Ars gratia natura

Bloodthirsty

2012-02-27T15:57:00.000-08:00

Second painting in a series of paintings exploring the human concept of coyote.

Coyote: Bloodthirsty
Acrylic on scrap board 2'X4'
Click for larger view.

One view of the coyote holds that it is vicious and to be feared.
This may be a part of the disconnection many people now feel in regards to our own ecosystems. Misunderstanding begets fear.

I could write a novel about the fear and misunderstanding of the wild, of wild animals, and of the outdoors in general, but others already have and we're talking about coyotes. Are fears, like this, warranted? Should sightings of wild coyotes cause terror in the hearts of parents?

Here are some statistics: From 1960-2006, 142 attacks (on humans, by coyotes) were reported. (L.A. White and S.D. Gehrt, 2009) The majority were in California, with Arizona coming in second. In 30% of cases, the coyotes were either being intentionally or unintentionally fed in the area of the attack. But many attacks did seem to be random. The authors of the study go on to describe why they think the majority of these attacks were by coyotes that were habituated to humans.

Coyotes are also accused of attacking pets- particularly cats and small dogs. From what my google searches have yielded, it seems that the cat attacks are ambiguous- people lose their cats (which they, ahem, let outside), and blame coyotes, but rarely have seen the attack. That doesn't mean it never happens, though; there have been plenty of (substantial) reports of small dogs being attacked and killed, too.
In contrast, according to the Center for Disease Control, 4.5 million Americans are bitten by domestic dogs each year. 31 fatal dog attacks occurred in the US in 2011 alone. Only 2 fatal coyote attacks in North America have been recorded in modern history.

The conclusion is coyotes are wild animals. They need to be treated with respect and caution. They are not out to get us, but they will do what they think they need to do to defend themselves or to get a meal. Just like every other wild critter.

I almost forgot to mention the plant- it's deadly nightshade, Atropa belladonna.

Coyote

2012-02-19T09:22:00.000-08:00

First painting in a series of paintings exploring the human concept of coyote.

Coyote I: Acrylic on scrap board, 2X2'

Click for larger view.

The view of coyote as a wild animal, but as part of the natural world that most now see as somewhat mysterious. This painting includes the flower Nerium oleander, which has traditionally been used for some types of healing (external), but is also poisonous when consumed because parts of it contain glycosides. I thought this plant would be fitting for the duality of our view of coyote- both as something natural and admirable, while also loathed for merely surviving simply because they like to dine on some of the same things we do.

Related Posts: I, II

February Updates/Help Waldi!

2012-02-17T18:34:00.000-08:00

The winter semester is well underway, so I'm pretty busy with my classes right now. However, I'm working on a rather large piece right now, and some other small stuff is on the back burner. In the meantime, Jorie & I are officially business partners under Riverhouse Arts, LLC, our new Michigan business. We'll be making nature-related art products and hope to develop interpretation/nature-ed materials in the future.

In the meantime, check out this adorable dog:

This is Waldi, of Where's Waldi fame. My friends adopted him from a shelter last fall. They found out recently that he came to them with IVDD, a disease sadly common with dacshunds. He suddenly lost the use of his back legs and had to have emergency surgery on his spine. Like most recent college graduates including myself, my friends have yet to find great paying jobs despite the fact that they are both amazingly talented. So they need a little help with the very expensive cost of surgery for this handsome boy. Please chipin to help with just a small fraction of their bill and/or share the link with others to spread the word!

If you donate, contact me at qquiscula AT gmail DOT com and I will send you a personalized postcard with a drawing of an animal of your choice on the front.

ETA: By the way, here's a drawing of Waldi I made based off of one of the adorable pictures of him wearing a sweater.

Martes pennanti

2012-01-23T11:08:00.000-08:00

Martes pennanti (fisher)

gouache and ink

Fishers are a rarely seen member of the mustelid family. They do live in the Upper Peninsula, however they prefer old-growth forests and do not do well in heavily logged areas. They are one of the few critters that will take on a porcupine (and win).

Blizzard Sleeper

2012-01-22T17:36:00.000-08:00

Blizzard Sleeper

5.5"X10" ink & watercolor

Oryctolagus cuniculus

2012-01-08T15:44:00.000-08:00

Oryctolagus cuniculus
European Rabbit

Revisiting gouache to see what I can do with it. This painting is just a copy of a photo found on google.. just practice. I've found that gouache and ink don't work so well together (at least, not gouache and microns), but going to try ink & brush over some gouache next...

Happy New Year

2011-12-31T07:25:00.000-08:00

Here's my New Year's postcard.

I hope 2012 is a good year.

Lagomorphia

2011-12-24T17:23:00.000-08:00

I've been doing some rabbit studies... Rabbits are so good at forming rounded shapes. They're really interesting to draw.

Christmas at the DogHouse

2011-12-20T13:40:00.000-08:00

A "little" commission for a local business. By little, I mean these are Christmas ornaments, but the order was fairly large, and hand-painting each one took some time. I'm pretty pleased with the results and very grateful for having the opportunity to produce such a fun order for a local establishment.

Decorate!

2011-12-13T07:04:00.000-08:00

What a busy semester! My classes have kept me quite occupied, along with working a few hours a week at the art museum and volunteering with a local girl scout troop. It's exam week so a month-long break is within reach. I can't wait. I'm finishing up some Christmas commissions while trying to get my own gifts completed in time! I hope I will have time to just.. make art again!

As you can see, we have our tree up. We got a locally-sourced tree from Meister's and it's decorated with wooden beads and a plethora of nature-themed ornaments (most of which seem to be raccoons).

The other thing keeping me busy is the creation of ornaments! They have been selling quite well this year, and I have come up with some new designs. The North American Owls set is by far the most popular right now. The new set of mammals includes critters like the northern flying squirrel, long-tailed weasel, moose, wolf, coyote, red squirrel, and more. As always, my ornaments are available via etsy, and they are still being sold locally at Wild Birds Unlimited and now at Nature Connection Kalamazoo. All ornaments are now being printed on 30% post-consumer recycled cardstock and tied with twine. They are no longer laminated so they're a little more earth-friendly than before, too.

Haylee's Treasure is Here!

2011-11-18T16:55:00.001-08:00

I can't believe I haven't posted until now, but Haylee's Treasure has been published! Thanks to generous donors and supporters, we were able to get the right start on the book and it is now available for purchase. Books can be bought direct from myself or from History CPR, and in Marquette, they can be found at the Marquette Food Co-op, Superior View, Serendipity salon, and Northern Michigan University School of Art & Design.

Books are being sent to those who chose them as rewards during our Kickstarter campaign, as are the bird ornaments some selected. Speaking of which...

It's ornament season! I just finished and mailed the 15 Kickstarter reward packs, but I have some left over that are of a very limited edition. These are Birds Set 2 (rewards were of Set 1) on 100% post-consumer recycled cardstock and there are only two left on etsy as I type this! There are also 3 sets of the Mammals Set 1 on the same paper on etsy. Get them quick! The future printings will be on 30% post-consumer recycled cardstock.

My ornaments are sadly no longer available at Zero Degrees Art Gallery. It's a lovely gallery full of amazing work by talented artists, but I just wasn't making a profit there, so I decided to try something new. Jorie will still be selling her cards there for the time being, and I still highly recommend going to Zero because there are so many neat things! But my ornaments are now available at Wild Birds Unlimited Marquette! I'm very excited about this new partnership and I hope they do well there. They may even end up at other stores in the chain soon.

Three of my classes for this semester have completed, but I'm busy as ever with making ornaments and doing homework for my remaining classes. I hope to get back to painting soon... I'm chomping at the bit to do so!

Boreal Mushrooms & Friends

2011-10-23T17:00:00.000-07:00

Mushrooms: Cantharellula umbonata, Collybia tuberosa, Rozites caperata, Cortinarius armillatus, Armillaria ponderosa, Lactarius chryssorheus, Hydnellum scrobiculatum.

Mosses: Dicranum sp., Polytrichum sp., Ptilium crista-castrensis, Leucobryum glaucum.

Lichens: Cladina rangiferina, Cladina mitus.

Old Field Species (And one Bog Species)

2011-10-10T14:58:00.000-07:00

Some quick scans of the latest plant illustrations. Busy busy.

Support Haylee's Treasure!

2011-09-26T19:21:00.000-07:00

The Haylee's Treasure Kickstarter Campaign is underway- Please help us reach our goal so the book can be published and in the hands of kids in Michigan and beyond! This book is important because it will expose kids to the amazing Upper Peninsula of Michigan in ways no other book has. The story follows Haylee on her summer adventure to the U.P., where she learns about history, nature, and more! The book even features art by History CPR Craft Guild members, supporting local Michigan artists. The book is ready to go- we just need a little boost to get it printed and ready to go! Some backers will receive ornaments, cards, or other artwork from me for donating. So check it out!

Fear in the Jaws of Survival

2011-09-25T17:30:00.000-07:00

Around the time my first semester of my second degree started this fall, I had a dream that I saw a coyote outside of our house. I noticed it had a dead rabbit. The coyote didn't seem to notice me, and left with the rabbit.

We're not quite half-way into the semester yet, but I have gained a lot already. I was terrified to go on the field trips with my classes (due to my health), but I have been overcoming that. All the way out in Grand Marais, on top of the Grand Sable Dunes with my peers, I saw coyote tracks trotting, and then pouncing; ending in a pile of feathers, and then trotting off.

Ooooo, dramatic. But really, I'm glad I'm facing these challenges!

Boreal Flora- More Northern Hardwood Forest Plants

2011-09-22T18:05:00.000-07:00

Creeping snowberry, fly honeysuckle, bush honeysuckle, low sweet blueberry, canada blueberry, white baneberry, pipsissewa, round-lobed hepatica, and goldthread.

Creeping snowberry, fly honeysuckle, bush honeysuckle, low sweet blueberry, canada blueberry, white baneberry, pippsissewa, round-lobed hepatica, and goldthread.

Boreal Flora- Forest and Ferns

2011-09-21T07:16:00.000-07:00

Northern Hardwood Forest Plants-

sarsaparilla, wintergreen, big leaf aster, jack-in-the-pulpit, bluebead lily, Canada mayflower, solomon's seal, and bunchberry.

Ferns (represented by leaflets only)
bracken fern, oak fern, lady fern, spiny shield fern, cinnamon fern, royal fern, and interrupted fern.

I'm a little behind on illustrating for Boreal Flora, but here are the latest two completed pages! I hope to catch up later this week/weekend.

Boreal Flora Week 1

2011-09-05T17:36:00.000-07:00

During the first week of boreal flora, we focused on aquatic plants. We visited Harlow Lake to see what species we could find and ID. I illustrated some of them as a way to remember them.

Many of these plants are food for wildlife such as moose and waterfowl.

Nature School

2011-09-04T08:31:00.000-07:00

The first week of classes was a very busy one for me. In addition to the full load of credits, I'm working a few hours a week and keeping up with chores at home. My classes are all pretty neat though: boreal flora, outdoor living skills, intro to leisure, hiking, a self-defense course, and education in outdoor settings. The names really don't tell much as far as content, and these classes are packed with things I am excited to learn. I'm really pushing the limits of what I can do physically by taking these courses, but I am hoping I will find I'm capable of more than I thought.

The only art I have to share today is the badger I drew on one of my notebooks. I'll be drawing some of the aquatic plants from my boreal flora class this weekend so those will be here soon (I hope).

[ETA: I also scanned the patch I designed and sewed onto my school bag...]

Mushroom Love

2011-08-22T09:15:00.000-07:00

I love mushrooms. I do love eating them, but mostly I just love looking at them and finding them. We did find some lovely oyster mushrooms in some nearby woods the other day, so we had the pleasure of finding, seeing, and eating them!

The trouble is identifying mushrooms. It's really tough. The only wild mushrooms I will eat at this point are oyster and morel because they're the only ones I know how to identify for certain. It took me awhile to identify the mushroom in this watercolor and ink piece I made yesterday:

Amanita fulva/Tawny Grisette

Posters, Ornaments, and a New Website

2011-08-21T09:20:00.001-07:00

Local organization Northern Vegans is soon holding an event where folks can come to discover the reasons some of their fellow citizens have chosen a vegan lifestyle. I volunteered to design the poster for their event, and I'm hoping I can continue to design for them!

I recently finished a redesign of my website. It was slightly overdue, but having my designs for sale locally with my website printed on the tags was a good incentive for getting it updated. The site now contains a detailed products page outlining how to order your own custom ornaments, as well as updated digital and traditional art sections.

And I've designed a fourth set of ornaments- Michigan Mammals Set 2. The new birds and mammals sets aren't available for purchase yet, but once some of the first sets are sold, I will start printing some of the new ones. They can also be printed to order, so if you're interested, let me know!

Branching

2011-08-14T08:16:00.000-07:00

Bird ornaments. Photo by Jorie.

I found out this week that Jorie and I will both be selling artwork at the 0º Art Gallery in Marquette! We first saw the gallery a few months after moving away, and I was kicking myself for leaving because I really wanted to get involved. So we're very happy this is happening. Jorie will be selling papercraft cards and I will be selling both bird and mammal ornaments. I'm actually working on a second set of the birds, and considering making more and making them into a second type of item (educational, of course).

A few of the new designs.

Jorie and I have also been working on getting footage of local artists and others tied to Haylee's Treasure, because there is going to be a Kickstarter campaign to get the book off the ground and into the hands of kids! It's been fun getting the footage; we were able to meet some great people. First, we met up with local artist Beth Millner, who makes beautiful metal jewelry. We then went to Munising, where we talked to the owner of Falling Rock Cafe and a collector of Munising Woodenware Bowls. We're all hoping this campaign will get people excited about Haylee's Treasure so we can finish publishing the book and get it out there! I will post updates as soon as the Kickstarter campaign begins. By the way: I will be creating some of the prizes for donations- including bird ornaments and a custom painting.

Tail Rings

2011-08-11T18:46:00.000-07:00

Firstly, the squirrel piece I posted last is now for sale. Then, I made a second colored pencil piece, which is also for sale.

Procyon lotor

It's been kind of raccoon-y around here lately. During our second week in our new home, we were dealing with some heavy road construction. We were concerned about when and if our trash would be picked up in the morning, so we put it out overnight. Needless to say, a raccoon found it and tore some holes in the bag. The evidence of the culprit was nearby in the form of a front and hind foot print in the sand.

That night, we went to a concert. We arrived home just before midnight and switched on the light out back and took a look outside. The large round thermometer that had been hanging on our clothesline was broken and laying on the ground, and a good lot of peanuts that had been in the nearby birdfeeder were also on the ground. No animal was in sight. We turned off the light. Thirty minutes later, we checked back and saw the large raccoon munching the peanuts on the ground. It fled when we opened the door.

Then, I was sitting in our screened-in porch one evening and looked over my shoulder after hearing a rustling noise. The raccoon's head appeared just above the edge of the deck nearby.

Jorie has recently photographed a (different) raccoon that was hit by a car on the nearby highway. Speaking of animals being hit- we have taken measures to discourage our night-time visitor; we no longer put our trash out overnight and we moved the birdfeeder. Feeding wild mammals is generally a big no-no as it causes all kinds of problems for them. One not mentioned at the link is the likelihood of these animals being hit by a car due to their affinity for areas of human habitation.

I'll be updating again soon with some announcements!

Nest

2011-08-03T11:02:00.000-07:00

We're all moved in. We're enjoying seeing lots of wildlife already- most notably a gray fox! We were visited by at least one raccoon last night. They took the time to rip several holes in our trash bags which were awaiting pickup in the morning, but didn't seem to find anything worth taking. Every evening, if we watch for it, we see a muskrat swim downriver.

I've been glad to see red (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) and gray squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) again. Ann Arbor's squirrel population is unquestionably dominated by fox squirrels (Sciurus niger), but here in the U.P., we have gray and red squirrels, but no fox squirrels (at least, not in Marquette). We've seen a black-phase gray in our yard along with chipmunks and several red squirrels, one of which has a broken arm but gets around quite well.

I wanted to try using watercolor on some mat board scraps today, but found that it immediately buckled with the first wash, so I quickly dried the wash and smoothed out the top layer of paper, then decided to try colored pencil for the first time in a very long time. This picture of a red squirrel in a somewhat abstract nest is the result.

NY Sketches

2011-07-19T19:13:00.000-07:00

Simmy, Grandma Murphy's big old cat taking a snooze.

Jorie found barn swallow eggshells, a ceramic die, and an empty walnut half in/near the garage at Grandma's home.

Grandma's stove, and a page of chickens and a duck. These guys (gals) were at Elizabeth's house. We loved watching the chickens. I managed to do a few sketches despite the struggle to get their form and movement down as they moved quickly.

Sketched and quickly watercolored view from Grandma's picnic table.

Our trip to New York ended today. I thought I should get some sketches and such up now, before we move in a few days. Upstate New York was really pretty. I'm not used to so many mountains! The Catskills were a sight to behold. It somewhat reminded me of Japan, with it's rolling hills and mountains of green.

TC Sketches

2011-07-13T18:28:00.000-07:00

Some sketches done while sitting on the dock of Long Lake in Traverse City during a visit to see my parents. I swam in the lake frequently as a kid, as it's only a mile or so down the road from their house. There was a nice evening sunset when I sketched these.

Inside This Acorn

2011-06-27T18:32:00.000-07:00

Playing around with the idea of utilizing my character "Sorrel" for nature ed comics. With no intention of scrapping the original story, of course. So here are some doodles of Sorrel sharing her knowledge of trees!

Fallen Fledgeling

2011-06-26T12:24:00.000-07:00

American Robin (Turdus migratorius)

We went out for a drive early this morning and witnessed a car in front of us hit one of the many birds swooping over the road. We parked and Jorie ran out to get it. It had most likely died before it hit the ground and was still warm. We brought the juvenile American robin home with us so she could photograph it. I also took that opportunity to draw it. She then gave the young bird a proper burial. We see a lot of dead birds along the roads here. Robins and catbirds seem to be the most common.

I haven't been feeling so good this month, as my lack of posts might indicate. I'm hoping that some changes and a doctor visit or two will help and I'll be posting regularly again. We're also doing some traveling soon, and then moving. I hope I will have the energy to draw and paint during these events!

County Farm Park

2011-06-13T12:38:00.001-07:00

I walked to County Farm Park today. It's quite close to where we live in Ann Arbor, so it's a nice way to get outside when I don't want to brave someplace far away. It's a decent little park if one can ignore the sound of heavy traffic on Washtenaw, the lawnmowers, and the planes flying overhead. When I did block all of that out, I heard crickets and birds. I brought my pocket-sized sketchbook and did some standing-up sketches. The first is of someone's patch in the community garden.

I also stopped to sketch some dame's rocket (Hesperis matronalis- native to Europe), a log surrounded by new growth, and the leaf of a plant I have yet to identify.

I stopped on a hill in the shady, woodsier part of the park to draw this stump full of new growth. While I stood and sketched, a few groups of young kids passed by with their teachers, likely from the school nearby. The kids seemed familiar with the area, although there was some minor confusion as to which fork the first group took when the second and third groups crested the hill. I tried to direct the first kids that arrived, but they rightfully ignored me (stranger danger!) and instead I informed their adult guides. I managed to come away from this experience with only one large mosquito bite.

Peonies

2011-06-07T11:31:00.000-07:00

Been awhile since I've posted! We heard some sad news last week, which resulted in feeling bummed out and in making some art for some people we care about. I also had to finish up some last-minute adjustments to HT, which should be complete now. I think it will be off the printer in early July.

Yesterday, Jorie and I went to the Arboretum to see the blooming peonies. It was nice to see so many people coming out to look at flowers. People were even sitting on the hillsides on blankets and having picnics and whatnot. It reminded me a little of flower viewing, or Hanami, in Japan. I haven't experienced it there (we just missed the blossoms last year), but I have read about it. It was interesting to smell all the different varieties of peony- some smell like perfume, others reminded me of spices.

The Extended Phenotype

2011-05-29T12:42:00.000-07:00

Castor canadensis and dam, Hirundo rustica and nest
Click for fullview

Several years ago, I read the book The Extended Phenotype by Richard Dawkins. The basic premise is that extended phenotypes are the things genes do outside of the body. For example, a bird's nest, a beaver dam, a termite mound, and even a parasite causing it's host to change behavior (to the advantage of the parasite). It's a very interesting read and I recommend it, in addition to The Selfish Gene.

Squirrels, Hands, and Squirrel Hands

2011-05-26T09:11:00.000-07:00

A sketchbook page from yesterday during a several-hour deluge of rain. It was very dark outside, so I had a small lamp on, which provided some nice shadows for drawing my hand. I also sketched a very young fox squirrel as it climbed through the buckthorn outside my window. The squirrel eventually ended up under the eaves of the building, clutching a branch morosely as it poured and thundered. At least he stayed dry.

I also drew the fore and hind feet of a squirrel, courtesy of some photos Jorie took of a dead squirrel.

World Turtle Day

2011-05-24T16:05:00.000-07:00

Terrapene ornata ornata
This is Bo, short for Boozikado. Boozikado is the Anishinaabe/Ojibwe word for box turtle. I assume, since the Ojibwe are a people of the great lakes region, that the name refers to the Eastern Box Turtle. However, the box turtle above is not native to Michigan. Ornate box turtles are plains dwellers and are native to the Midwest US. Bo started out as someone's pet. Before that, we don't know where he came from. It could be that he was wild-harvested, unfortunately. He was also mistaken for a she and thus some problems came up when he was put in an already too-small habitat with other box turtles. Long story short, Bo ended up with us. He's very charming, but he loves to eat anything that moves, including fingers.

I started this painting yesterday, during World Turtle Day. Follow the link to a blog post by a friend of mine, and please bookmark/subscribe to the blog! The blog belongs to a very young new museum with a very interesting and important focus.

Acer rubrum
I also did a quick illustration of some red maple leaves today. We had a pretty intense storm yesterday afternoon, and the downpour brought down some new growth from the trees. These young maple leaves were attached to a small portion of the branch they came from, along with the fruit, called samara. When mature, the shape of the "wings" on the samara allows them to float away from the tree on the wind.

Hyalophora cecropia

2011-05-22T11:35:00.000-07:00

Hyalophora cecropia, the cecropia moth (male).
Click for full view.

The cecropia moth is, in my opinion, a tragically beautiful insect. I say tragically because once they emerge as adults, they have no mouthparts and thus cannot eat. They mate, lay eggs, and soon die, like many other insects. My first experience with one was particularly heartbreaking.

Someone at a nature center I worked at had brought in a cocoon in the fall and put it in a plastic fishbowl. That person quit their job and the cocoon was mostly forgotten. I entered the center one day to find the moth had emerged overnight and did not have room to spread her wings as they dried, and so she was crippled. She had laid all her eggs in the container, but of course they were not fertile. It was incredibly sad, but from the experience, I was able to examine the moth up-close and realize how beautiful she was. It was also yet another experience that led me to believe wild lives are best left where they are- in the wild.

"House" Cats

2011-05-19T15:56:00.000-07:00

I work with these cats 5 days a week for a few hours in the morning. These are the resident cats of the Ann Arbor Cat Clinic. Clockwise, from the top: Bitty, Sherman, Boots, and Martin. I get to interact with a lot of cats at the clinic, including cats for adoption and cats being boarded while their owners are on vacation. But these guys, the resident cats, are the only constant and I always look forward to seeing them in the morning. You can read more about them on the AACC website.

BTBW

2011-05-16T04:14:00.000-07:00

Black-throated blue warbler (Dendroica caerulescens) on a Japanese maple. Tried to channel Hiroshige a little.

Black-throated blue warblers migrate to Michigan in the spring to breed and head off for the South again in late summer. They are beautiful little birds. This painting is of the male, but the female is equally beautiful in her own way. The females have just the slightest tinge of blue on their caps. The black-throated blue warbler was one of the first birds I held when I was a field assistant for a grad student at NMU. They're one of the birds that led me to become fascinated with birds in general. You can hear their song up in the canopy in the summer as a buzzy little "zoo zoo zoo zoo zee".

Birdoodles

2011-05-15T08:41:00.000-07:00

Yellow-rumped warbler, American redstart, and palm warbler (Dendroica coronata, Setophaga ruticilla, Dendroica palmarum). Spotted all of these species at Magee Marsh in Ohio last week.

...and a leaf doodle.

Magnolia × soulangeana

2011-05-14T07:54:00.000-07:00

I've seen these trees blooming all over Ann Arbor and I knew they were magnolias but what I just learned is that this particular species is a hybrid. Anyway, they're all dropping their petals now, especially with all the rain.

The YooP

2011-05-13T09:48:00.000-07:00

Best place ever. I'm feeling a little inspired by retro color palettes right now.

Sharon Hollow Watercolors

2011-05-08T18:20:00.000-07:00

Polyporus squamosus (Dryad Saddle) and a fallen branch.

Tibicen Love Song

2011-05-07T05:53:00.001-07:00

Tibicen canicularis

Dirt Instar

2011-05-05T13:09:00.000-07:00

View of US 2

2011-04-24T08:52:00.000-07:00

I've been unusually busy lately- working on finding a place to live when we move in late July, finishing up HT, etc. About a week ago, we went on a short trip to the U.P. to look at some homes. On the ride back, I watched as the beautiful April U.P. woods flew by along US Highway 2. I later sketched, then finally painted small images of what I remembered. Beech trees with lingering autumn leaves and gajillions of beautiful conifers.

Dealing with Dragons

2011-04-02T13:43:00.001-07:00

Another dragon for my cousin.

Salamanders

2011-03-20T18:41:00.001-07:00

We're participating in a salamander survey in the A2 area this year. We've been out a few times but the weather hasn't been "perfect" yet. One night was too dry, and tonight was perfect except the temperature dropped incredibly low once the sun set. Hoping soon we will see some of these neat guys.

The paintings are not to-scale. The redback salamander is super tiny and spotted salamanders are large in comparison.

I'm still offering art for donations to Japan. $10 donation to any relief organization for people or animals gets you 2 ACEO cards with original artwork, mailed to you for free. Prints are $15 donation + shipping cost of the print. See previous entry for more details. They really do need the help there.

Saisei

2011-03-13T11:22:00.000-07:00

Offering prints of this image in return for $15+ donations to disaster relief in Japan. Send me a screenshot of your donation (edit out your personal info) and send $8.95 (just to cover 2.99 print cost + shipping) to paypal address qquiscula AT gmail.com and include your mailing address. I will have a high-quality mpix print mailed directly to you. The kanji on the image says "saisei" or "regrowth" and features a Japanese deer in velvet and sacred Sakaki tree.

Even if this doesn't manage to raise any money, it's also just to express my feelings about this disaster. I hope the people of Japan can rebuild, regrow, and heal. Having been there just last spring, it was difficult to watch the footage of the tsunami consuming homes and land. I'm very grateful that our friends in Japan, such as our host family and others we met along the way were not in the northeast area, but I know that everyone is hurting because of the destruction and loss of life.

Jorie is offering a photographic print as well. Click the image for more details.

[EDIT] We now have these listed in our etsy shop to make it more convenient.

Medicine Wheel 3

2011-03-05T19:38:00.000-08:00

Medicine Wheel 2

2011-03-05T11:07:00.000-08:00

Wagon Full of History

2011-03-05T06:58:00.000-08:00

Learn more about Munising Woodenware. Getting very close to finishing the illustrations for HT!

Skunk Cabbage

2011-03-01T15:03:00.000-08:00

Jorie spotted it in the woods near the Matthaei Botanical Gardens while we were hiking today. Read more about skunk cabbage, one of the signs that spring is upon us!

Medicine Wheel 1

2011-02-28T14:24:00.001-08:00

Crochet Cuties

2011-02-27T11:00:00.000-08:00

Axolotl by Rachel

Cappotto by Molly

Veggies by an Etsy artist, given to me by Julie
Skunk mp3 player cozy (empty atm) by Caroline

Totoro by Nicole, who isn't on the internet all the time like the rest of us ;)

Once in awhile, I'd like to show off the talent & kindness of my friends. These are some crocheted items around my home. I love all of them! You can see Molly & Caroline's etsy w/more cute stuff here.

Hazelnut

2011-02-23T17:42:00.000-08:00

The namesake of this blog! If she wants attention, she will get onto the coffee table and systematically knock each item off, usually precluded by a horrible howl-like utterance. Or she will just sit and make the sound repeatedly as close to us as possible.

This rendition of her gross but endearing visage was made with ink and watercolor. While I was creating this, she tried to steal the sponge from my watercolor box.

The Leaf

2011-02-21T17:58:00.000-08:00

Still learning.

Red Dragon

2011-02-20T11:49:00.000-08:00

My first cousin once removed is really into dragons these days. She's thinking she wants some dragons for her room, so I started playing around with drawing dragons and experimenting with watercolor textures. I think this guy is begging for a dragon treat.

Nature Bits

2011-02-17T15:00:00.000-08:00

Ink and gouache on watercolor paper.

Keys in the Sand

2011-02-12T17:55:00.001-08:00

Gouaches

2011-02-07T18:07:00.001-08:00

An american robin- referenced a photo taken outside my window just the other day.

Overlooked Falls- from a photo taken at the Porcupine Mountains in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

Tanuki- drawn using a reference photo I took at Hikone Castle in Hikone, Shiga, Japan.

Treasure Update

2011-02-06T15:57:00.000-08:00

Still working on images for "Treasure"!

30X30

2011-01-31T15:48:00.001-08:00

All of them. They aren't scientifically accurate, they aren't artistically perfect, but I finished 30 paintings of native Michigan wildlife in only 26 days.

I have yet to write an artist's statement, but obviously half the reason these exist is to raise money for children to receive art education. The other, my intention, is to raise awareness of native wildlife- a theme I incorporate into most of my work. I've written the scientific name of each animal on the back of the canvases, and in my artist's statement I will suggest that the purchasers of each painting take the time to do a little research on their animal. Why is this animal important to Michigan's ecosystem? Is the animal endangered or a species of concern, and if so, why? There's always something more to learn, even about squirrels.

Again, the event is March 26th at 12:00 pm at the Ann Arbor Art Center. All 30x30 pieces are $40 (each) with half of proceeds going to the artist and half to children's art programs.

[Update: The show itself raised $7,200 for scholarships as of the close of Saturday, according to the e-mail I got today. I think around 500 out of 900 pieces were sold.]

Green

2011-01-31T15:46:00.000-08:00

30/30

Blue

2011-01-30T12:02:00.000-08:00

24/30. Only 6 more to go.

Yellow

2011-01-24T13:50:00.001-08:00

Click for larger image! These are all 10 "yellow" animals. The official count is now 18/30.

...And here are some mushroom sketches. I love mushrooms; they come in so many shapes, sizes, colors, and forms in general. From slime mold to ascomycetes (cup-shaped) to basidiomycetes (club-shaped) to coral fungi and polypores... they're so interesting to find and learn about. Also, some of them are delicious.

Animalscans

2011-01-22T11:44:00.000-08:00

A few scans... the count is at 12/30. Sounds like the sale is on 3/26.

8/30

2011-01-19T11:32:00.000-08:00

...22 left to go.

2 Down

2011-01-16T07:33:00.000-08:00

...28 to go.

Arts in the Studio

2011-01-09T12:58:00.001-08:00

Firstly, a 30x30 update: each of the 8x8" canvases has a sketch on it, and all of them have had the background color painted on. I'm sticking with solid colors for the background.
The figures will be painted in next, of course.

I also want to share someone else's work! I did an art trade with someone over the holidays, and in exchange for my art, they made a piece for me. I requested something that I could give to Jorie, and I received this lovely piece!

It's so hard to photograph framed art, but this is a lovely image. I had it printed by Mpix and opted for the metallic print. The effect is subtle but adds another dimension to the print. It's hanging in our studio, above our shamefully large collection of toys and Harry Potter books.

30/30

2011-01-06T11:53:00.000-08:00

So I have opted into a project with the Ann Arbor Art Center. The project is about recruiting 30 artists to complete 30 works of art in 30 days to sell at a gallery opening event to raise funds for the Art for Kids program at the Ann Arbor Art Center. They provide the canvases, the artists provide the art. Each piece is sold for $40, half going to the artist, half to the Art for Kids program.

I've got 30 8X8" canvases. I'm being predictable and covering them with wildlife native to Michigan. I hope they'll be a hit.

Pom Smile

2011-01-02T08:15:00.000-08:00

Portrait of "Pocky" the parti-color pomeranian, made for my mom for Christmas. Pocky is somewhere around 10-11 years old now!

Bright Solstice

2010-12-22T15:32:00.000-08:00

Happy Winter Solstice!

Excited Animals

2010-12-17T13:37:00.000-08:00

HT image featuring a little doggie that is really excited that someone is coming to visit!

This badger is just really excited in general.

Gift Art

2010-12-04T19:55:00.000-08:00

I try not to participate in the hyper-consumerism this time of year, and opt to make a lot of art and food for gifts instead. It's also more economical for a recent college grad, not to mention it's so much more personal than a gift card. This is for a good friend of mine. I'm having fun playing with gouache on paper for the first time in years.

Last Day of School

2010-11-29T07:45:00.000-08:00

Those are the days!

Speaking of which, I am super busy these days. I finally found a day job (working with animals no less) and I've been busy with holiday commission work and working on HT! Whew.

The custom ornament commissions I put up for sale on etsy have been a huge success, but if I re-list anymore, they'll have to be pricier; they take a lot of time, and time is precious right now.

Canopy Dreams

2010-11-01T09:13:00.000-07:00

Inspired by the Meller's chameleons at the conservancy.

Volunteerism

2010-10-30T10:40:00.001-07:00

Jorie and I have started volunteering at a local place called the Creature Conservancy. They do outreach work, educating folks about animals. Part of their mission statement is "By bringing humans and animals together in educational settings we hope to cultivate a greater appreciation for the animals with which we share this planet." We have attended two of the public programs so far and we've learned a lot, considering we're two people who already love and know a decent amount about animals.

Some of the animals are rescues- wild animals that people took on as pets, only to realize they could not handle their needs. Few of the animals are regularly on display for the public, and since it's getting closer to winter, almost everyone is indoors at this point. I have seen some pretty lamentable set-ups for captive wildlife, and I broke ties with an organization because of it once. This place is amazing though- they really do their best and it seems that they don't take on more than they can handle. There is an exotic animal hospital on the property, and one of the owners of the conservancy is one of those veterinarians. There are many dedicated volunteers that keep the conservancy going- no one is paid. Not in money, anyway. Getting to know the amazing creatures there and help in the cause of education is rewarding in and of itself!

Our job right now is to clean, feed, and water the fruit bats and chameleons, who share the same room. Between the two of us, the task seems to take us just short of an hour. The bats hang out way above us, sometimes making their little bat chatter, sometimes sleeping. The chameleons are just amazing. They're super cute when they're lounging around, sleeping, and when they're getting a drink. After we take care of those guys, we take care of other tasks. Today, we took Stinky Pete, the striped skunk, out for some exercise. He chased us around and we chased him around and gave him a few cricket snacks! Then we learned how to care for the younger chameleons and other critters in their area, like the tortoises. Lastly, we sat in with Logan the arctic fox and gave him a few treats. We have to try to get there early sometime to see if he will play- he likes to sleep in the day time.

Other critters we've started to get to know include axlotls, pythons, muntjac deer, kangaroos, eagle owls, crows, frogs, armadillos, and many others. We feel pretty lucky to get this experience and it's definitely helping us stay positive while we look for jobs. It's also great getting to know the animals and watching how they move, etc is great for art. Now I want to paint chameleons and axlotls...

Waterfall

2010-10-26T18:43:00.000-07:00

Works in Progress

2010-10-19T19:45:00.000-07:00

I was presented with a projector to borrow! Here are some pictures of the process.

Projector + macbook = projection of my digital sketch onto masonite, which I traced with a white colored pencil.

High-tech, right? Hazelnut doesn't understand it.

My other art project for the day. Tomorrow is a certain 2-year anniversary. I was in charge of the design and execution upon the cute little cake baked by Jorie. I based the design on the Nunobiki pottery piece we brought back from Japan, but it didn't turn out nearly as cute. I need more practice with fondant!

Coyote Project

2010-10-18T13:24:00.001-07:00

So I'm planning some paintings based off of an article I read in the New York Times. It's a really interesting read. Coyotes inspire all kinds of emotions in people, from extreme hate to extreme fascination. I'm stepping back for a moment and wondering about these words we use to describe any non-human animal. Can any one word or phrase adequately describe a living thing? In this series, I'll explore some of the words people have used to describe Canis latrans- Bloodthirsty, Trickster, Allegory of Want, God's Dog, Elusive, and at last, just plain ol' Coyote. Joining the uncanny canids will be flowers to which people have ascribed meanings. For example, the rose is a symbol of desire and the water lily apparently evokes feelings of the divine.
Here is a messy screenshot of my digital sketches for the series. I'll be painting them with acrylic on masonite and letting the rough appearance of the masonite show through as the background.

And of course I am continuing my illustration work! Here we have a young lady hugging her mother good-bye before departing on a trip to the pure magic that is the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

Lansing

2010-10-13T18:00:00.000-07:00

Thanks to a nomination from my former adviser at NMU and made possible by PCSUM, one of my pieces (along with a classmates and many other students from MI) is hanging in the Anderson House Office Building in Lansing. I didn't realize exactly where my art would be until I arrived there yesterday with Mark and Jorie. It's a Very Important building because it's the House of Representatives. My work is on the 11th floor just outside of the elevator. My classmate has work on the first floor, and every other floor has some great student work featured as well! The work will be on display for a year.

Here I am, looking awkward and in dire need of a haircut, with "Emma and the Turtle". I had a print mailed directly to them and they kindly framed it. A different approach than what I'd done for my senior exhibition:

(Photos courtesy of Mark and Jorie, respectively!)

The Burning Season

2010-10-09T16:23:00.001-07:00

I'm working on a lot of different things right now. Here's a piece I did rather spontaneously yesterday because I felt like we needed it.

It started when I saw a beautiful old mule deer mount at the mammal division of the zoology museum a few weeks ago and had to take photos and turn it into a painting. We went specifically to take photos there, of drawers of specimens and of the larger than life mounts donated by a former trophy hunter. The heads were not hung on the wall yet, so they looked very surreal there. My partner took some amazing photos while there, which you can see here.

I read a book by Susan Chernak-McElroy awhile back, and she talks about the transformative powers of fire. Having her house burned down was one thing, but the idea of fire, meaning any huge change in your life (like graduating college and moving to a new city), is all the same. Fire can burn you to the ground and you have to grow back from teeny sprouts.

Back to working on HT! I'm also planning a series of paintings- acrylic on masonite- involving coyotes.

Squirrely Drinks

2010-09-22T15:51:00.000-07:00

Anyone who's visited Ann Arbor knows there are tons of squirrels here. We've been seeing, in addition to the myriad fox squirrels, a tiny red squirrel that visits our feeder. She was the inspiration for this.

I designed a set of tea labels last year, so I thought I'd turn this fall illustration into a label too. I love looking at beer/ale/cider/wine labels. Did you know that you can pour boiling water into a bottle (carefully) and then remove the label with ease? At that point, I stick the label onto a piece of cardboard, usually from a discarded cereal box or something similar, and cut it to postcard size to send to friends. It's especially fun when you're buying, for example, local wines with lovely labels. By the way, the Traverse Bay cherry wines are superb.

Sketchy Sketchy

2010-09-21T11:45:00.000-07:00

Wildlives

2010-09-14T09:52:00.002-07:00

Kaleidoscope

2010-08-31T09:02:00.000-07:00

WIP

2010-08-25T08:10:00.000-07:00

Holy two-week hiatus, Batman! We've been busy since moving. This is me trying to find a part-time job so I can pay the rent while continuing to work on my illustration career.
I'm finally working in the studio, so here's a WIP.

Movin'

2010-08-09T19:07:00.000-07:00

We're moving downstate in only a few days now. Most of our stuff is packed and we're just waiting and saying good-byes at this point. We've both been pretty emotional this week, especially after Jorie played in a show for the last time (for now) on Saturday. I took some photos of the band, and was inspired to create this. I've never actually painted her before, and she's hinted to me many times that she'd like me to, so I finally have! More than a little Art Nouveau inspiration because she loves the style.

Sorrely

2010-08-05T11:08:00.000-07:00

Some sketches from "Sorrel". A not-so-nice raccoon is saying some upsetting things to our heroine.
And some colored drawings of Sorrel herself. And now, back to packing. We move in one week.

Sketchy Sketchy

2010-08-02T17:52:00.000-07:00

Some sketches from today. I felt like my drawings as of late were severely lacking in form and perspective, so I did some figure drawing and drawing from photos of people and raccoons, respectively.

Tried to lay some not-so-carefully-considered cross-contour lines on the figures. The two at the top are the first ones I started out with today, which is why they're a little stiffer than the others. I do love Posemaniacs- supremely helpful website.
Raccoons have pretty interesting anatomy. They're not like cats or dogs, but of course our brains often want to lump mammals into the basic categories we're familiar with. So it's important to study the anatomy of an animal you plan to draw a lot. I had to revisit drawing from life when I noticed my cartoon raccoon was looking rather flat and distorted at times.

Fallow Deer

2010-07-29T08:52:00.001-07:00

Done, as far as I'm concerned. Portfolio worthy? Hmm.
Due to tendonitis problems, I haven't done much in the last two days. I'm doing much better today but probably shouldn't push it anymore until I'm 100%.

Smug Fallow Deer

2010-07-27T13:18:00.000-07:00

I decided to take the sketch up to a painting. I just started laying in colors for the background; it will probably be leaves. Alas, I seem to be feeling the tendonitis that often hits when I've been drawing "too much", so I need to give it a rest.

"U mad?"

Deer and Dogs

2010-07-27T07:02:00.000-07:00

Sketches!
The deer was sketched from a photo I took at the GarLyn Zoo. She's a fallow deer. The other two are from photos my Dad took- one being of his dog Elsa and the other is someone else's dog that was competing in the "Ultimate Air Dogs" competition at the Cherry Festival.

Airport Dog

2010-07-26T06:26:00.001-07:00

Painting black animals is always a challenge- especially without the use of color!

Here are some cats, including Puma concolor and Felis hazelnuttus, who was reclining on her scratching post when I drew her.

Accomplishments of the Day(s)

2010-07-15T12:16:00.000-07:00

Duality

2010-07-13T18:22:00.000-07:00

Some finished stuff and a work-in-progress. Was feeling a little inadequate and frustrated yesterday, art-wise, so I belted out some nauseatingly cute animal drawings. I'm not how much it helped, but it was good practice.

But that was after I'd finished up this piece for the book I'm illustrating.It was almost done before we took a trip downstate to visit family, but I polished it up when we got home.
This is the page I'm currently working on. I just started doing the actual painting part today, so it's quite rough at this stage.

Two completely different styles, right? That's what I'm feeling a little down about. An illustrator's portfolio should be something an art director/publisher looks at and says, "THIS is the style I want!" It's tempting to have many different styles so you can be "versatile" but apparently that doesn't work out so well. I would like to be strong in one style and be pegged for that, but I can't seem to blend them. I think that's what I was going for with my cutesy animals. For now, this is still unresolved for me.

Sketchbreak

2010-07-02T14:32:00.000-07:00

Need to loosen up and sketch for 5 minutes every so often while I'm painting for hours at a time. There's a really adorable stuffed animal on my work desk that looks like a lemur. I think it's name is Yoo Hoo and it came from the GarLyn Zoo. Anyway, first I drew the stuffed animal, then tried drawing it in some different poses. Cute little guy.

Here's what I'm working on today:

Some Finished Work!

2010-07-02T12:05:00.000-07:00

I feel like I've been dragging my feet this summer. It's been far too nice out! Despite that, I've finished two pieces in the last 24 hours, despite the "excitement" of having to take the namesake of this blog to the vet this morning. We will never know what she did, but she has a sore shoulder. The vet gave her a jab of steroids in her shoulder and she's already feeling better.

I finished the Totoro picture.

And a book image!

Hoping to finish another before the day is over.

Color Battles

2010-06-28T17:11:00.000-07:00

Well, I've been fighting with this picture literally all day.
I tried several different color schemes and just could not stop working it out until it was satisfactory. I finally came upon a nice color scheme and tried to stick to it as much as possible. I'm pretty pleased with it. Now I just need to actually paint the thing!

Fail.

Fail.Finally!

A glow-y hot spring for the totoros to rest in at night after a hard day of being tree spirits and helping little girls find their lost sisters. Whew. Ultimately, the value study was thrown out the window because I changed the time of day and the light source. Here it is in grayscale.

Owls and Totoros

2010-06-28T06:05:00.000-07:00

Work is coming along on the book illustrations again! I'm thinking, after looking at this piece with fresh eyes in the morning, that I need to flag the owl by opening up the canopy behind him/her. This is still a work in progress.

I started a piece for fun last night, also a work in progress at this point, that came to be because of a conversation Jorie and I had. We love everything Studio Ghibli puts out there, but Totoro has always been my favorite film. When we had a sushi "party" with local friends and friends we met on the trip to Japan on Saturdaynight, I made Totoro cookies for everyone. The way they were arranged on the plates made us think of Totoros laying in a spa or hot spring to relax. So of course I had to illustrate that adorable idea. I actually drew it in pencil and micron ink and then scanned it- I usually draw everything straight on the computer these days. This is just the value study- the color comes next.

Busy With Book Work

2010-06-23T16:59:00.000-07:00

I've mostly been working on the book lately, so here are some screenshots of works-in-progress.
Interestingly, I'm finding that for some images, I may need more reference photos. I used to feel bad for relying heavily on reference, but after reading a little of James Gurney's "Imaginative Realism", I learned how even professionals rely on maquettes, models, photographing themselves or others, etc. in order to get a realistic piece. If we imagine too far without a basis in reality, we might imagine wrongly and end up with undesired distortions.

Meanwhile, I haven't worked much on the comic. I did this sketch of "Maple" a few nights ago, though. The side says "araiguma maple", playing off an old but popular Japanese animation called "Araiguma Rascal", also about a raccoon. It's nice to make some fun, simple sketches between doing complex paintings.

Comics & Books

2010-06-20T06:28:00.000-07:00

I'm working on two big things right now: a book I've been hired to illustrate and a comic I'm doing "for fun". I'm also trying to build a better portfolio, of course.
Here's the first interior illustration for the book. It's not finished yet, but it's on the way!

The comic I'm working on is being made in the spirit of the Japanese comics (manga) I saw while in Japan. There are some animal-only or animal-centered stories in manga. Interestingly, these stories rarely make it to the states. A company (Vertical) is working to bring "Chii's Sweet Home" here and I highly recommend it.

My comic is about raccoons.