Too Big to Hide

Started a new piece last Friday and worked quite a bit on the Moose.

Overall the piece is smaller than what I have been working on - it will roughly be 8" X 20" when it is done. The moose is only 3" X 4" however there is probably about 5 hours of layering into it so far.

I'll start working on the main trees now and gradually fill in the background. This piece is from one of my favourite moose photos that I have taken.

Owl Woods on Amherst Island.

Well there were no owls to be seen. I think it was a little too late with the warmer weather that we have been having lately and I'm afraid that perhaps the higher volume of visitors during the Family Day weekend may have scared some away. There were lots of pellets present but unfortunately no owls.

There were lots of Chickadees, Nuthatches and Downey Woodpeckers.






While I was there I also saw three Ring-Necked Pheasants ( one male and two female ) but they were too quick to photograph.

I thought since I was able to find any owls that I would list the wildlife that I saw while travelling to and from Amherst Island just to show how much wildlife is out there if you look for it ( even while you are driving).

Heading to Amherst Island:

Three Coyotes - between Prescott and Kingston.
One immature Bald Eagle or Golden Eagle - just west of Brockville.
Several Red Tail Hawks - along the 416 & the 401 corridors.

Returning Home:

Three Canada Geese that had decided to stay in Canada for the winter.
Fifty or so Herring Gulls - adults and various stages of juveniles.
Two White Tail Deer - both does - along County Road 4 to Millhaven
One Pileated Woodpecker - north on 416.

Maybe next year I`ll see some owls too!

Amherst Island - The Owl Woods

I'm heading to Amherst Island tomorrow which is just west and south of Kingston. Amherst Island is becoming quite famous for it's owls.

Hopefully I can get a few photographs that I can use for my art.

"Clean" - Brown Pelican

This new piece was just finished - hope you like it. It is done from a few photos that I took last winter while I was in Tampa, Florida. The Brown Pelican is a beautiful bird to watch especially when it is performing it's aerial dives in pursuit of fish. I chose this image though to bring attention to the fact that there were a lot less Brown Pelicans able to preen themselves last season due to the BP oil spill.

This piece will retail for $ 2500.00 framed and measures 14" wide by 20 " high.

Le Nichoir launches their new site!

Le Nichoir, the wild bird rehabilitation centre that I have partnered with has just launched their brand new website. You should check it out - lots of new videos and information concerning their new Conservation Centre. Le Nichoir at: www.lenichoir.org

Algonquin Park Visitor Centre Art Exhibition

This coming Fall, I will be exhibiting at the Algonquin Park Visitor Centre. The exhibit titled "Tranquility" will run from Friday, August 26th through to Wednesday, September 28th at the Algonquin Room in the main Visitor Centre near the East Gate along Highway 60.

The "Tranquility" Show will occupy half of the room and will feature my art representative of the flora and fauna of the Park, as well as scenes representative of Algonquin Park. I am co-exhibiting as well with Photographer Frank Parhizgar which should make for a very exciting show, especially in the height of the Fall colour season and the moose rut!

"Tranquility" is just one of the many feelings achieved while:

"Exploring the Park, one experiences a connection to their environmental surroundings, one is attune to nature through all of their senses - there is a feeling of tranquility that settles over you."


As art is further developed for this show it will be added to this blog and my other sites.

Second Stage of Brown Pelican work

This image shows a bit more work on the Pelican itself - I've started to build up the feather base of the bill and the feathers on the back of the bird - eventually there will be approximately 4 layers of graphite on the pelican.