A Visual Portfolio of Art
"Grappling Grizzlies" is a piece of exercising the environmentalist in me, and, using recycled shredded paper, I made my paper clay. This clay was used to form the two bears on a new surface utilizing an aluminum sheet as a backing with multiple layers of paper on top. The rigid backing came in handy to minimize any cracking of the clay and support the whole piece.
Completed, it's 16 x 20, brought to life entirely with water-soluble color pencils, and is based on a photo I took at the Oakland Zoo in California.
So, this was my first time making clay, molding clay, and using this type of surface. I'm very excited about the result and to share it with you all!
"Fast Fashion" is a cheetah profile perfectly adorned on Arteza's Black Glitter paper! The experience was similar to working on sanded surfaces with my colored pencils.
​Size: 12" x 12"
Medium: Prismacolor & Holbein Colored Pencil.
Surface: Arteza Black Glitter Paper
Reference: licensed from Shutterstock by artist Chris Humphries
This work is a pair of Mallards out for a "Morning Swim." This is from a photo I captured at the local duck pond in Napa, CA. Done in 100% Holbein colored pencils and with a finished size of 10" x 8" on Canson Mi-Tientes board for the 2024 California Duck Stamp Art Competition.
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Title: Morning Swim.
Size: 10" x 8"
Medium: Holbein Colored Pencil.
Surface: Canson Mi-Tientes board.
Reference: My reference.
This snow leopard project for me was two in one, participation in Artists & Biologists Unite for Nature project #46 for the Snow Leopard Conservancy and the Global Roots Mosaic Mural "America Home & Family."
The acrylic paint project for Global Roots Mosaic Mural is on a 6" square canvas tile and is based on a photo reference by Steve Tracy for the Snow Leopard Conservancy.
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Title: Awareness.
Size: 6" x 6"
Medium: Acrylic.
Surface: Canvas.
Reference: Used with permission by Steve Tracy.
Here is "Resilience," a 6x6 canvas tile done in acrylic.
This is my second tile for the Global Roots Mosaic Mural - America Home and Family. I also paired the project with an Artists and Biologists Unite for Nature (ABUN) project #42 in support of the Hawaiian Wildlife Center for the Nēnē or Hawaiian Goose. Reference by Erwin Cox-Pixabay.
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Title: Resilience.
Size: 6" x 6"
Medium: Acrylic.
Surface: Canvas.
Reference: Used with permission by Erwin Cox-Pixabay.
Here is "Protector," a 6x6 canvas tile done in acrylic.
This is my third tile for the Global Roots Mosaic Mural - America Home and Family. I also paired the project with an Artists and Biologists Unite for Nature (ABUN) project #45 - Solidearth Meerkat Rehab and Rescue, photo courtesy of Solidearth.
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Title: Protector.
Size: 6" x 6"
Medium: Acrylic.
Surface: Canvas.
Reference: Used with permission courtesy of Solidearth.
With each stroke, "Invisible" invites you to ponder the hidden narratives woven into the fabric of nature, where the seen and unseen converge in a timeless embrace. Dive deep into the enigmatic allure of this piece, and let your imagination roam freely amidst the shadows of the unseen.
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Title: Invisible.
Size: 11" x 14"
Medium: Colored Pencils, Acrylic, Spray Paint and Pastel.
Surface: PastelMat.
Reference: Used with permission by Matt Petrini.
Our Colored Pencil Northern California chapter is participating in a cause for our 2023 participation at the Livermore Artwalk, and members were commissioned to each create a 5"x 7" card incorporating a Hawaiian theme. Each one is unique, and one hundred percent (100%) of the sale of these beautiful cards is going to support the efforts of the World Central Kitchen (https://wck.org/), providing meals to victims and responders.
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Title: Hawaiian Love.
Size: 7" x 5"
Medium: Prismacolor Premier pencils and layers of PanPastel for background.
Surface: Fabriano 140lb Black Black paper.
Reference: From my organic garden and some imagination.
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.
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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!
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Title: The Chase
Size: 5x7
Medium: Prismacolor Premier colored pencils
Surface: Pastelmat
References: a compilation of three separate references purchased from Shutterstock.
Our Colored Pencil, Northern California chapter, participated in a cause, and members were commissioned to each create a 5"x7" card incorporating a Sunflower, the national flower of Ukraine. Each one is unique, and one hundred percent (100%) of the sale of these beautiful cards went to support the efforts of the World Central Kitchen (https://wck.org/).
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Title: Hopeful
Size: 5"x7"
Medium: Prismacolor Premier pencils and Gold Leaf
Surface: Stonehenge 140lb Aqua Hotpress
Reference: My own from my organic garden.
This was some of my 2021 garden harvest that I chose to arrange in a rainbow fashion.
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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.
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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.
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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!
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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
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.
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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.
The November 2018 subject for the BirdWhisperer Project is the Brown Hooded Gull of Southern South America.
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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.)
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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.
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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
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Here is my piece for ABUN - Artists and Biologists for Nature of a Snow Leopard.
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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.
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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.
"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.
"Who me...". This portrait measures 8" x 10" and is done with Prismacolor pencils on Strathmore Artagain Coal Black 400 Series 60lb paper.
"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.
