What's Up - Your guide to what's happening in Fayetteville, AR this week!
Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/1226496
BECCA MARTIN-BROWN NWA Democrat-Gazette D onna Mulhollan has decided that 2020 is for the birds — but in her case, that's a good thing. Having already dedicated the year to her feathered friends, Mulhollan has now added an effort to help humans, too. The surprise might be that her "craftivism" has nothing to do with playing music. Mulhollan and her husband, Kelly Mulhollan, are best known to regional audiences as the musical duo Still on the Hill. What some may not remember is that they also used to perform as Toucan Jam, presenting a show titled "Things With Wings" — "an imaginary trip around the globe with story-songs about birds from every continent." "We had puppets and costumes and exotic instruments," Mulhollan remembers. "We just retired that part of our world after 20 years. So as you can see, birds are a big part of our life — and birds are having a hard time right now. Species are declining so rapidly. We have written a whole new show called 'Words on Birds' with 'low-tech power point' and the works. We were going to unveil it on April 1, but then this crisis hit, and all our gigs canceled." Mulhollan's "low-tech power points" have been a fixture of Still on the Hill concerts for awhile now. She creates quilt blocks to illustrate songs, using her love for and talent in fiber arts instead of a computer. Sheltered at home, with no performances for the foreseeable future, all of these aspects of Mulhollan's creativity came together with a longtime devotion to helping the MARCH 29-APRIL 4, 2020 WHAT'S UP! 3 Go Online! • Watch Donna Mulhollan talk about "Give Us This Day Our Daily Bird" here: youtu.be/ WtSznAdx_2o • Find her "daily bird" on her Facebook page. • Contact her at still@stillon thehill.com to claim your bird or order a special bird. Only local pickup is available right now. • Send your donation to 7Hills Homeless Center, Attn: Dona- tions, 828 S. Seven Hills Court, Fayetteville 72701. COVER STORY See Daily bird Page 4 Artist puts feelings into felt for a good cause Most Northwest Arkansans know Donna Mulhollan as half of the Still on the Hill musical duo. But while they're sheltering at home, she's turning her attention to craftivism — and the needle felting of birds. (Courtesy Photo)