Summer Leaves, Trask River, Oregon – 18H x 24W inches soft pastels on paper

Matthiessen State Park, Illinois US – 18H x 24W inches soft pastels on paper. Framed size 27H x 33W inches, white wood frame, crackle finish.

This park located near Oglesby epitomizes the word “anomaly”. The surrounding landscape is flat for miles and miles, with a lot of farm fields and no hint at all that such pockets of vastly different ecosystems occur side by side, merging so abruptly. In fact, we know a guy who grew up an hour from there and he didn’t even know it existed! There are a few other hiking trails and hidden canyons with waterfalls in the area too.

Zebras at Fossil Rim Wildlife Center in Glen Rose, Texas – 18H x 24W inches soft pastels on paper

Fossil Rim is a wonderful drive-through park, dedicated to conservation, research, training and education. You may be greeted by guanacos, zebras and ostrich, and can take your own time, but there are also guided tours.

Golden Lion Tamarin at the Dallas World Aquarium, Texas – 18H x 24W inches soft pastels on 90 lb watercolor paper.

These sweet little primates are only about 10 inches and 1.5 lb full-grown. They are considered an endangered species, with an estimated 3,200 confined to areas of tropical rainforest in southeastern Brazil.

Swallows’ Nest at Dosewallips State Park rest area, Hwy 101 WA – 18H x 24W inches soft pastels on paper. Framed size 27H x 33W inches, white wood frame, crackle finish.

Sleepy Sun Bear, 18H x 24W inches soft pastels on paper.

I took some great photos of this sun bear soaking up the sun on a warm winter day at the Fort Worth Zoo in Texas – what a character. The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists the Asian Sun Bear as vulnerable because the population has declined by 35% in the past 30 years.

Mossy Melody – 2018, 14H x 20W inches unframed size, watercolors

Accepted in J. Mane Gallery Seasons 2020, exhibiting online through November.

Japanese Maple, Trask River, and January Thaw, all done in 2020 and are 18H x 24W inches soft pastels on paper, unframed size

Australian White Ibis, Brisbane city Botanic Gardens, 18H x 24W inches soft pastels on paper

Autumn Bouquet, 18H x 24W inches soft pastels on paper. Not sure how successful the effort is. Sometimes I can’t tell. It does remind me of 1970’s couch fabric! Detail images below show the different phases of work.

	phase 01		phase 02		phase03

Cumulonimbus: Montana Sunset, 18H x 24W inches soft pastels on 90 lb watercolor paper. For many years I’ve wanted to try painting night skies. In July 2007, I was driving through Montana to Alberta as the setting sun bounced golden-pink hues through the already fantastic storm clouds. I pulled over and took some photos, thinking that even if they didn’t turn out, something is better than nothing. Reference photos don’t have to be perfect to bring back the awe of a particular moment; they are just a starting point. I intend to paint this with acrylics when I’m through with my soft pastel kick.