About the Author

Illustrator:
As a natural history illustrator and botanical artist, Gillian Harris works at the intersection of art and science: she enjoys delving into field guides and other resources to research her detailed illustrations, while appreciating how drawing or painting a subject deepens her understanding of it. Gillian earned a BA in English at Indiana University and attended graduate school at Harvard University. As a non-degree student she later studied botany at Harvard, University of Michigan, and IU. At Michigan she also studied natural science illustration, and her first project was contributing illustrations to a 12-volume animal life encyclopedia. Gillian has since illustrated field guides and gardening books, one of which she co-wrote. Her work has appeared in the journals Smithsonian in Your Classroom and The Botanical Artist and was commissioned for exhibits in the Smithsonian's National Zoo.

Author:
Michael A. Homoya is a botanist and plant ecologist. He works for Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Division of Nature Preserves and is adjunct faculty for Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis.
He has been a botanist and plant ecologist for the Indiana DNR Natural Heritage Program since 1982. His duties include discovery and assessment of natural areas for inclusion as state dedicated nature preserves, conducting field surveys for rare species and state-significant natural communities, and updating the official Indiana list of rare, threatened, and endangered vascular plants. Current book projects are about Indiana ferns and Indiana's early natural landscape. He teaches Indiana flora class at IUPUI.

Author:
Shane Gibson has been in education for over 20 years, writing poetry for more than 25 years, and enjoying the outdoors since birth. At an early age, Shane's dad immersed him in nature through fishing, hunting, searching the spring woods for morel mushrooms, walking the plowed farm ground for historical artifacts, and just playing outside. This immersion in nature grew into a life-long passion for the outdoors. In the early years after a day in the field, his dad would ask, "did you see any wildlife?" In the last few years of his dad's life, he began asking Shane, "Did you write any poetry today?" for he knew that bird list, short stories, or poetry was sure to come from that quiet time sitting in the woods of southern Indiana. With degrees in environmental science and elementary education from Indiana University, Shane enjoys blending his love of the outdoors, writing, and literature. He is Environmental Education Director for Sycamore Land Trust, is former Director of Environmental Education at Bradford Woods, Indiana University's Outdoor Center, naturalist with Indy Parks, and a classroom teacher. Shane has envisioned his poetry in book form for many years and is thankful for this publication.