I am an artist, writer, and photographer, devoted to California native plants, gardening, compost, hummingbirds, matilija poppies, evening primroses, ceanothus, and coast live oaks.
Dog lover, walker, and Mexico aficionado, I collaborate with several Luiseño, Acjachemen, Kumeyaay, and Cahuilla basketweavers who love the southern California back country.
Together, we walk down steep poison oak-covered streambanks and slog up streambeds to gather Juncus textilis, hike through Rancho Cuyamaca State Park in search of deergrass, wallow in muck to photograph willow, climb precipitous hillsides to harvest chia seeds, secure clearances to visit Camp Pendleton to document ancient rock art and village sites, prostrate ourselves before the wild peonies, drink tuna/prickly pear margaritas, travel to poppy heaven in Lake Elsinore, redbud heaven on Laguna Mountain, and matilija poppy heaven in my own front yard.
I work collaboratively with my art students at California State University San Marcos to help protect native lands, document cultural practices, and learn the native plants so essential to indigenous cultures as well as to the many species who share this particular part of the planet.
- Mono Lake Project
- News from Native California cover, Spring 2008
- Routine Contaminations
Hello there,
I would love to speak to you about licensing some of your photos for a project. Can you please get in touch?
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Hello!
My name is Ananya Mukherjee, I am from India and I am looking forward to taking up the wonderful field of Ethnobotany for my Ph.D. study. I came across your blog during one of my browsing sessions and I have to tell you that I am so motivated and inspired by your posts and the way you connect nature to culture. You have been an inspiration.
I would really like to be in touch with you. Looking forward to hearing from you!
Best,
Ananya.
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Hi Barbara,
Love your blog. I’m an environmental journalist and documentary producer.
Looking to be in touch with you…but can’t find your e-mail on your blog.
Please be in touch 🙂
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Dearest Maestra Small,
Yesterday in the wild canyon of remembrance while out at work again courting yerba buena vines and the last swollen buds of Alamo mothers still resin rich
though exploding now in a generous green canopy to shelter coyote’s croaking wife from father suns sharper summer teeth, an incalculable beauty of lazuli bunting was seen dreamlike flashing in seeming response to this gathering song like a turquoise permission sign to trespass there, amidst the Holy’s of nature still nurturing us back from amnesia and apathy.
I mention it only to say thank you for your own fine blue flashing found here today in this digital domain that through your work and lens is somehow likewise natural, life giving and affirming in it’s nearly impossible existence and service to what f certainly lends hope for our children’s children’s children, in a time beyond our own.
May the Rain Come Down,
Kestrel Blackburn
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Dear Kestral,
Thank you for such a beautiful, wondrous comment.
Your writing takes my breath away.
And yes, may the rain come down,
Deborah
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Hello Deborah, I am continuing the work of Sara Tremayne (an above commenter) and would like to use one of your wonderful depicting the use of Baltic rush in basketweaving for a set of native plant ID cards we are developing to train our volunteers in native plant knowledge. May we have permission to use one of these photos, and to whom can we attribute them?
https://deborahsmall.wordpress.com/2009/10/31/open-weave-juncus-baskets/ (one of the top two photos)
With gratitude,
Amy
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hi amy,
i sent a higher res photo of the juncus basket to your email address.
and you’re welcome to use the other one as well.
best,
deborah
________________________________
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How do I sign up for your blog? and email address. There are so many interesting subjects on your site. I pick, prickly pears every year, in North County San Diego. I have some great Las Tunas photos.
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Hello David,
if you scroll down beneath the small thumbnail photos on the R side of the blog, there is a place to Follow Blog via Email. Just click there. Enjoy your tunas. Should be a great crop this year! —Deborah
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Hello Professor Small,
I could not figure out where your email was located on your page, so there fore I am leaving a message here.
I just wanted to remind you if you could ask the tech lab how you format the harddrive to both types of computers, mac as well as non-mac computers.
Thank you so much and see you on Tuesday!
Melissa Eckburg
VSAR 321 5-6:50
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Hello Deborah, I am helping to develop some educational materials for the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History. May we have permission to use a couple of your acorn gathering and processing photos featured in the Cultural Revitalization slideshow? The images would be for public use and we would credit your work. Thanks in advance, and thanks for the wonderful work you are doing! Ann
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Hi Ann, You have my permission to use the acorn gathering and processing photos. I’ll let my collaborators know as well. Best, Deborah Small ________________________________
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Hello Deborah, I am the Exhibits Specialist at the U.S. National Arboretum in Washington, D.C. Could we please have permission to use two of your images: 1) Panchita Moreno holds her snake basket, and 2) Abe Sanchez, master basketweaver, gathers deergrass, Rancho Cuyamaca State Park. They would be used on educational panels for an exhibit in our National Herb Garden this summer about uses of native grasses for things other than lawns and landscapes. Sincerely, Kathleen
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Hi Kathleen,
Yes, you have permission to use both photos.
I know both Abe Sanchez and Panchita Moreno will be so pleased, and I am as well.
Please let me know if you need high resolution images for the panels.
Best,
Deborah Small
dsmall@csusm.edu
760-728-1681
________________________________
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Hello Deborah, All of your work is wonderful! I came across your blog looking for deer grass basket photos to use on a set of native plant ID cards we are developing to train our volunteers in native plant knowledge. May we have permission to use one of your basket photos, attributed to you?
Thank you for considering, Sara
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hi sara, you certainly have permission to use a basket photo. if you let me know which one, i can let the basket weaver know as well. they’re thrilled to see their work used in various ways that help enhance knowledge about native plants and people. thank you for asking.
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Thank you, Deborah. I’ll use this image of Abe Sanchez’ juncus and deergrass basket hat. https://deborahsmall.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/abe_basket_cap_over_3814.jpg
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Thanks Sara, I just let Abe know.
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Hi Deborah, Would you (or someone you know) be interested in conducting a basket weaving workshop for 4th graders at the Waldorf School of San Diego? They are already very accomplished hand workers (17 students). Please email me with any details you may have. Thank you! Christy
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This is super cool work you are doing. I like your gathering stories and pictures. Thank you.
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Hi Deborah, I’ve enjoyed your blog, content and wonderful photographs many times!! Glad you are good! Warm regards, Kim
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H Deborah,
Abe Sanchez is leading a basket weaving class for our organization in February. He mentioned that we might be able to use a couple of your photos (of Abe and his baskets) to promote the class. Please let me know if you approve.
Thanks so much,
Briana, Anza-Borrego Foundation
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hi briana, yes, you’re very welcome to use the photos of abe and his beautiful baskets. best, deborah
> New comment on your post “01 About” > Author : Briana Puzzo (IP: 69.105.139.177 , > adsl-69-105-139-177.dsl.sndg02.pacbell.net) > E-mail : briana@theabf.org > URL : http://www.theabf.org > Whois : http://whois.arin.net/rest/ip/69.105.139.177
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Thanks so much!
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I love your blog. Can you help me understand the visual and structural differences of Rhus trilobata from Salix after they have been split and woven?
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Wonderful blog! I am particularly moved by your photography. What kind of camera do you use?
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Wow, do I love your blog! We’d love to link to you and have you do a guest blog from time to time if that interests you. Contact me if you’re interested.
Our site (still a work in progress) is http://www.HerbCompanion.com
Great work!
–K.C. Compton
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Hi Do you know where I can get seends for the tricostema Lanatum (Woolly Blue Curl) plant?
Regards,
Guy
guy@soft-test.com
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This work is just wonderful! I am inspired.
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