I’m so looking forward to meeting this artist at the winter fair! I hope we get a chance to nerd out about nature and art.
Hi there! First things first: What’s your name, what’s your business name, where are you from, and where are you currently located/crafting?
My name is Rosemary Mosco, and I run Bird and Moon Comics. I make cartoons and charts about nature and biology. I’m originally from Canada, but I live in Boston now. I’ve spent most of my life in the Northeast, and that’s where I’m most at home — especially in the woods, where I can find my favorite critters and plants.
How did you get your start? Please tell us a little bit about how your business went from an idea to what it is today.
I always, always wanted to mix art and science in my work. It’s not easy to do, and after my third year of college I took some time off to explore out my options. Just for fun, I started making comics to fill my evenings. I went to my first indie comics show, met some amazing creators and was completely hooked. I’ve been making comics and charts ever since (with a few breaks for projects and school — my graduate degree from an ecology program has been especially helpful).
What inspires you the most to create?
Biology and nature are endlessly exciting to me. I want to get other people excited about them, and that’s what drives me to write and draw. I also love how my art puts me in a position to talk about my favorite subjects with other nature geeks.
What are your favorite materials to work with?
I hand-draw my cartoons and prints using my favorite Faber Castell pens on that miraculous Borden & Riley Paris Bleedproof Paper, and then color them in Photoshop. I have a huge bookshelf full of field guides next to my desk, and by the time a project’s done, every surface is pretty much covered with them.
Do you have a favorite color palette?
I learned to color at the same time as I learned to make old-school video game art. Old games used to be pretty constrained in terms of the number of colors, so I still use pretty limited palettes for each project. Beyond that, the critters dictate the colors. For example, have you ever seen a photo of a Peacock Mantis Shrimp? They’re colored like an explosion at a paint factory. And they can see hues that we can’t, so you know they’re even more dazzling than we can see.
Who are some of your favorite indie artist/crafters and why do you love them?
There are so many great artists and crafters who combine science and art. Weirdbuglady on Etsy makes plush versions of some of my favorite paleontological specimens. Taylorcustom.com is where a local artist sells some amazing science gifts like jewelry and keychains — I have a coelacanth keychain from them.
Any exciting future plans or developments in the works for your business? (Nothing TOP-SECRET, of course!)
I’m working on adding t-shirts to the mix. That way nature geeks can find each other without resorting to complex displays or songs that may reveal their location to potential predators.
What are some other things you like to do when you are not busy making awesome stuff?
I also love leading nature hikes and taking part in wildlife surveys. If I get to wear my hip waders, it’s a bonus! And any day with a bog in it is a good day.
What are the top 3 reasons someone shopping at the BBB 2012 should be sure to stop by your table?
1. I’ll have gifts for the birder, nature lover or dinosaur-obsessed kid or grownup in your life.
2. You’ll learn something new.
3. If a wayward moose shows up at the Bazaar, I’ll be able to relocate it to the appropriate habitat.
What is your favorite background noise to listen to while working?
My parrot makes really strange sounds, so I spend most of my time listening to her squawks, as well as her occasional super-earnest wolf whistle.
Where do you (craft) work?
I draw and design my stuff at home. I come up with ideas when I’m bird watching, leading nature hikes, keying out local plants and generally getting my boots muddy.
What is your favorite mythical beast and what do you think their favorite crafty past time is?
I have a soft spot for Proginoskes the cherubim from the kids’ book A Wind In The Door. Does that count? He’s mostly made of wings and eyes. I imagine he would make some pretty incredible paintings.
See you soon Rosemary! I’ll be picking out my favorites on your site until then.
