Throwback Thursday: Bee Eaters!

  Here are a pair of paintings from early 1997. I did the Little Bee Eaters as a wedding gift for my friend Mike. The Carmine Bee Eaters were an engagement gift for my (now) wife, Liesl. They were based … Continued

Throwback Thursday: Bay-breasted Warbler Transparent Watercolor

This small watercolor of a male Bay-breasted Warbler is from around 1998 or 1999. I did the painting based on photos of a cooperative male in Magee Marsh at Crane Creek, Ohio. Original painting is available here. 

Cedar Waxwing Transparent Watercolor Time-lapse Video AND Step-by-step

      Cedar Waxwings have been on the top of my wife’s request list for a long time. She has also been asking me to post a time-lapse video of a painting, so I did both on this one. … Continued

Throwback Thursday – Bearded Barbet Transparent Watercolor

This painting was especially fun to work on. I took numerous photos of Bearded Barbets at the Toledo Zoo. Images taken in zoos have their limits. Often the backgrounds leave a lot to be desired. After a lot of research, … Continued

Eastern Screech Owl Transparent Watercolor Step-by-step

posted in: Finished Paintings, Step-by-Step | 2

This drawing sat on the back burner for a long, long time before it made the transition into a painting. I did the sketches for this at the Royal Ontario Museum in 2000. That may be my all-time favorite natural … Continued

Mya: Mixed Breed Dog Step-by-Step Transparent Watercolor

posted in: Finished Paintings, Step-by-Step | 0

It was fun to work on this commissioned painting. Mya is not only a very pretty dog, but she has an interesting back story. She was discovered in Mexico where she was living on the streets and “counting down her last … Continued

Throwback Thursday– Female Anhinga Transparent Watercolor

This painting was from 1999-2000. Anhingas are interesting birds. At times they are really attractive, but occasionally they seem rather awkward. This female anhinga has some molting feathers on her head. They have a few nicknames including Water Turkeys and Snake-birds. When hunting … Continued

Throwback Thursday – American Toad & Dwarf Lake Iris (Transparent Watercolor)

Michigan has great diversity in its animals and plants. Some are very common and can be found in many states, while others are incredibly rare. The American Toad is a common species. I’ve seen them my whole life. Their fantastic … Continued

Throwback Thursday– Smooth-billed Ani Transparent Watercolor

posted in: Finished Paintings | 0

Here is another “Blast from the Past.” I finished this painting in 2002.  I especially enjoyed painting the Everglades-looking scrubby vegetation and the bronzy colors of the Ani. Although the Smooth-billed Ani looks a bit like a grackle, they are … Continued