Tara Rodden Robinson: A Biologist and An Artist

Tara Rodden Robinson is an artist, illustrator and surface pattern designer based in Oregon. Before she became a full-time artist she was a nurse, a naturalist, and a biologist. Also, she taught an online genetics course for over a decade at Oregon State University. Tara is indeed a lady of many talents but she always wanted to be an artist. She is a self-taught artist who believed any lack of talent can be compensated for by hard work. She spent endless hours learning digital software and painting in acrylics and watercolors. She uses photographs, books, and vintage matchbook covers as inspiration for her work.

Through her paintings she attempts to bring the viewer closer to the animals and birds they rarely see but often affect. "As the pace of habitat destruction and climate change accelerates, I place the viewer in close proximity with animals most people rarely see but whose lives we often affect, albeit indirectly."

You can see more of her work from the past and what's she working on presently on Instagram.

Stained Glass Sun Catchers and Jewelry by Root Studio

Carrie Root of Root Studio handmakes enchanting stained glass jewelry, sun catchers, feathers and ornaments. The inspiration for her work comes from her surroundings - chirpy forests, woodland creatures, snowy mountain tops and spring blossoms. Each piece is drawn on the glass, cut, sanded, hand foiled, soldered and then finished and polished in her studio in Addison, Vermont. You can find her one-of-a-kind home decor, necklaces and earrings in her online store.

Incredibly Realistic Bird Sculptures by Daria Lvovsky

Daria Lvovsky is a very talented fiber artist who creates wonderful needle felted creatures that are truly lifelike. Before she dedicated herself to the art of felting she worked a bit in ceramics and clay sculpture. 

"In an attempt to find the most expressive materials I have tried wood, ceramics, and even metal. The clay fascinated me, but the moment in which I felt wool in my hands it was like being reborn!"

Each of her creations is one-of-a-kind, crafted carefully out of alpaca and merino sheep fiber, silk, and glass eyes. To see more birds, animals, gnomes, dolls, and nativity scenes visit her online store.

Bold and Vibrant Paintings by Auckland Artist Angie Dennis

Auckland artist Angie Dennis has been painting professionally for over 17 years. She studied Environmental Science which influences her artwork that often depicts New Zealand nature and wildlife. Her paintings have birds as a primary theme that are perched on a ceramic cup, a milk bottle, a light bulb or a bouquet of flowers. She has a distinct bold style accompanied by vibrant color palette.

You can find her limited edition prints on her website. She is represented by a number of galleries in New Zealand. Her work is sought after private collectors and businesses throughout New Zealand and internationally. Her artwork was used for the TVNZ set for the Americas cup coverage in Valencia in 2007. She has designed serveware exclusively for Farmers department stores. You can follow her on Facebook for special discounts, announcements, and upcoming events.

Pixelated Animal Sculptures by Shawn Smith

Shawn Smith is an artist based out of Austin, Texas who creates pixelated animals made of tiny cubes of wood. He was brought up in a city with no interaction with nature, through his wooden sculptures he explores the intersection between the digital world and reality. Each piece consists of thousands of handcut small wood pieces that artist treats as an individual pixel that form the whole image. 

He experienced the natural world through television and computer, and he focuses on how we experience nature through the technology. He sources the images of his subject he wants to work on through internet. Then through a painstaking process creates life-size whimsical sculptures that are a mix of the digital and the handmade. The artist likes to work primarily with balsa and bass wood that he meticulously hand cuts, paints and stores in containers in his studio.

“The way that I work by hand is a direct contrast to the speed and slipperiness of the digital world...I’m being deliberately analog in the way I use digital source material. Pixels distort and distill details — bits of information are lost. And I’m trying to understand how each pixel plays a role in the identity of an object and the image of that object” shares on his website.