Kickstarter

For a $10 contribution you will receive a beautiful Illuminated Origin of Species post card mailed to you in a translucent vellum envelope hand-addressed in calligraphy by me. In addition, if you choose, your name will be written in a special section of the actual illuminated manuscript where I acknowledge all contributors to the project.

For each $30 pledge you will receive a boxed set of 8 greeting cards embossed in gold with my original calligraphic design that combines Darwin's tree of life with the phrase "Life is what we make of it." Envelopes are included.

For a $30 pledge you will receive a boxed set of 8 gold foil embossed greeting cards with the phrase "There is grandeur in this view of life." This original calligraphic design combines Darwin's tree of life sketch with a phrase from the famous last paragraph of "On the Origin of Species." Envelopes are included.

For every $60 contribution you will receive a limited edition, 3x5-inch, signed giclee print of one of the actual beetles that will appear in the opening pages of the Illuminated Origin of Species. These prints are hand-embellished with iridescent watercolors and 23-karat gold, and will arrive in a 5x7-inch shadowbox frame. There will be a choice of 5 different beetles. Donate more than once and collect them all!

For $90 you will receive a one-page, personalized thank-you letter addressed to you, your family, or organization, handwritten by me in calligraphy, and illuminated with iridescent watercolors and 23-karat gold. Your letter will be written on high-quality Fabriano paper made in Italy and will be suitable for framing.

Adopt-A-Beetle! For a $250 donation you will receive an ORIGINAL, signed, hand-illuminated 8x10 color painting of your favorite beetle, and a life size version will be included, subject to approval, in the opening pages of The Illuminated Origin of Species. Do you own the rights to a great beetle photo? I will turn it into an illuminated painting for you, and a life-size miniature version for the manuscript. You maintain all rights to your photo, I maintain all rights to the painted image. If you don't have a photo of the beetle you would like to sponsor, I will paint it from an actual specimen. Your contribution will be acknowledged in a special section of the manuscript.

Adopt-A-Beetle! For a $250 donation you will receive an ORIGINAL, signed, hand-illuminated 8x10 color painting of your favorite beetle, and a life size version will be included, subject to approval, in the opening pages of The Illuminated Origin of Species. Do you own the rights to a great beetle photo? I will turn it into an illuminated painting for you, and a life-size miniature version for the manuscript. You maintain all rights to your photo, I maintain all rights to the painted image. If you don't have a photo of the beetle you would like to sponsor, I will paint it from an actual specimen. Your contribution will be acknowledged in a special section of the manuscript.

For a $300 pledge you will receive a handmade miniature book of shiny, painted beetles! The miniature beetle book will be an 8-page accordion in a 2x3-inch matchbox cover. The beetles will be giclee printed onto watercolor paper and hand-embellished with iridescent watercolors and 23-karat gold. This is a limited edition of 12 signed and numbered copies. The first backer to pledge at this level or the $3000 level will receive copy #1/12.

For $600 you will receive a full-size, 22x30-inch hand-painted, handwritten, hand-gilded title page of The Illuminated Origin of Species. THIS IS NOT A PRINT. I will create this piece from start to finish using the same process used make the title page of the original manuscript. No other page of the Illuminated Origin will be made available as an original. Each one of these will be slightly different, but all will have the Illuminated Origin of Species title block in raised 23-karat gold. This piece will be signed.

For $2000, you will receive ALL of the rewards listed above, including the Title Page and Miniature Book, PLUS you will receive the original calligraphic art created for the greeting card design "Life is what we make of it," OR "There is grandeur in theis view of life" featuring Darwin's tree of life. This one-of-a-kind original work of art is made of 23-karat gold on 300-lb Fabriano Artistico paper, and is signed and beautifully framed to 16x16 inches. Your name will be written in a special section of the Illuminated Origin of Species as a founding donor.