Star Gazing

Illustration Friday

(theme:"star gazing")

The best kinds of stars to gaze at are the shooting kind, especially those with fancy stardust tail-trails! Happy gazing to you!

Don't miss out on the Go Green Garden Cat Giveaway going on now at my other blog!

Thanks for visiting!

On The Trail...Morning at Mosaic Canyon

Illustration Friday
(theme: "TRAIL")

Another one from the files...

This watercolor was painted a few years back after a trip to Death Valley with Dave. This scene is from a morning hike up Mosaic Canyon. If you look closely, you can see a bit of the trail winding up this exquisitely sculptured, colorful canyon; but you will have to imagine the rest of it as it winds up from the valley floor in the hazy distance...

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Lizards are Lovely

Illustration Friday
(theme: "SLITHER")

I've always been fascinated by lizards, especially the part where they would lose their tails when said tail was grabbed by a cat. With lots of lizards and cats in the neighborhood while growing up in Southern California, there were always plenty of tailless lizards slithering around...!

This watercolor painting is from the files and is called "Twig Lizard"--he was quite certain that I couldn't see him as he held very still and blended in so beautifully with the surrounding twigs.

My fondness for lizards grew considerably when my then-16-year-old son acquired a Bearded Dragon lizard named Ziggy. I was surprised by how lovely it was to hold a lizard in ones hands.

Here is a favorite photo of a tiny baby alligator lizard that was found sunning itself on my car tire, just as sweet as he/she could be!

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Enjoy The View

Illustration Friday
(theme: "brave")


Having suffered from acrophobia (from the Greek: ἄκρον, ákron , meaning "peak, summit, edge" and φόβος, phóbos, "fear") for most of his young life, Rudy Raccoon felt very brave to have climbed to the highest branch possible to enjoy the view on this fine day.

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This tree-hugging raccoon is available on a variety of great camping t-shirts, note cards,mugs, totes, and more in my Cafepress shop:
ENJOY THE VIEW

Farmer's Market Poster Wins Honors

Exciting news on the local front! Several springs ago I was commissioned to paint the artwork for the McMinnville Farmer's Market poster. Recently, the Oregon Farmer's Market Association held a state-wide contest for the best farmer's market poster. McMinnville chose to send in mine for their entry. Guess what? Mine won first place!

The prize money went to the McMinnville Downtown Association (they DID commission and produce the poster, after all), but I get to bask in the glory and rest on my laurels!


The poster is no longer available for sale, however, you will find THE ARTWORK ON Aa large selection of giftware and apparel that features this artwork in my Cafepress online shop, available with or without text:

FARM FRESH ROOSTER

GARDEN ROOSTER

Wild Iris Study

I am waiting with great anticipation for the blooming of the woodlands here in the Coastal Hills of Oregon--skunk cabbage, trillium, and wild iris are just around the corner! With the mild winter we are having, I wonder if they will bloom early this year

...One more beautiful reason to take good care of our wetlands and forests here in the Pacific Northwest!

This original watercolor painting is a small study of some blooms I photographed last spring. It is currently for sale in my Etsy shop: Wild Iris Study

Thanks for visiting!

Focused

Illustration Friday
(theme: "focused")

Hard to say who is more focused in this staring contest-- horse or human. This "battle of the brown eyes" is a watercolor portrait of a chance encounter between my "city boy" son and a barnyard buddy.


Be sure to visit my One World One Heart Giveaway at my 365 Cat Ladies blog. You'll have a chance to win this limited edition print of "Begonia Max" --just click on the link for details...

Wilderness

Illustration Friday (theme: "wilderness")

Another one from the files...This watercolor painting was inspired by the Grand Canyon Phantom Ranch mule train, heading up the Kaibab Trail as I was heading down a few years ago. The mule train is the only form of transportation down to the ranch (other than your own two feet), located at the bottom of the canyon near the Colorado River. These faithful and reliable beasts of burden carry everything that goes in and out of the ranch--linens, food, supplies, mail, and garbage. Thanks to them, hundreds of visitors get to enjoy a little taste of the wilderness each year with a warm meal and a soft bed waiting for them at the bottom, one mile straight down in world's most magnificent canyon!

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Renewal

Illustration Friday (theme: "renewal")

It's amazing the lengths that some plants will go to--creating the most amazing and alluring blossoms conceivable in order to seduce passing pollinators to ensure renewal... This seductive echiveria from Southern California was no exception...it certainly caugh MY eye!

This is an original watercolor painting from my archives, which is now in a private collection.

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The title of this painting is "Passion", and it is available as a limited edition giclee print, ready-to-frame in dusty blue matting, in my Etsy online shop

Frozen

Illustration Friday (theme: "frozen")

I came across this little cottontail early one morning on a five-mile hiking loop through the foothills . It wasn't cold at all, but the young bunny was frozen solid. Frozen as in "if I hold so still that not even a whisker twitches, certainly she will not see me and eat me."

It worked!

Treasure Tins

Just added to my Etsy Shop:


These little tin treasure boxes feature artwork from my "Mother Nature" series celebrating the wonders of nature.






Use for tiny treasures and trinkets, or as a candle holder--a scented tea light candle included!












Great gift idea for your favorite hiking buddy or tree hugger!











Thanks for visiting!

Leave Only Footprints...

As the season draws to a close and we head into one of the last weekends of summer (a LONG weekend here in the USofA), here's hoping that you make some time to enjoy the beauty and wonder of Mother Earth.

There was a saying that was impressed upon me by a forest ranger in Yosemite when I was a youngster that I thought was oh-so-clever (and to this day think is oh-so-important!): Take only pictures and leave only footprints...

Have a great weekend!

My LEAVE ONLY FOOTPRINTS design is available on a variety of great camping t-shirts, note cards, totes, and more in my Cafepress shop: Susan Faye For Nature Lovers

Illustration Friday..."Hollow"

Illustration Friday (theme: "hollow")

What a pleasure to spot this handsome fellow as he hopped along a hollow log in search of bugs and grubs just two days before spring, signaling the end of a particularly chilly winter...
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Hooray! I'm excited to announce that this original watercolor painting has just found a new home with a lovely Oregon art collector.

Illustration Friday: Cloud Drifting

Illustration
Friday
(theme:
"drifting" )














Summer is a lovely time to climb to a dreamy mountain lake filled with clouds--upside-down and drifting in tandem with those in the perfect blue sky above.

Thanks for visiting!

"Drift With The Clouds" is an illustration from my Mother Nature Series. These designs are available on an assortment of Nature Lover clothing and gifts at my Cafepress Shop: www.cafepress.com/SusanFayeNature

Illustation Friday: Unfold

Illustration Friday
(theme:"unfold" )

A watercolor from the archives...a delicate yellow cactus blossom beckons a honeybee while tightly-closed buds await their turn to unfold...

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This limited edition giclee print, called "First Blush" is available as a matted print in my Etsy Shop

Orange Tulip

Alas, the tulips are gone now, but I have plenty of photos to remember them by, and some will hopefully become the subject of paintings over the next year.

This little orange tulip was an experiment with using watercolors on clayboard. It was my 3rd or 4th attempt and it takes a little getting used to, as the paint moves around differently than on paper. The advantage is that it does not need to be framed under glass!

I'm happy to report that my experiment was a success, as this painting has made its way to a new home, thanks to Hidden Treasures Gallery in McMinnville, Oregon.

Look at these beauties! These were some specialty tulips at the Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival in April. I feel a painting coming on....

Thanks for visiting!

Goldfinch Invasion

I'm happy to report that my watercolor painting called "Delicate By Nature" has flown the coop and landed in a lovely home in Portland, Oregon! It features a pair of American Goldfinches enjoying a spring day. On the same day that the sale was confirmed, a little goldfinch flew into the Lawrence Gallery and Margot was able to rescue it and hold it in her hands for a few moments before she set it free.

Dave and I have been enjoying a record number of goldfinches at the feeders. Dave found this wonderful rock with many holes at the coast and it makes a perfect goldfinch feeder--some holes are filled with water, and others are filled with nyjer seed.

Aren't these birds just the prettiest little things?

Thanks for visiting!

This limited edition print is a giclee reproduction of another watercolor painting of mine called "Such a Pretty Day". Prints may be purchased at my Etsy online shop:

GOLDFINCH LIMITED EDITION PRINT

Illustration Friday...Peaceable Kingdom

Illustration Friday
(theme:
"hierarchy" )




The Peaceable Kingdom:
A Kinder, Gentler Food Chain






Thanks for visiting!

"The Peaceable Kingdom" is available as a matted print in my Etsy Shop

Vote for Tamayo {{{Pretty Please}}}

My handsome cat nephew Tamayo is famous!

Etsy.com has chosen his handsome mug for their weekly poll featuring Pet Items this week. Please vote for him at http://www.etsy.com/voter_list.php?ref=voter&room_id=44 (he is the Custom Cat Portrait item). If you aren't already a member of Etsy, it's easy to sign up! Voting ends early Monday morning...

You'll notice that Tamayo is extra special, because he is an Odd-Eyed Cat (one blue eye, one green)!

Thanks for visiting!

Illustration Friday...Bird Brain No. 6

Illustration Friday
(theme:
"impossibility" )



It seemed a complete impossibility to Ferguson, and yet, this was the second time in one day that a bird had landed on his head.




Bird Brain 6 can be found on tote bags, tees, note cards and more at my Cafepress Shop.

It is also available as a matted print and as an original ACEO at my Etsy Shop

Thanks for visiting!