Everyone seems to like cardinals. I think the only time I wasn’t happy to see one was when I was birding in Hawaii, where they are an invasive species. This was an unusual painting for me. Anyone looking at my portfolio … Continued
“My name is Matt, and I like Jumping Spiders.” Typically when people see my photos, sketches or paintings of jumping spiders, I hear the same things: “Yuck!” “The only place I want to see that is on the bottom of my … Continued
Back to the drafting table! This is a small 7 x 10-inch transparent watercolor of a female Black-throated Blue Warbler. I’ve painted a male before; those bright colors were asking for it. The females, while drab in comparison, are still … Continued
I often paint things in the “wrong” season. I have to admit it’s a bit odd to be painting an icy cold winter scene of a Mourning Dove when it’s over 90º F outside. Maybe it’s better? It’s certainly easier to be … Continued
I think that I last painted one of these when I was about 12. It has been on my “To Do” list for quite a while because they are such charming birds. I look forward to the White-throated Sparrows return every spring. … Continued
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
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
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
Most spiders get a bad rap. Almost all are beneficial, devouring garden pests and presenting no harm to humans whatsoever. Sure, some have a sinister look to them, but they mostly live their lives hiding out, waiting for their next meal. In … Continued
The boldly patterned Spur-winged Plover (Vanellus spinosus) is a fairly common lapwing from Africa and the Eastern Mediterannean. The bird has a loud call to match it’s in-your-face plumage, described as sounding like “Did he do it?” Of course this just leaves me with more … Continued