Colleen Palmer isn’t just an incredible artist; she is also a fantastic educator! I first connected with Colleen through our Education Docent program, where volunteers can learn to handle our Raptor Ambassadors on glove and teach others about raptors and conservation. I have only had the pleasure of doing one program with Colleen, but I was immediately impressed with how she spoke and her obvious passion for the birds.
When I discovered that Colleen is an artist and that she was interested in collaborating with us on some merch, I was thrilled! Her art style is really different from anything we’ve done before, and I was eager to add some variety to our offerings. Colleen’s style made a ton of sense to feature vultures, as they are a bit supernatural and full of folklore. You all have been loving the Turkey Vulture Long-sleeve so far, and we hope to see you rocking it this spooky season: https://hawkwatch-international.myshopify.com/products/turkey-vulture-long-sleeve
What is your “spark bird,” aka the species that sparked your interest in birds?
The humble American Crow. I grew up in an area that had a lot of crows, so I’d always watch them. As an adult, that love was rekindled while working on my graphic novel Crow and the Eternal Night. I did a lot of research prior to creating it and just became fascinated with them. They’re so incredibly smart, curious, and adaptable! I still love watching and learning more about them.
What inspires your work?
Where do I even begin?! Stories are a big part. I love folklore and mythology—you’ll find a lot of influence there. Nature in general. Oh, and horror-everything. I read a lot and watch as much as I can. I’m a big fan of the creature-horror sub-genre—the more I can get in my life, the better!
What do you do outside of your art?
Outside of art, I’m a parent, so that takes up a good part of my time. I mountain bike, go birding when I can, and love my backyard birds. I’m a sucker for a cup of coffee and reading all the dark fantasy/horror books and comics I can get my hands on.
Where can people find and support you?
You can follow me on Instagram as @pixelgremlin, and you can check out my shop online at https://www.colleenpalmer.com/
This blog was written by Sammy Riccio, HWI’s Communications Manager. You can learn more about Sammy here.
