Wednesday

Lawrence Rugolo

I could use something like this for the illustration based on shop perceptions.

Leia Bell

After having a tutorial, I have started to look into creating different wall hangings showing different peoples perceptions of rabbits, for example pet shop manager, familes etc. I thinking of using different medias for each wall hanging so I am looking into artists using screenprinting etc.



Bell creates drawings, paintings and screenprints. I am more interested in her screenprints. As I havn't screenprinted before, I am intreagued to the amount of detail that can be produced.

Tuesday

Pet shop rabbits



To try and get as much information on pet rabbits as possible, I visited an example of a place where pet rabbits are for sale, Pets at Home. I asked the manager if I could take photos of the rabbits for sale and he agreed as long as I didn't turn the flash on as to not startle the animals.
I asked him a few questions while I was there.

  • Firstly I asked what the most common breed of rabbit sold was. He replied saying that the most common breed to be sold was the lop eared. Aparently this is one of the most common type of rabbit for families to own. Kind of the standard rabbit.

  • Secondly I asked the manager what happens to therabbits if they are not sold. He claimed that they get discounted until they are sold, sometimes they are offered to be taken for free. They are in contact with animal shelters etc where if they have kept an animal for an unusual length of time and it doesn't look like it is going soon they can be sent there.



Next to the animals were lots of different leaflets designed to guid potential pet owner to care for spacific animals properly. There was also instuctions on signs above the pens and cages so noone can missjudge the responsibility of each animal.


Sunday

Rabbits in literature / symbolic

Rabbits are often used as a symbol of fertility or rebirth, and have long been associated with spring and Easter as the Easter Bunny. The species' role as a prey animal also lends itself as a symbol of innocence, another Easter connotation.
Additionally, rabbits are often used as symbols of playful sexuality, which also relates to the human perception of innocence, as well as its reputation as a prolific breeder.


Playboy bunny??
According to Hugh Hefner, the Bunny was inspired by Bunny's Tavern in Urbana, Illinois.
Bunny's Tavern was named for its original owner, Bernard "Bunny" Fitzsimmons, who opened for business in 1936.

In Aztec mythology, a pantheon of four hundred rabbit gods known as Centzon Totochtin, led by Ometotchtli or Two Rabbit, represented fertility, parties, and drunkenness.
In Central Africa, "Kalulu" the rabbit is widely known as a tricky character, getting the better of bargains.   
In Chinese literature, rabbits accompany Chang'e on the Moon. Also associated with the Chinese New Year, rabbits are also one of the twelve celestial animals in the Chinese Zodiac for the Chinese calendar. It is interesting to note that the Vietnamese lunar new year replaced the rabbit with a cat in their calendar, as rabbits did not inhabit Vietnam.
A rabbit's foot is carried as an amulet believed to bring good luck. This is found in many parts of the world, and with the earliest use being in Europe around 600 B.C.


In Japanese tradition, rabbits live on the Moon where they make mochi, the popular snack of mashed sticky rice. This comes from interpreting the pattern of dark patches on the moon as a rabbit standing on tiptoes on the left pounding on an usu, a Japanese mortar.


In Jewish folklore, rabbits are associated with cowardice, a usage still current in contemporary Israeli spoken Hebrew.

A Korean myth similar to the Japanese counterpart presents rabbits living on the moon making rice cakes.

In Native American Ojibwe mythology, Nanabozho, or Great Rabbit, is an important deity related to the creation of the world.

A Vietnamese mythological story portrays the rabbit of innocence and youthfulness. The Gods of the myth are shown to be hunting and killing rabbits to show off their power.




I found rabbits in literature really interesting, however after talking to Graham about it we decided that it would be difficult to make a final piece out if it, including my illustrations.

Rabbit Diseases

  • Bordetella bronchiseptica
  • Bubonic plague
  • Bumblefoot (infection)
  • Enterotoxemia
  • Escherichia coli
  • Myxomatosis
  • Pasteurellosis
  • Puumala virus
  • Rabbit haemorrhagic disease
  • Shope papilloma virus
  • Tularemia

  • Tyzzer's disease

Info on Rabbits

More than half the world's rabbit population resides in North America.They are also native to southwestern  Europe, Southeast Asia, Sumetra, some islands of Japan, and in parts of Africa and South America.

abbits are prey animals and are therefore constantly aware of their surroundings. If confronted by a potential threat, a rabbit may freeze and observe then warn others in the warren with powerful thumps on the ground. Rabbits have a remarkably wide field of vision, and a good deal of it is devoted to overhead scanning. They survive predation by burrowing, hopping away in a zig- zag motion, and, if captured, delivering powerful kicks with their hind legs. Their strong teeth allow them to eat and to bite in order to escape a struggle.

Rabbits have a very rapid reproductive rate. The breeding season for most rabbits lasts 9 months, from February to October. In Australia & New Zealand breeding season is late July to late January. Normal gestation is about 30 days. The average size of the litter varies but is usually between 4 and 12 babies, with larger breeds having larger litters.

A baby rabbit is called a Kit.

Rabbits are herbivores that feed by grazing on grass, forbs, and leafy weeds. In consequence, their diet contains large amounts of cellulose, which is hard to digest. Rabbits solve this problem by passing two distinct types of feces: hard droppings and soft black viscous pellets, the latter of which are immediately eaten. Rabbits reingest their own droppings (rather than chewing the cud as do cows and many other herbivores) to digest their food further and extract sufficient nutrients.

Small animal show in Harrogate

Burgess Premier Small Animal Show, essentially ‘The Crufts’ of the small animal world, is taking place on 29th&30th January 2011 at the Yorkshire Event Centre, in Harrogate. Established 90 years ago, the show is the biggest of its kind in the UK, seeing 3,000 gerbils, guinea pigs, hamsters, mice, rabbits and rats gather, under one roof, to compete over the two day event.
 29th Jan 2011 to 30th Jan 2011

http://www.leedsliveitloveit.com/visitors/whats-on~page/burgess-premier-small-animal-show

Rabbit show jumping is a competition in which trained domestic rabbits leap over appropriately sized obstacles. The activity began in the late 1970s in Sweden. The rules are quite different in all countries except Sweden and Norway, therefore it's hard to organize an international competition.
The ideal jumping rabbit has long legs and a long back, which will help it see over longer obstacles and correctly judge the height/length in order to get over.

Saturday

BLAITS the cutest rabbit I have ever seen. Ever.

 lionhead rabbit. They have fluffy manes and come in all colours. Some pointy-eared and some lop-ears. They are medium sized rabbits so are ideal for children. They have exquisite temperaments and are handled every day. They are a very inquisitive and affectionate breed that love attention, but are not high-maintenance and only require occasional grooming. They are easy to train as house rabbits or are equally suited to living outside in a hutch.
Mr. F.B. Roberts judges rabbits at a Beveren Rabbit Club show, held at London Zoo. England, 1940.

                                                      Miners Parade & Gala 1966

Wednesday

History of rabbit shows

http://www.thebrc.org/history.htm
Today there are over 50 recognised  breeds and over 500 varieties! By the end of the 1914-18 war the most important Fur rabbit was the Beveren. This inevitably led a group of Beveren breeders in May 1918 to set up, in Birmingham, a new National Club called The Beveren Club. In the words of its seventeen founders, it was established "in an endeavour to raise the dignity and status of rabbit breeding with the best fur breeds."

Pet rabbit breeds

As I am still not sure what direction my project is going in yet, I am going to find as much information on pet rabbits as possible. Hopefully by doing this I will come up with an idea for my final piece.



Fancy Breeds
Angora, Dutch, Dutch Tri-Coloured, English, Flemish Giant, Giant Papillon, Belgian Hare, Tan Hare, Harlequin, Himalayan, Lionhead, Netherland Dwarf, Polish, Rhinelander, Silver, Tan, Thrianta

Lop Breeds
Cashmere, Mini Cashmere, Dwarf, English, French, German, Meisnner, Miniature, Miniature Lion

Fur Breeds
Alaska, Argente Bleu, Argente Creme, Argente Brun, Argente Champagne, Argente Noir, Beige, Beveren, Blanc de Bouscat, Blance de Hotot, Blanc de Termonde, British Giant, Calafornian, Chinchilla, Chinchilla Giganata, Continental Giant Coloured, Continental Giant White, Deilenaar, Silver Fox, Golden Glavcot, Havana, Hulstlander, Lilac, NZ White, black, blue, NZ Red, Perlfee, Pointed Beveren, Sable, Sallander, Satin, Siberian, Smoke Pearl, Squirrel, Sussex, Swiss Fox, Thuringer, Vienna Coloured, Vienna White, Wheaten, Wheaten Lynx
Rex Breeds
Self: Black, Blue, Ermine, Havana, Lilac, Nutria Shaded: Sable Siamese, Seal Siamese, Smoke Pearl, Smoke Pearl Marten, Tortoiseshell
Tan Pattern: Fawn, Fox, Sable Marten, Seal Marten, Orange, Otter, Tan
Agouti Pattern: Castor, Chinchilla, Cinnamon, Lynx, Opal
Other: Dalmatian, Harlequin, Himalayan, Silver Seal, Satin Rex
Rough Coated: Astrex, Opossum
Mini Rex

Tuesday

'Collecting' animals. Cat Hoarder.

http://animal.discovery.com/videos/confessions-animal-hoarding-a-man-with-30-cats.html



'Don reveals the damage living with 30 cats can cause. He began taking in cats after battling substance abuse and attributes his success in staying sober to his wife, Linda. But Linda has left because of health complications from living in a home ...'



Definition of an Animal Hoarder: Animal hoarding involves keeping higher than usual numbers of animals as pets without having the ability to properly house or care for them, while at the same time denying this inability.

Is the affection people show their pets and indication of their relationship with humans?

Are the two related? If someone has no pets, does this mean they're less inclined to be affectionate to humans than someone who has pets and gives them a lot of love?




Society of Abandoned Animals

'The Society for Abandoned Animals is a local animal charity who care for and rehome unwanted cats, dogs and rabbits. Over a five year period we have successfully rehomed 262 Dogs, 1186 cats, and 290 rabbits Many of our animals have not had the best start in life and so to ensure they are rehomed with caring families who can give them the love and support they deserve, it is our policy to carry out home checks on all potential new homes prior to adoption. In this way we hope to provide the most suitable homes for our animals and give them the best possible start with their new families. The SAA gained charity status in 1967 and is funded with the support of individual donors, corporate partnerships and by our own fundraising activities. The society is staffed by a small team of paid employees and is supported by a great number of committed volunteers, without whom we could not operate. If you would like to get involved either by making a donation becoming a member or volunteer please follow the links opposite. Any help you can give will be greatly appreciated by all of us here at the SAA and of course by all of the animals in our care!'

http://www.saarescue.co.uk/adopt

I Told Bob ( the general manager) that I was planning to make a pamphlet advertising the rabbits. I chose to do the rabbits because I volunteer looking after them over holidays and they struggle to get rehomed. He said that he was really pleased I was trying to help and supported my project greatly.
I spent time taking photos and drawing the rabbits from life to get the research for the illustrations to go into the pamphlet. He also helped with any questions I had about the process of rehoming abandoned animals.
http://www.drmartinwilliams.com/healingpets/healingpets.html

A study of some 6000 patients revealed that those with pets had lower blood pressure, a lower cholesterol level and, as a result, a diminished risk of heart attack. And American researchers have established that, even after a heart attack, pet owners are more likely than other coronary patients to be alive a year later.

pets can also help us by making us feel less lonely, by creating a feeling of being needed and by encouraging social contact with others interested in animals. They are also a stimulus for healthy exercise, keep us busy and make us feel safe.

For some people, animals can provide more consistent emotional support than humans. A Warwich University, England, study found that people who are poor at confiding in others, showing love or making friends were able to lavish affection on a pet.

In Britain, some prisons now encourage inmates to keep pets - caged birds, tropical fish, even cats. These can be a magical ingredient to bring about long-term changes in attitudes and behaviour, with prisoners often finding out for the first time what it's like to give and receive affection.

Monday


In this photo, it shows a homeless person with two pet dogs. I believe this homeless person uses his dogs as companions, friends and something to look after as he is alone. A homeless person such as the one in the picture would feel comforted and not alone by having pet dogs. There are many reasons as to why people become homeless, but pets such as dogs do not judge, and are very loyal when people may not be.



This photo shows Paris hilton using her dogs to enhance her own apearence. She has dressed her dogs up in 'cute' clothes which brings her more attention. For her dogs she has a dog-size multi-level home she has for her 17 chihuahuas and one pomeranian. The mini-mansion is complete with chandeliers, air conditioning, a small wardrobe, and staircase and several beds.
This just shows that she is using her dogs to fit in with her 'Barbie girl' apearance. Her dogs do not bring comfort and companionship as she gets that from her fans and publicity.
I have just bought a book called An Illustrated Life. I thought it looked very interesting because it is a collection of pages from different artists sketchbooks. This helps me understand as part of the collections project but the content also really interests me.
http://www.youtube.com/DannyGregory



"I have a lot of friends in all corners of the world who share my love for illustrated journaling and sketchbooking Some are famous designers and artists, some are just people like me who live to drawin their spare time. This boks collects fifty of them together to talk about their journaling life, share their POVs on media, on style, on the artistic life. Writing it was a real education and deeply inspiring. I still turn to it all the time for new insights and directions." Author, Danny Gregory
An exhibition, in the most general sense, is an organized presentation and display of a selection of items.




What is a collection?

  • collection - several things grouped together or considered as a whole
  • collection - a publication containing a variety of works
  • collection - solicitation: request for a sum of money; "an appeal to raise money for starving children"
  • collection - the act of gathering something together