I've desired to do a self-portrait for a while now. My thought process steered me towards doing a piece that embodied what my art represents, conservation. Conservation of our planet and all that live on it for future generations. By imposing my facial features over the planet, my goal is to reinforce that we, the universe, the planet, and all living things are one and always connected.
Title: Connected (a self-portrait)
Size: 11"x14"
Medium: Prismacolor Premier and Derwent Intense pencils
Surface: Grafix Dura-Lar Matte
Reference: My own plus a little imagination
I completed this little guy just in time for the holidays! This is the 2022 June subject for the BirdWhisperer Project, the Black-Capped Chickadee.
Title: Winter Break
Size: 8 1/2 x 6
Medium: PanPastel background, Chickadee, and Berries done with Faber-Castell Polychromos and Prismacolor Verithins topped with Arteza Metallic Acrylic paint and White Micro Glitter for some fun snowy effects.
Reference: Birdwhisperer Project/Pixabey
My first completion of 2023! This little 5x7 piece is my contribution to a unique project coming out for World Otter Day 2023 in partnership with IUCN SSC Otter Specialist Group!
Title: The Chase
Size: 5x7
Medium: Prismacolor Premier colored pencils
Surface: Pastelmat
References: a compilation of three separate references purchased from Shutterstock.
This was some of my 2021 garden harvest that I chose to arrange in a rainbow fashion.
Title; Colorful Eats (A Veggie Still Life)
Size: 11 x 14
Medium: Brutfuner Premier Pencils
Surface: Pastelmat
Reference: My Own
This piece was completed for the California Duck Stamp Competition.
Title: Gadwall Haven
Size: 7 x 10
Medium: Prismacolor Colored Pencil
Surface: Mixed Media paper
Reference: Multiple references from Pixabey
This is a piece I've played around with designing ever since I took this little guy's photo. Since it found refuge in my garden, I thought it was only appropriate to depict the bee in its actual environment.
Title; Sanctuary
Size: 9 x 12
Medium: Prismacolor Premier Pencils
Surface: White Pastelmat
Reference: My Own
The July 2019 subject for the BirdWhisperer Project is the Red-Tailed Black Cockatoo. So cool how the sunshine makes it look more blue than black! A gorgeous bird and a fun project!
Title: Mysterie
Size: 11 x 14
Medium: Prismacolor and Derwent Inktense pencils
Surface: Strathmore Series 400 Artagain tinted drawing paper
Reference: License free from Pixabay
Title: The Gathering
Size: 5"x7"
Medium: Faber-castell colored pencils
Paper: Stonehedge Aqua Cold Press
References: Milkweed from my Garden, Butterflies, domain free from Pixabay by Kathysg, Miller26tl, Nancy Stevens, & Roland Cardenas.
Here is Dillion, a Bobcat(Lynx rufus), a resident at Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge in Arkansas. I zoomed in on his beautiful face, and he is done in 100% Colored Pencil on White Pastelmat. Watercolor pencils for the background. Finished size, 8x10, and reference by Ike Wever.
Here is the December 2018 subject for the BirdWhisperer Project, the Steller's Jay. This piece was my first time using a ceramic knife by Slice for texturing.
Title: Simply Steller
Size: 8 x 10
Medium: Prismacolor pencils
Surface: Canson Mi-Tientes
Reference: License free from Pixabay
I present the January 2019 subject for the BirdWhisperer Project, the Mandarin Wood Duck. I've been waiting a long time to share this one, as my representation was done back in December as a Christmas gift for a colleague and friend. The female version in this piece was based on a photo reference from an item in his home.
Title: Mandarin Do Si Do
Size: approx. 9 x 12 Oval
Medium: Prismacolor pencils
Surface: Oval Slice of Basswood
Reference: License free from Pixabay & my own reference photo.
![20181211_154243[4617].jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/f33757_c50716f6129c4c068b6bf4c13ca96d03~mv2_d_4032_3024_s_4_2.jpg/v1/fill/w_392,h_294,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/20181211_154243%5B4617%5D.jpg)
The November 2018 subject for the BirdWhisperer Project is the Brown Hooded Gull of Southern South America.
Title: "Scavenger of the Seas"
Size: 3" Wood Disc
Medium: Prismacolor Softcore and Verithin pencils on a Basswood Coaster.
Reference: Free license photo from Pixabay
My nephew's Bearded Dragon, Boulder set in its native habitat!
Size: 11 x 14
Medium: Ground, Log, and Bearded Dragon done with Prismacolor pencils. The forest background was done with Gouache. The piece was completed with accents from Model Railroading landscape materials on UArt 800 black sanded pastel paper.
Reference: My own photo of Boulder and the background are done based on research on the natural habitat of Australia.
Here is the September 2018 subject for the BirdWhisperer Project of a Lilac Breasted Roller (National bird of Kenya, Africa.)
Title: "Pride of Kenya"
Size: 8" x 10"
Medium: Multiple layers of Caran D'Ache Pablo pencils over a Gouache underpainting on Coal Black Artagain paper by Strathmore.
Reference: Free license photo from Pixabay
The October 2018 subject for the BirdWhisperer Project is a Common Kingfisher.
Title: "Trout for Dinner"
Size: 10" x 8"
Medium: Multiple layers of Caran D'Ache Pablo pencils over an underpainting of Arteza water-based ink brush pens on Light Green Canson MiTientes paper.
Reference: Free license photo from Pixabay
.jpg)
Here is my piece for ABUN - Artists and Biologists for Nature of a Snow Leopard.
Title: "On The Prowl"
Size: 10" x 8"
Medium: Prismacolor pencils on Sienna colored Pastelmat.
Reference: courtesy of Dr. B Munkhtsog (Mtsog Irbis)
Here is the August 2018 subject for the BirdWhisperer Project of a White Tailed Sabrewing Hummingbird.
Title: "Small but Mighty"
Size: 12" x 15.5"
Medium: Derwent Pencils; Inktense, Lightfast, Coloursoft, a few Procolour and Artist pencils.
Reference: Free license photo from Pixabay
"Behind Bars," Size: 4.5" x 5.5" on Uart 800 Black Pastel Sandpaper
Reference: My own completed with PanPastel underpainting (100% freehanded, no preliminary outline drawing), Stabilo Carbothello and Faber-Castell pastel pencils, Prismacolor Premier Soft Core, Derwent Pencils Procolour & Inktense, Caron D'Ache Luminance and Stabilo Aquarelle dry with some of BrushAndPencil.com's Titanium White mixed with their Touch up Texture to embellish some of the Whitest features.
"American Lady." Based on my photo, she is 5" x 5" and done in Prismacolor Premiere, Verithins, and Stabilo Aquarelle dry on Dark Blue Pastelmat.
Donated to the "Save the Dells" project.
"Sunbathing," which measures 5.5"x 5." The companion to "Moonlighting" was completed using two layers of Prismacolor premier on top of a PanPastel underpainting on UArt 500 Sanded Pastel Paper. I used a Macro of my own photo reference.
"Who me...". This portrait measures 8" x 10" and is done with Prismacolor pencils on Strathmore Artagain Coal Black 400 Series 60lb paper.
"Moonlighting," which measures 8"x 10." This piece was completed using Prismacolor Premier, Derwent Pencils (Artist & Tinted Graphite), and Stabilo Aquarelle on Strathmore Artist Papers 400 Series Bristol.
"Blu." Finished, it's 8" x 10" done with Prismacolor pencils on Strathmore Artist Papers Series 400 Recycled Drawing 80lb Paper. The Reference Photo used with permission is by Linda Grante.
"Livin the Rainbow" is 15" x 9" completed and done in Prismacolor NuPastels and Koh-I-Nor pastel pencils from my own reference photo on Strathmore Pastel paper.
"Pretty in Pink." This piece is 9" x 12". The photo reference of this beautiful Ornamental Cabbage is by Sally Robertson and was drawn with Prismacolor pencils on Strathmore 400 Series 80lb paper.