June 15, 2010

by Katie Throne

Artist, 11, Campaigns to Save Gulf Birds

While reading the depressing daily reports on the worst oil spill in our nation's history, I found a heart-warming story about a young New York artist inspired by John James Audubon to help save the Gulf birds.

Olivia Bouler, 11, has already helped to raise more than $70,000 to protect whooping cranes and other birds who are threatened by the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

A budding orinthologist who already knows she wants to study at Cornell University, Olivia was shaken by the growing disaster and wanted to do something. So she wrote a letter to the National Audubon Society and told them she had one skill to offer: drawing. “Eleven years old and willing to help,” she wrote.

Olivia is drawing birds and sending one rendering to every person who donates to oil relief efforts through the society. Learning of her effort, AOL donated $25,000 in her name to the Audubon Society and offered to host her portfolio at a site it maintains for artists.

She has sent out more than 150 illustrations so far and plans to stop at 500 original drawings, all of which are now subscribed. Beyond that, new contributors will receive limited edition prints of her work. If you make a donation and email her your receipt, she'll send you a print. Click HERE to Donate.

Her Facebook page has attracted more than 17,000 fans. (It happens to be a bigger draw than Kevin Costner’s, which has received much attention because of his proposed spill remedy.)

Gulf | Oil | Artist

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