Insect Collecting

 My first foray into insect collecting and preservation. 

I ordered my net, spreading board, forceps, pins and mounts through Butterflies and Things.

For those of you who have inquired, my moth painting is now available as a print in my Etsy shop.

If you are looking for originals, six new miniature bees and wasps are available 

through the Nahcotta Gallery website.

Enormous Tiny Art Show No. 14

cactus bee (sold)

green mason bee (sold)

brown paper wasp (sold)

pollen wasp (sold)

large sweat bee (sold)

trichogramma wasp (sold)

***

My miniature bees and wasps for the Enormous Tiny Art Show! 

Each watercolor painting measures three inches in diameter and is six inches with the frame. 

The paintings are available for sale through the Nahcotta Gallery website. 

If you are in the Portsmouth, NH area you can see them in person next week at the opening.

Click here to visit my page on the ETA website.

A Closer Look | Polyphemus Moth

A giant Polyphemus Moth found outside our little Upperville Post Office. 

Such a beauty with a wingspan of five, maybe six inches. 

He's in perfect condition too. So many of the butterflies and moths 

I've seen lately have shredded wings from birds attacking them. 

This fellow was probably spared because of his eye spots, 

which help to scare away predators.

Sneak Peek | Tiny Bees and Wasps

Carpenter Bee

It's a busy Monday morning. 

I'm getting ready for the Enormous Tiny Art Show at the Nahcotta Gallery. 

Here's a sneak peek of my bees and wasps for the show! 

The paintings will be available for sale through the ETA website in the coming weeks.

I'll keep you posted!

Herding Sheep

Imagine the movie Babe. Our sweet Cow puddle has been put to work. 

It's only his second lesson after his initial instinct evaluation and 

he's doing just fine and wants to please. 

Lots of fun and lots of laughs on this Sunday morning!

Exercising the brushes!

Making teeny tiny watercolor studies today. Simple, quick, spontaneous. My version of sketching. 

I call it exercising the brushes! I do this a lot, actually. I have made hundreds of them over the years. 

I don't sell them, but if you have ever ordered an original watercolor painting from me, 

one is always include in your package. 

Have a great weekend all!

Fly South

Last weekend I was in Florida visiting dear my friends and artists, Marsha and Patrick.

Their house is painted a deep shade of purple. The yard is a crazy jumble of tropical foliage. 

Little treasures and bits of ephemera are scattered everywhere. I was particularly fond of this bird.

Inside the house is a wall to wall mix of bohemian pattern and color. 

Art and life are mingled seamlessly. There is not an inch for the eye to rest. 

Trage pallua fabric

Marsha just launched a line of patterns called Albanian Flower, so like her in every way.

She uses big, bold, tropical colors and abstract designs made from sections of her artwork.

gjeth persian wallpaper

 I love it. It's wild. Take a peek.

Bee Garden

 Finished the bee garden and I'm working on the companion butterfly garden!

Have a great weekend all!

Studio | Sneak Peek

 I'm working on two garden plans to celebrate summer. 

This is the first one, a bee garden with hives, herbs, fruit trees and vegetables.