Sunday, December 27, 2015

Wild Man Book - Status Update

The compilation of articles is complete. I've organized the book in the following way:

Chapter 1 - What is a Wild Man?
Chapter 2 - The Stories by State, in Alphabetical Order (Alabama-Nevada)
Chapter 3 - The Stories by State, in Alphabetical Order (New Jersey-Wisconsin)
Chapter 4 - The Stories - Canada
Chapter 5 - The Stories - Other Countries
Chapter 6 - Conclusion and Recap
Chapter 7 - What is Bigfoot?
Chapter 8 - Origin of Bigfoot
Chapter 9 - Timeline of Evolution
Chapter 10 - Glossary of Terms

Right now the length is a nice 76,500 words. There are some great stories. In many, people just didn't know what they were seeing. There's a classic from 1839 in Wisconsin and one from outside the U.S. Both must reads. The 'What is Bigfoot?' and 'Origin of Bigfoot' are chapters added to address reader questions about "What else could a hairy ape-like wild man be?" I'm in the process of editing it all. Format, spelling, grammar, ya-da, ya-da.



Wednesday, December 23, 2015

The Writing is Complete!

What's left is a lot of editing. Plus all the marketing, e.g. Descriptions of the book in various numbers of words, the design of the book cover, etc. I have the book cover art. It's my painting. The book contains over 130 articles from newspapers from 38 states and a number of countries. The articles go back to 1839 ( a fascinating one from Wisconsin in 1839). Be aware that WILD MEN (probably the title) are stories about humans and woodland ape like beasts like those huge, hairy, non-human primates that we think roam the woods of North America. Sometimes the stories make it pretty clear which is which. Sometimes not. The journalistic writing is different enough back in the 1800s and early 1900s that I've added a short glossary of terms you (and definitely me) were unsure of their meanings. I have also added a few pages on what I think Bigfoot is, man or ape since it has characteristics of both. I also delve into its possible origins. Fun stuff.

Saturday, December 19, 2015

WILD MAN Book draft now at 70,000 words!

I wanted to explore this topic, the Wild Man, but had no real good idea of what I'd find. It's a matter of finding old newspaper articles and compiling the stories. I had a feeling it would be a mix of mysterious sightings of something that could be man or beast. I was right, although more man than I would have thought. As part of the book, I will be: 1) compiling statistics regarding the stories, e.g. what states, wild man description, what the average/usual sighting consists of, etc.; 2) a glossary of terms and words that I ran into that serves to show how our language, or at least our journalistic writing may have changed since the 1800s and early 1900s.; 3) as a bonus, I'm working on my own interpretation of what I thing Bigfoot is, its origins, etc.

I'm closing in on the completion of the compilation of stories.

The bookcover will be a painting of mine.

Wednesday, December 2, 2015

Wild Man Stories

The compilation of Wild Man articles from newspapers so far involve 36 states and two Canadian provinces. The newspaper sources are all based in the US so the stats are understandable. There are several countries as well, mostly Asian.

Newspaper language was a little different back around the turn of the century and before. Sometimes stilted, but usually amusing. Sometimes dismissive of some of the sightings and sometimes editorial in nature, but it's easy to see that wild men or similar creatures were witnessed often. Sometimes captured. Often hairy. Muscular. Large. Mostly naked.

Now at 46,000 words. Nowhere near complete.

Sunday, November 29, 2015

Entries in the Portrait Exhibition at the Trescott Street Gallery, Taunton

I have emailed in two images, one each of the portraits I have done. There is a first line filter. Each of the pieces has to be accepted into the juried exhibition. The images are below. The top one I've named a Family Portrait. The bottom one is an Artist Rendition of the Wild Man of Bluff Creek.

Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Dropping Off and Entering Three of My Paintings in the Attleboro Arts Museum Members Exhibition

Tomorrow I will be dropping off two abstract pieces and a realistic-type painting in the member show. I've been reluctant to enter anything other than impressionistic or realistic paintings, but there is a prize for abstract, so why not? I have some experimental paintings that might catch a judge's eye.

Further, on my compilation of Wild Man stories, I am up to 30,000 words so far with quite a long way to go. I've added more articles from additional states and countries. I'm sure I'm over 20 states and close to a half dozen countries currently. While many of the stories might seem like fodder for Bigfoot enthusiasts, many others are truly accounts of feral humans running around in the forests, acting kind of nutty.

Monday, November 9, 2015

Trescott Street Gallery, Taunton Hosting a Juried Exhibit of Portraits

I am working on a portrait for a local competition to be held at the Trescott Street Gallery in Taunton. Digital copies of potential entries need to be sent via email. Juried entries which pass first muster will compete for prizes. I will be submitting a couple, one done some time ago, the other I expect to finish soon.

Portraits are not my strength, but I'm having some fun with the attempt.

Sunday, November 8, 2015

Attleboro Arts Museum Art Auction Last Night

We attended the Art Auction last night. More pieces than last year went up for sale and it seemed more crowded with attendees.  Very impressive, again (we went last year as well). We left a little early, but both my donated works had bids, so I won't have to go pick them up.

Last year one of mine was very actively bid on and both sold. I'm sure to hear from the Museum with the results this next week.

Wild Man book - Now up to 20,000 words

What is a ‘Wild Man’?

If you’re thinking of a wild man like I am, you’re most likely thinking of a feral man, not a wild one. (And when we’re talking about wild men, let’s be frank. We’re talking about wild women, too, even though there are far more stories or sightings of wild men than women, at least so far in my research) Feral animals were once part of a civilized or domesticated world. That’s the definition. For whatever reason, some humans decided to depart from civilization. They escape to the woods, the forests, or anywhere else to get away and live ‘in the wild’. They may often live on the edge of civilization and sometimes cross paths with it. Wild men might do this on purpose to steal food or spy on their civilized brethren. Or it might be an accidental sighting by a hiker, a farmer or hunter.


Wild men became wild men for many reasons. There were escaped convicts, runaway slaves, military deserters, criminals, insane, homeless, vagrants, and just those who were enticed by the call of the wild, wilderness, outside, solitude or whatever. Of course, there were other ‘wild men’ that witnesses thought to be too hairy, large, ape-like to be human. Sometimes the newspaper stories, based on witness accounts, were too difficult to determine whether the wild man was human or not.

I'll be making some tabulation of the sightings, but in general, it seems that wild men are naked, mostly hairy, are rugged and athletic-looking. Some are giants and really hairy. Some wear bits of clothing and carry a weapon, like a club. They are mischievous, breaking into sheds, barns and livestock pens, stealing anything that can eaten, live or otherwise. Some are confused with animals, like gorillas, or even bears.

The old newspaper articles are the most fun, because of a number of reasons. We just don't read writing like old newspaper accounts. Witness accounts are quite detailed, but likely as unreliable as current ones. Nevertheless, patterns do develop. More to come.

Wednesday, October 28, 2015

Check this new review of Sivapithecus Americanus on Smashwords


Review by: Belgo on Oct. 28, 2015 :  
Excellent story!!! This was a very interesting tale, yet very plausible. There was a lot of science included, which was informative but did not get tedious. I think this could be a terrific movie! Bravo, Mr. Gibson on a great story.
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/535464

Monday, October 26, 2015

New Book - Wild Men (Unnamed) at 11,000 words.

Thus far, with only 11,000 words, I have complete newspaper articles from 17 states, two Canadian provinces, and a couple foreign nations. Most are older stories, i.e. early 1920s back to 1839. For those more recent I am using the headlines and a brief summary of the article.

You must know. This is not a Bigfoot book. Wild men did exist. Feral humans lived on the edge of civilization in the nineteenth century. Others were more the freak show type of wild men, while according to the witnesses' accounts, many others may have been wild animals, like those huge bipedal hairy non-human primates we all know about. This compilation of accounts will allow you to reach your own conclusion.

Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Starting a new book....Not Zombies this time...It's Wild Men.

The book is unnamed as of yet, but the subject will be the written accounts of the wild men of North American. The older stories of wild men have fascinated me for the last number of months. The Indians knew about them, but the new arrivals from Europe did not. Stories were passed on from mouth to mouth until newspapers began to report on them, beginning in the 1830s, as the growth in numbers of newspapers exploded. Some of these were wild men were just that. They may have been jail escapees, crazies, slaves on the run, deserters, criminals, circus and exhibited fakes or just those in search of the quiet, solitude and beauty of nature and perhaps more than one huge, bipedal, hairy primate that have stalked the forests for perhaps thousands of years.

There are plenty of stories to tell. The headlines are sometimes amusing, and outright laughable. Newspapers were often skeptical of any reports or sightings and did not shy away from disparaging witnesses as having overactive imaginations or too much to drink.

Thus far, 3000 words with many more to come.

Thursday, October 1, 2015

Repair of Painting

I may be able to publish my crudely edited video of the repair, but until then here's what I did.

1. Cut out a patch of canvas big enough to cover the tear.
2. Take the painting out of the frame.
3. Apply the patch over the tear on the back of the canvas, using an appropriate adhesive. I used a medium.
4. Weight down the patch with books, making sure there is aluminum foil or waxed paper between the books and the patch so glue doesn't stick to the books.
5. Once the patch dries, paint over the front of the painting where the tear was. It's just a touch up of the small lines of the tear, but make sure the strokes, color and body of the paint sufficiently cover the tear.
6. Let it dry. You're done. Except for a small patch in the back of the painting, it would be hard to tell you had a tear.
Repairing a tear in a painting

Monday, September 28, 2015

Uh Oh...

As I was taking my two paintings to Attleboro to be donated to the Auction to be held by the Attleboro Arts Museum, one of them fell onto the other, tearing the canvas in a three corner tear. It's never happened before to me. Never thought it could. I came home and picked out another painting, created another donation form, and will make the trip to Attleboro tomorrow.

In the meantime, I thought the painting was lost. What a bummer! But a search of the Internet gave me hope that the tear could be repaired, at least enough for me to recover the painting for my personal gallery. I think I do a short video on the project.

More to come. Oh.  The one that got torn was 'Gulliver Street in the Fall'.

Thursday, September 24, 2015

The Art Calendar is Getting Busier

Attleboro Arts Museum - Their annual charity auction will take place November 7th. For that, I am donating two pieces as I did last year. One is a piece for which I received an Honorable Mention in the Art Show at Massasoit Community College in May. The other is a night scene of the Manhattan skyline from the shores of Brooklyn. I have to get together the necessary paperwork and get them over to Attleboro by October 2nd.

The two works are in the column to the right: 1) Manhattan from Brooklyn II; 2) Gulliver Street in the Fall.

Taunton Art Association - Their Annual Fall Art Show is the third week in October. I will be submitting three works. They will include my favorite, When Eye Cry, which now shows up in my background of my Twitter account. By the way, my Twitter account can be found at @billg135.

The three works are in the column to the right: 1) Manhattan from Brooklyn I; 2) Why Eye Cry; 3) Unnamed.

Thursday, July 30, 2015

Abstract

I am attempting some trials of fluid art using either enamel or acrylic paints. I should have put this into a time lapse video. I have two more to post. They are drying right now. The black, white and orange motif is posted to the right under Abstract. There are two others numbered 2 and 3 that I photographed under poor light and conditions which I'll have to redo.

Monday, July 6, 2015

I continue to tweet Bigfoot and Sasquatch related Topics on Twitter

Check out @billg135 on Twitter for my words relating to DNA, Sasquatch and primate intelligence, some excerpts from my book, how many Bigfoot there are and other topics.

In the meantime I will be delivering some of my paintings to a Fall River for an exhibition. It will include two which I am posting to the column to the right of this.

Wednesday, June 3, 2015

How Many Bigfoot are there?

How many Bigfoot are there? Of course, no one knows. The BFRO states that informed estimates put the number at  2000-6000 for North America, including Canada. I know there are a number of methods and variables involved in estimating the population sizes of species. However, most don't apply to a cryptid. So, I devised my own method of estimation.

One assumption I made was that Bigfoot breeding populations are borderline insufficient to sustain themselves. I think we all hope that's not true, but if they were a known species, I believe they'd be on the Endangered Species List.  I suspect there has been a lot of inbreeding among Sasquatches. This may have resulted in some physical deformities, such as feet with three four or six toes, maybe even albinism. These characteristics have been reported. However, I did find some research that indicated that mountain gorillas, another great ape, were known to have been inbreeding when their populations dipped to dangerously low levels. However, they did not suffer any detectable genetic problems as a result of inbreeding.

The second assumption I made was that each breeding population inhabited a limited, albeit large area, say the size of a large state, a Canadian Province or two, or several smaller states.

Lastly, I used the number of 200 as the minimum number in a breeding population. This is approximately the number of mountain gorillas which existed at their lowest population level before awareness of their situation caused conditions to change and their numbers to rise.

These groups of states might be thought of as habitation areas for roaming groups of Bigfoot. You can agree or disagree with the numbers or how they are broken out.
Florida
Texas
Oklahoma-AR
Ohio-Penn
Mich-MInn
Canada ~5 Provinces
Wash
Oregon
Calif
New England
KY-TN-VA
NC-SC-GA
AK-BC
UT-ID-CO
So, that makes 18 large areas perhaps accommodating 200 Bigfoot each.

So, 200 x 18 = 3600.  Although I didn't mean to, I sort of confirmed the BFRO 'informed' estimate. Doesn't mean it's right, but it's a reasonable starting point.

Ways to Buy the Book

Silvapithecus Americanus is available from the Apple iBook store, Barnes & Noble, Sony, Kobo, Smashwords and others.
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/Silvapithecus?store=allproducts&keyword=Silvapithecus
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/535464


Sunday, May 10, 2015

Massasoit Arts Festival

Both of my paintings have been accepted for the above festival. They appear to the right. The black and white moonlit ocean scene won an honorable mention.

Ribbon Winners of Taunton Art Association Fall and Spring Art Shows to Exhibit Works

My painting, seen to the right, 'Gulliver Street in the Fall', will be displayed at the Trescott Street Gallery starting May 15th for about a month, along with the other winners. 

Monday, April 27, 2015

Silvapithecus Americanus - Will DNA be the final word if a specimen is taken?

What will DNA tell us about Bigfoot?
If and when a Bigfoot specimen is taken, it is expected that the DNA results will help place the Bigfoot somewhere in the ape-human family tree. Don't be so sure. 

DNA is not the be-all, end-all 'blueprint' when it comes to defining differences and similarities between species like the great apes and humans, or for that matter, any species.  There is also morphology to consider. (Wiki describes Morphology as a branch of biology dealing with the study of the form and structure of organisms and their specific structural features. This includes aspects of the outward appearance (shape, structure, color, pattern), i.e., external morphology as well as the form and structure of the internal parts like bones and organs, i.e., internal morphology or anatomy.)

You've probably heard that humans are most closely related to the great ape, the chimpanzee. Nucleotide mismatches with humans occur in the African great apes, as is determined by DNA hybridization, at the rate of 1.1%. Humans and orangutans differ by a factor of 2.4%. That's a pretty close genetic similarity.*

Yet, as small the percentage is, why aren't chimps and humans almost identical in a morphological sense? (i.e. why don' t they look more alike?) * Did you know that human males differ from human females in their DNA by about 1.5%. A major reason is that the male Y chromosome is much smaller female X chromosome. If you took only the percentage differences, wouldn't you conclude that human males are more closely related to chimps than human females? The difference, of course, is that human males and females are much more similar to each other morphologically. Some of these are derived features of the Homo sapiens species. (In the study of evolutionary relationships, derived refers to traits that exist in a present organism, but did not exist in the organism's ancestors.)*

Let's talk about another great ape, the orangutan. There are two species of orangutans, Bornean and Sumatran. The mitochondrial DNA difference between these two very similar species exceeds that between humans and chimpanzees. Yet, the two types of orangutans are much more similar to each other morphologically than humans are with chimps.* As an aside, I think the study of orangutans is very important because the possible ancestors of Bigfoot are Sivapithecus and the later Gigantopithecus, both who have strong ties to current day orangutans.

The comparison of gene sequences is not enough. Importantly, it's the effect of communication between regulatory genes and RNA, so-called genomic processes that is going to result in an improved understanding of evolution and genes.
(*ideas from 'The Red Ape' by Jeffrey H. Schwartz)

So, what's my point?

When that big, hairy ape's DNA is truly taken from a valid specimen, expect there to be more questions than answers about whether it is human's closest relative. The morphology of the creature should be considered. There is no scientific justification to favor DNA over morphological data.

Wednesday, April 22, 2015

The First Returns re: Silvapithecus Americanus are in!

"Wow. I enjoyed it very much. I couldn't anticipate what would happen next." - V.B., Orlando

The Book is available at Barnes & Noble and the Apple iBook Store.

Sunday, April 19, 2015

Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Silvapithecus Americanus Approved for Premium Distribution

The book has been approved by Smashwords for premium distribution. This includes sellers like Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple, Page & Foundry, Baker & Taylor, Library Direct, OverDrive, FlipKart, Scribd and Ouster. It will be available for sale online in these in several days to a week or so.

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

Silvapithecus Americanus - Discovery of a New Species

That's the title of the new book. Silva is Latin for 'woods' or 'forest'. Pithecus is Latinized Greek for 'ape'. Americanus is the Latin adjective for 'American'. The eBook will be available soon. It has been submitted to my distributor, Smashwords.com for Premium Distribution. Stay tuned. It tells the tale of events leading to the discovery of our closet relative, a bipedal nonhuman ape living  for centuries in the forests of North America...and what follows the discovery. See the book cover on the right.

Sunday, April 12, 2015

The New Book Will Be ~40,000 Words

I'm still not ready to disclose the details of the book. I'm working on the last edit. I have completed the book cover. That would give away the subject. And I've finished the description of the book.

Monday, March 30, 2015

25,000 words and working toward a wild finish....

This is where I am thinking through the ending to this. Up to this point, there are reports and encounters to support the story line. Now I will take this to an ending that I do not deem to be completely out of line with reality, but possible. OK, not very likely, but aren't some of the true stories actually turn out to be the weirdest?

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Untitled Book - Status Report

I'm moving right along. 20,000+ words in the bank. Takes place in northern California. A late 50s grandmother who is an accomplished Veterinarian with guardian responsibility for her 10 year old (or so) granddaughter, both who have moved from the Boston area. No Zombies in this one. It's fiction. A cryptozoology bend to the story.

Monday, March 9, 2015

Working on a New Book - as yet untitled

I'm not ready yet to disclose anything about, except to say what it is NOT about. It's not a Zombie thriller novel. It's not Science Fiction. What else could it be?

It's fiction, but like a lot of other fiction, it could be true. For me, it's not a 'WAY OUT THERE' type of book.

5000 words are written and the writing is easy. Things I want people to know about the subject.

Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Are You Enjoying the Snow and Cold?

The weather is epic. It's not been this cold for this long and this snowy in my lifetime. Golf season seems so long from now, but probably not more than about a month...I hope.

Anyway, I've had some time indoors. The paintings to the right are some more recent ones. Plus I have started a book, a novel. Not a Zombie thriller. Something else that interests me. I've penned a couple thousand words so far and have the general structure of the book settled in my mind. I will wait a while before I reveal any subject material.

Hope you enjoy the paintings.


Wednesday, February 4, 2015

This Winter's Work...thus far

My painting this winter has often taken a back seat to shoveling snow and refilling the bird feeders. Then more shoveling. Shoveling out the mailbox. Shoveling the walkway. Shoveling a tunnel so that the oil delivery guy can get to the side of the house. I've also read a lot and taken quite a few notes for a possible new book. Not a zombie thriller, but a novel. It's just something I'm working on. It may never result in anything, but I do enjoy the research.

I did attend a critique session in January for artists at the Attleboro Arts Museum and found it helpful. It was a two hour session. There were six of us. Each of our works was 'critiqued' by our peers and the session leader who was an assistant professor. We were easy on one another which lead to feelings not getting hurt. However, I was expecting just a little more brutality, e.g. 'what do you really think of my subject, my composition, color, technique?' We got a little of that, but with the 16 ounce boxing gloves with short rounds. At any rate, I'd go to another.

This winter's work in painting is not yet finished. I've posted some of my work off to the right in the column. You also will see some in prior posts. Hope you find them interesting and enjoyable.