Janna Kumi
@birchblues.bsky.social
Forester with industry, BC and Canada for 35 years. Now peacefully retired and drawing what the eye often overlooks - forms and patterns of tree bark - including the organisms living there.
"What's up?" the prompt asks me.
My old computer crashed, my new computer was infected with spyware, and now I have my third computer. It is running fine, but I can't find a damn thing. This slide popped up, so that is a good sign. It shows a Cedrus repairing a cut branch, drawn in 2018. Sold.
My old computer crashed, my new computer was infected with spyware, and now I have my third computer. It is running fine, but I can't find a damn thing. This slide popped up, so that is a good sign. It shows a Cedrus repairing a cut branch, drawn in 2018. Sold.
June 15, 2025 at 4:02 AM
"What's up?" the prompt asks me.
My old computer crashed, my new computer was infected with spyware, and now I have my third computer. It is running fine, but I can't find a damn thing. This slide popped up, so that is a good sign. It shows a Cedrus repairing a cut branch, drawn in 2018. Sold.
My old computer crashed, my new computer was infected with spyware, and now I have my third computer. It is running fine, but I can't find a damn thing. This slide popped up, so that is a good sign. It shows a Cedrus repairing a cut branch, drawn in 2018. Sold.
Note to self. Loved Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's first sit-down presser with US President Donald Trump yesterday. Canadians told him we are not for sale. Damn right. Never, never, never. We, the owners of Canada, want as little to do as possible with Trump.
May 8, 2025 at 4:41 AM
Note to self. Loved Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's first sit-down presser with US President Donald Trump yesterday. Canadians told him we are not for sale. Damn right. Never, never, never. We, the owners of Canada, want as little to do as possible with Trump.
Been busy organizing a Spring Art Sale in West Vancouver last week. Sold 77 in one day (online until May 11). Decompressing for me is going back to my tree bark explorations. Completed a 12x12x1" collage with bark (arbutus, paper maple, birch), canvas on cradled panel entitled "Lucky Number".
May 8, 2025 at 4:31 AM
Been busy organizing a Spring Art Sale in West Vancouver last week. Sold 77 in one day (online until May 11). Decompressing for me is going back to my tree bark explorations. Completed a 12x12x1" collage with bark (arbutus, paper maple, birch), canvas on cradled panel entitled "Lucky Number".
This is an experimental drawing of a tiny Ponderosa bark in colour pencil on canvas which is wrapped around an 8x8x1.5" cradled panel. I like the more abstract look of this work, as the canvas gives it more interest. I think I'll try a larger surface next time.
April 4, 2025 at 2:18 AM
This is an experimental drawing of a tiny Ponderosa bark in colour pencil on canvas which is wrapped around an 8x8x1.5" cradled panel. I like the more abstract look of this work, as the canvas gives it more interest. I think I'll try a larger surface next time.
Sitka Spruce Surreal, 10x10x1.5" colour pencil, ink on cradled panel. What is just beyond the reach of the human eye captivates me artistically and with colour pencils, allows me to come closer to reality than with any other art medium. #sitkaspruce #treebark #colourpencil #drawing #art
January 14, 2025 at 7:01 AM
Sitka Spruce Surreal, 10x10x1.5" colour pencil, ink on cradled panel. What is just beyond the reach of the human eye captivates me artistically and with colour pencils, allows me to come closer to reality than with any other art medium. #sitkaspruce #treebark #colourpencil #drawing #art
I'm all for that! Leave the Amerika behind until they grow up and maybe we'll let them play in the sandbox with the rest of the sane world. Haven't read the article (behind the paywall). What do you think?
www.economist.com/europe/2025/...
www.economist.com/europe/2025/...
Why Canada should join the EU
Europe needs space and resources, Canada needs people. Let’s deal
www.economist.com
January 2, 2025 at 11:58 PM
I'm all for that! Leave the Amerika behind until they grow up and maybe we'll let them play in the sandbox with the rest of the sane world. Haven't read the article (behind the paywall). What do you think?
www.economist.com/europe/2025/...
www.economist.com/europe/2025/...
He's far from perfect but I'll take him before the other contenders, including Trump.
www.cbc.ca/news/politic...
www.cbc.ca/news/politic...
Trudeau makes his case to Canadians in year-end interview with comedian Mark Critch | CBC News
Through laughs and jokes, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau attempted to make his case to take the Liberals into the next election.
www.cbc.ca
January 2, 2025 at 12:18 AM
He's far from perfect but I'll take him before the other contenders, including Trump.
www.cbc.ca/news/politic...
www.cbc.ca/news/politic...
Why the USA should become Canada's 11th province, by Pete McMartin in the Vancouver Sun: vancouversun.com/opinion/colu....
I'd say "Hell no!"
I'd say "Hell no!"
Pete McMartin: Why the U.S. should be Canada's 11th province
Donald Trump joked about Canada becoming the 51st state during his dinner with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at Mar-a-Lago last month.
vancouversun.com
December 27, 2024 at 11:22 PM
Why the USA should become Canada's 11th province, by Pete McMartin in the Vancouver Sun: vancouversun.com/opinion/colu....
I'd say "Hell no!"
I'd say "Hell no!"
Americans invaded Canada twice: 1775 and 1812. You lost.
The USA's $50 B trade deficit with Canada is not a subsidy. You need & buy our resources. We don't buy as much from you due to your manufacturing decline and low worker & investment productivity.
The USA's $50 B trade deficit with Canada is not a subsidy. You need & buy our resources. We don't buy as much from you due to your manufacturing decline and low worker & investment productivity.
December 26, 2024 at 8:58 AM
Americans invaded Canada twice: 1775 and 1812. You lost.
The USA's $50 B trade deficit with Canada is not a subsidy. You need & buy our resources. We don't buy as much from you due to your manufacturing decline and low worker & investment productivity.
The USA's $50 B trade deficit with Canada is not a subsidy. You need & buy our resources. We don't buy as much from you due to your manufacturing decline and low worker & investment productivity.
Sitka's Jewels. Colour pencil drawing on cradled panel 8x8x1.2" drawn from the photo taken early December 2024 and shown in previous post. The Donald can purchase this if he gets in contact with me. I don't discriminate against my collectors. #sitkaspruce #sitkasprucebark #colourpencilart
December 24, 2024 at 10:09 PM
Sitka's Jewels. Colour pencil drawing on cradled panel 8x8x1.2" drawn from the photo taken early December 2024 and shown in previous post. The Donald can purchase this if he gets in contact with me. I don't discriminate against my collectors. #sitkaspruce #sitkasprucebark #colourpencilart
Ponderosa pine has the most visually attractive bark in Western Canada. The understated colour of its bark is characteristic of ponderosa growing in the South Cariboo, BC compared to those in the Okanagan. Colour pencil on paper, 30x22" Sold #bark #ponderosa #southcariboo #artonpaper
December 14, 2024 at 7:50 AM
Ponderosa pine has the most visually attractive bark in Western Canada. The understated colour of its bark is characteristic of ponderosa growing in the South Cariboo, BC compared to those in the Okanagan. Colour pencil on paper, 30x22" Sold #bark #ponderosa #southcariboo #artonpaper
New climate benefit from trees - methane gobbling microbes living on tree bark. Calculating surface area of tree bark = the earth's land surface and bark is covered with microbes See: Global atmospheric methane uptake by upland tree woody surfaces, Nature 631, p796–800, 2024. #tree #bark #methane
December 9, 2024 at 12:55 AM
I like and trust Harry Litman. Sorry to see him go but he went for all the right reasons
Bravo for @harrylitman.bsky.social’s selfless decision to resign the LA Times in protest. “The existential stakes for our democracy that Trump’s second term poses” make Soon-Shiong’s “currying favor with the President-elect . . . repugnant and dangerous.”
harrylitman.substack.com/p/why-i-just...
Why I Just Resigned From The Los Angeles Times
By Harry Litman
harrylitman.substack.com
December 6, 2024 at 2:48 AM
I like and trust Harry Litman. Sorry to see him go but he went for all the right reasons
Coat of Many Colours - Eastern white pine bark. Colour pencil drawing 28x22" on cradled panel, framed. Hangs in a physiotherapist's office and patients like the calming effects of the detail, losing their anxieties in the complexities of crevices, scale layers, and colours of blue-green algae.
December 4, 2024 at 5:59 AM
Coat of Many Colours - Eastern white pine bark. Colour pencil drawing 28x22" on cradled panel, framed. Hangs in a physiotherapist's office and patients like the calming effects of the detail, losing their anxieties in the complexities of crevices, scale layers, and colours of blue-green algae.
My first birch drawing done few years ago. It hangs in an architects office in West Vancouver
November 28, 2024 at 6:37 AM
My first birch drawing done few years ago. It hangs in an architects office in West Vancouver
As a woman, I am sure the person in the next stall has a chance of being a born male but identifying as a female. They haven't bothered me yet and I do not expect they will at some future date.
November 21, 2024 at 12:34 AM
As a woman, I am sure the person in the next stall has a chance of being a born male but identifying as a female. They haven't bothered me yet and I do not expect they will at some future date.
Why is my handle birchblues? I draw/paint/collage tree bark, one of my favourites being birch. On the left is the original Birchblues collage and on the right is a new drawing titled Shadow Play
November 19, 2024 at 8:26 PM
Why is my handle birchblues? I draw/paint/collage tree bark, one of my favourites being birch. On the left is the original Birchblues collage and on the right is a new drawing titled Shadow Play
I'm excited to be here and looking forward to new opportunities, a fresh start, being informed by other viewpoints, and engaging in deeper understandings. Hello everyone!
November 19, 2024 at 8:06 PM
I'm excited to be here and looking forward to new opportunities, a fresh start, being informed by other viewpoints, and engaging in deeper understandings. Hello everyone!