White Mountains Residency Works on display at “Take Me Home”

• Space: Bicknell’s Thrush (Catharus bicknelli)
• Time: White Mountain Fritillary (Boloria titania montinus)

Cortada created this painting during Summer 2012 in Center Sandwich, NH during his White Mountain National Forest/Northern New Hampshire Art Association artists residency. The Bicknell’s Thrush (Catharus bicknelli) only summer habitat is below the alpine area in White Mountain National Forest, a habitat shrinking as global climate change allows hardwoods to encroach from below and high winds at the alpine elevations restrict the upper boundaries of their dense Balsam Fir habitat.  This bird species migrates to habitats beyond the forest boundaries, wintering on the island of Hispaniola, where its habitat is being deforested. Researchers are focused on the effects of acid rain and the deposition of mercury at the top of WMNF mountains as possible causes for dwindling species populations.

The  White Mountain Fritillary (Boloria titania montinus) is a glacial relic. This butterfly evolved as subspecies at the mountain’s alpine elevations after the glaciers receded. Scientist’s have yet to discover the plant the Arctic Butterfly uses to lay its eggs, so it is difficult to gauge potential global climate change threats. This is one of the paintings which focus on sensitive species living in the White Mountain National Forest at the top of Mt. Washington.