Great White Egret at Andy Brown Jr. Park, Coppell, Texas. Early morning melting frost, still slightly foggy, enough sun to make the water and dew in the grass sparkle, with a Mayfly appearing at exactly the right moment!
The photo was digitally changed to black and white and the contrast was clarified.

The Grape Hyacinth started blooming this week…next the Iris, and I can’t wait to see the Ornamental Onions again.

Amazing sunset tonight.

This week mating season has started for Mockingbirds in northeast Texas. Mockingbirds mimic over 120 bird calls, and I’m guessing there are a couple of frog calls in the mix too. Really interesting, and a sound I love hearing when outside doing yardwork.

Guanacaste Trees, Costa Rican Grasslands, 11H x 14W inches oil pastels on paper. Part of the Paper Places series, all have white double mats and white custom built wood frames with crackle finish, total size 22H x 26W inches.
The unusually wide umbrella-like shape of the trees look cartoonish, but with a few textures I think the issue is resolved now.

Guanacaste trees have such presence! Costa Rica is not well known for its open grasslands, but north-west and central areas of the country flatten out a little, with mountains of rain forests and volcanoes on the horizon. Guanacaste trees look entirely different growing in the rain forest than on the open grasslands.

The Great Ocean Road, east coast Victoria, Australia, 11H x 14W inches oil pastels on paper, framed with 3 inch white double mat, brass title plate, and white wood frame with crackle finish, 22H x 26W inches total size. Sold.

My Valentine’s roses needed a fresh cut and a few petals removed. The landfill sights are sweeter this past week, I bet.
I dried a few of the roses, and adorned the doves nest in the back-door wreath.

 

Palo Verde tree in bloom at a nursery in Ajijic, Mexico

* The acrylics/mixed media painting Polypore Fungi is accepted into VAST Arts 40th Annual Visual Arts Exhibition April 10- May 29, 2008

* The Heart Shapes in Nature photographic series are available as 3 x 4 inch framed prints, matted white or black with black frames – $7.50 each or 3 for $20 at Studio 2600, 2600 Hibernia, Dallas. http://www.studio2600dallas.com/

* The Oil Pastel work Eastern White Pine is showing at the AVAA 32nd Annual Regional Juried Art Exhibit in Arlington, Texas February 15 – March 28, 2008

Graphite drawing, scanned and detailed with digital pen.