ENDANGERED SPECIES - SWIFT FOX

I started with some loose w/w washes of yellow ocher, cobalt blue and burnt orange for the ground, and burnt orange for the fox. The greys of his hair were cobalt blue, quin. pink and burnt orange. For the blacks, I switched from cobalt to indanthrone.

I got stuck here - didn't know where to take the background. I've been "stuck" [not even wanting to paint] for several years now, and have been very dissatisfied with my work. So I trekked up to Fort Langley to meet with another watercolor artist. She has been involved with teaching, mentoring and painting for at least twice as long as I have, and is a thoroughly delightful person. We had a great session [more to come], and her words did help me with my block.

Swift Fox
12.5 x 10 in.
32 x 26 cm.
$187.50 unframedHalf of proceeds to be donated to wildlife preservation of your choice
This tiny fox, smaller than a house-cat, is fast [60 kph sprints], nocturnal and an omnivore. He has had a hard time with ranching and agriculture  impinging on his territory. Happily, Wildlife Preservation Canada has been able to establish several self-sustaining populations in Alberta and Saskatchewan.

Thank you so much for dropping by, and if you have any questions or comment, please leave a note.

A SHOW OF HANDS - TOWNSEND'S MOLE

A Show of Hands
10 x 13 in.
I think the title is apt, as they make their living, so to speak, with their paws.

I took these two photos this morning. Yup, we have moles in the yard.

Here is my dog, Maggie, a year and a half ago. I read that this particular mole has few natural predators ... except Maggie. Needless to say, I was upset.

Pigments for fur - quin. burnt orange, quin. violet, indanthrone
Pigments for paws and muzzle - quin. sienna, quin. pink, indanthrone
Grass - quin. gold, phthalo green, quin. burnt orange, indanthrone

Meet my next endangered species - Townsend's mole. They live almost everywhere here, and are considered endangered in British Columbia.  I believe their endangered status is attributable to their low rate of reproductivity. They navigate underground, about 10 - 20 cm. under, by their whiskers. They are able to detect light, but not images. As well, they have sensitive hearing and touch. They are solitary and territorial. I am happy to say, they are next to impossible to trap. I remember my landlord [who golfed, and loved a pristine front lawn] trying all sorts of gimmicks to get rid of the moles - from smoke "bombs" and traps, to setting those little hand-sized wind-mills on sticks [the vibrations were supposed to bother the moles] But they are still here :)
Thank you for visiting!

ENDANGERED SPECIES - VANCOUVER ISLAND MARMOT

Wet washes on the body with burnt orange and quin. violet. The entire marmot was painted using orange, violet and indanthrone.

Darkening his fur ...

... and still more ... 

I did two gradated washes to the line where sea meets sky, both using phthalo blue and indanthrone.

Lightly painted some distant islands, and started giving a rocky look to his rock. 

My Rock
10.25 x 6.25 inches framable size
AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE
I wanted to give the marmot the look that this is his home, and he is not letting go of it.

This adorable beastie is a local - the Vancouver Island marmot, the only uniquely Canadian species of marmot. He lives on the south- and west-facing alpine meadows of the island.  Those long claws and powerful shoulders are for digging for food and making burrows for hibernation. He's hefty - up to 2 1/2 feet long, weighing up to 17 pounds. It is believed the reason for the great decline in numbers [since the mid-1990's] is due to predation by wolves, cougars and golden eagles. There is a captive breeding program on the island, whereby adults are caught and allowed to breed safely, then they and the pups are released back into their natural habitat. It sounds like a logical plan; with their colonies very reduced in numbers, there are no or few potential mates - this program brings them together.

I remember seeing a yellow-bellied marmot in the most unlikely place - the backyard of my mother's house in Kerrisdale in Vancouver. I drove into the back driveway, and there he was, standing on his hind legs looking at me! of course, no-one believed me.

THANK YOU FOR DROPPING BY!!