A collection of my drawings and paintings of some of the dazzlingly beautiful array of animals to be found in this fragile world. My hope is that my artwork here may help you take a second look, and to realize and appreciate the creative hand of the Divine that is evident in each creature.
One of my earliest pet drawings, this one of my wife’s cat Calib sleeping on the couch. Drawn with a felt tip pen.
Watercolor still life of the skull of a Texas Long Horn Steer, an iconic image from the state in which I was born and raised.
A watercolor I painted of the head of a tiger. I was really pleased with this piece after I finished it and was particularly struck by the fact that my tiger’s countenance seemed to project an inner glow of strength. The title of this painting, “Tyger Tyger, Burning Bright,” comes from the first line of a poem by William Blake called “The Tyger” which I immediately thought about as I was staring at my finished piece.
The opening lines of Blake’s poem are:
Tyger Tyger, burning bright,
In the forests of the night;
What immortal hand or eye,
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?
This is a digital painting of the head of a red-tailed hawk I did in preparation for a commission I was given by my brother Bill. I was supposed to design a logo for a website featuring a red-tailed hawk. Since I knew nothing about this bird, I painted this with my finger on my iPad as a preparation for designing the logo. In the end, the project fell through but I did manage to create one of my greatest wildlife pieces.
This piece also holds a special place in my heart since It serves as a memory for Bill who died a couple of years ago at only 67. The red-tailed hawk was cherished by him as a kind of personal totem, as a spiritual symbol of wisdom, freedom and healing.
This is a charcoal drawing of a grizzly bear having fun sliding down a hill in the snow.
This is a digital painting that was based on an earlier very realistic graphite drawing I had done of the head of a wolf.
My interest in this drawing was to approach my rendering of this seahorse with the playfulness and freedom of a child. I let loose of any concern for literalism in my line work and used bright, cheerful colors. I have felt good that many children (as well as adults) have been delighted by this piece.
A digital painting I did on my iPad of our beloved black cat named Wizard as he took a nap on the floor in front of me.
This digital cartoon drawing of some cows idly standing in a pasture was created on my iPad while I was sitting one day in a coffee shop. I wanted to create a humorous piece that was quintessentially Wisconsin.
My interest in this piece was to render this depiction of a rooster in a loose and free colorful style, much like one might find in a children’s book illustration.
A pen drawing I did of a sperm whale. I created this piece as if I were creating an illustration for a book.
Mixed media painting of four lovebirds: watercolor, colored pencil, pastel, acrylic paint.
Head of a hawk painting. Multimedia: watercolor, brush pens, digital color, colored pencil.
Drawing of an American Goldfinch using pen and brush pen. Black and brown versions are available.
Pen drawing of the head of a great horned owl drawn with orange background added digitally.
Watercolor painting on canvas of a chickadee perched during a snowfall.
A playfully executed folk-style digital drawing of an owl with an accompanying inspirational saying:
A wise old owl sat on an oak;
The more he saw the less he spoke;
The less he spoke the more he heard;
Why aren't we like that wise old bird? —Charles M Schulz
Pen and watercolor portrait drawing of a hound dog.