Yes, it is a watercolor painting of a spider. Sorry if you’re not a fan, but I really like jumping spiders and enjoy photographing, drawing and painting them. These interesting little guys are ambush predators, pouncing on their prey much like a … Continued
Golden-crowned Kinglets are powerfully cute, so this transparent watercolor painting was great fun to complete. In our house family members tend to get distracted by birds in the yard. That is a hazard—and benefit—of homeschooling the kids. It’s also probably one reason why our … Continued
I finished this painting in May but am just now (finally) getting it posted. I’ve not been idle though. I’ve been busy on a complicated painting that I’ll share soon. Like most people, I love bluebirds. I’ve painted the brilliantly colored males … Continued
I used to do a lot of larger watercolors, usually in the 18 x 24-inch format but once working 18 x 72 inches! Later I switched to smaller pieces, when we had kids. My theory was that it would allow me … Continued
This was a quick watercolor-and-ink painting. I had been concentrating on doing highly rendered watercolor paintings for a while and thought it would be fun to whip off a less-detailed, quick, inked piece with bragged-up colors. This Tree Swallow was … Continued
This Veery painting is another transparent watercolor on Arches 140lb Hot Press paper. I’ve been teaching a watercolor course this year for a small group of homeschoolers. It’s been fun to watch the kids’ progress. They have produced a lot of … Continued
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
Carolina Wrens are fun little birds. They seem to be clever. My office and studio are in the basement of our house. It’s a nice space with one drawback: I have a only a small window well for natural light. I … 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