and Marc collaborated on our Magic of Migration tee. This shirt celebrates the fall migration of raptors, highlighting the mythical Merlin. Throughout the design, you will notice nods to migration, with the epic migratory monarch butterflies, a USGS metal band around the raptor’s leg, and a notebook with hash marks documenting every hawk, eagle, falcon, and vulture flying by. For you HawkWatch International fans, we have shirts with each of our fall hawkwatches on them so that you can rep your favorite count site!
That being said, as our fall count ends, so will our site-specific shirts. Come November 15th, these limited edition pieces will have flown away with the migrants. If you’ve been waiting to purchase, now is the time! Click here to get your Magic of Migration tee today: https://hawkwatch-international.myshopify.com/products/magic-of-migration-tee-1
What is your “spark bird,” aka the species that sparked your interest in birds?
Bird: Cedar Waxwing, I saw my first museum of them in Prospect Park, Brooklyn when I first got into birding, and I’ve been in love with them ever since!
Marc: It was actually a female Northern Cardinal! I was in an urban zoology class in college, and on a trip into Central Park in NYC, I learned about sexual dimorphism in birds and seasonal plumage. I was instantly hooked.
What inspires your work?
Bird: All things nature, especially birds. I’m always really inspired by changing seasons, music, and peers. A lot of things come together to inspire me to create!
Marc: “Nature” is a pretty all-encompassing answer for me. My experiences with birding, camping, and traveling have shaped my artistic muses. I love collecting old infographic books and field guides on these topics, which offer me further points of creative reference! Outside of that, I also enjoy drawing interior and exterior spaces with lots of detail and character. For that kind of work, I often get inspired by New England, Portugal (where my family is from), and what I call “character spaces” like nature centers and small-town cafes.
What do you do outside of your art?
Bird: I do a lot of birding, hiking, camping, and hanging out with my pets! (If you follow them on Instagram, they will occasionally bless you with photos of their cat, ferrets, and pigeon!)
Marc: Go hiking/birding, which I realize isn’t very unique of an answer. You really just can’t beat it! It’s free and offers anyone with a curiosity for the wilderness everything they need to enjoy themself. I also like woodworking, building shelves, garden beds, and of course, some birdhouses. When I eventually own a house, I’m sure my casual interest in gardening and landscaping will bloom into a passionate love affair, but for now, I just scratch that itch by making really cool parks in Animal Crossing.
Where can people find and support you?
Both Bird and Marc will be eternally grateful if you pick up any of their goodies at their shop, Camp Mustelid: https://nepeteaa.bigcartel.com/
Bird: I’m @nepeteaa everywhere! For professional inquiries, you can email me at birdillustration.contact@gmail.com
Marc: You can find me on Twitter/Instagram at @melmorrel and my portfolio website at www.marcmendes.com!
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This blog was written by Sammy Riccio, HWI’s Donor Engagement Coordinator. You can learn more about Sammy here.
