Two Turkeys Crossing The Road, New Work

This usually happens. Tilly and I are out for our three o’clock walk, we turn down Coxing Road and there they are, a line of turkeys crossing east to west. These days there are twenty one in this flock. We stop at a respectful distance to admire and let them pass and fortunately they move slowly, with only a slight flutter here and there, so Tilly is not inspired to chase them. I hang on to the leash just in case. On this particular day I focus on a pair who are caught in a shower of falling blossoms while they pass a garden in bloom. Hollyhocks and blue flowers. A few little houses too. Do I know the people who live in the house with the inviting red chairs? Up in the air are a pair of brilliant cardinals.

“3 O’Clock”
12 x 16 inches
Acrylic on claybord panel
$800.00

This painting is available in my Etsy shop. Find the listing here:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/1578746348/original-acrylic-painting-of-two-wild?click_key=3e47223ca9dfeab484037b287d1874557f55f59a%3A1578746348&click_sum=bb1d62a3&ref=shop_home_active_1&sts=1

Prints of this image are available here:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/1579252004/art-print-original-watercolor-two-wild?click_key=89067dafdb51eacc5ce805875e2c0153cafc1e93%3A1579252004&click_sum=fcfec72e&ref=shop_home_active_1&sts=1

I’m running a little sale for the next three days: 20% off any purchase from my Etsy shop.
Thank you for taking a look! I always appreciate it.

“3 O’Clock” detail.

“3 O’Clock” detail.

“3 O’Clock” detail.

“3 O’Clock” detail.

Hello! I'm back with a new drawing.

Please forgive my absence. It’s been a ridiculous summer with a carpenter ant infestation, a bedroom ceiling that collapsed due to a water leak, and a porch repair that needed doing twice. Don’t ask. I hope your summer has been more fun than mine.

Although my own work has progressed slowly I did manage to complete this drawing which I donated to the Paper Unframed online auction benefitting the Woodstock Artists Association Museum. The auction is running now through September 24. There’s also a timed auction Sunday the 24th at 2:00pm. All contemporary work in the auction, like this drawing, starts at $100 and historic work starts at $240 with proceeds benefitting the museum and its educational programs. If you’d like to take a look here’s a link:
https://www.liveauctioneers.com/catalog/298857_paper-unframed-benefit-art-auction/

Dogwood and Deer
10 x 9 inches
Prismacolor pencil on black Fabriano Drawing Paper

This is a small colored pencil drawing. The doe and fawn appear beneath some pale pink flowering dogwood, grasses underfoot, busy spider above. If you were to visit me in the spring I would show you just where this little scene occurred. It’s right up the road in a spot that the rabbits like too.

I have prints of this drawing in my Etsy shop. Etsy is offering $5 off any purchase of $25 or more through today, Sunday September 17.
You can find the prints here:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/1567878741/art-print-original-colored-pencil?click_key=cde756235c6f00ef444e8c39b10a162c726d54fe%3A1567878741&click_sum=3c81812b&ref=shop_home_active_1&sts=1

Thank you for following along! It’s most appreciated.

“Dogwood and Deer” detail.

“Dogwood and Deer” detail.

My Wild Dog - New Work

I have featured black dogs in my paintings before. Sometimes I showed my own dog, sometimes the dog was a stranger to me. But this wild black dog is mine all mine. This is Tilly, doing one of her favorite things: tearing flat out through my garden in pursuit of an unfortunate squirrel.

I have asked myself if I would have taken this dog home from the shelter had I known about her tremendous prey drive. It certainly was a shock to me the first time I watched her catch and kill a squirrel. And another squirrel. And then the poor ground hog. I’d never seen behavior like this other than on nature shows and that was when I would turn the program off. But we fall in love, don’t we, and we come to accept even the parts we dislike.

So here she is, single minded, ignoring the bunny and the turtles, careless of the things beneath her feet. My wild roses and spider wort trampled, the lilac blooms scattered, the ferns bent and broken. Bad news about the squirrel.

“Dog”
Acrylic on claybord
18 x 24 inches

Big sale in my shop!
Prints of this painting are available in my here:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/1484937881/black-dog-chasing-squirrel-through?click_key=0b78c99c726c05e9de87c013b0f95fbfde31a5c6%3A1484937881&click_sum=44ae15b0&ref=shop_home_active_1&sts=1

Thanks for taking a look! I truly appreciate it.

“Dog” detail.

“Dog” detail.

“Dog” detail

“Dog” detail.

Two Small Botanicals. New Work.

“Buttonbush”

I find the most interesting plants growing in the woods and along the wetland edge. Here are small watercolors of two that I see, depending on the season: Bloodroot and Buttonbush. Bloodroot gets its name from its red orange roots that resemble carrots. Yes, I pulled one up so I could see for myself. The roots can be used to make ink or dye. The leaves are big and curvy, the flowers are smallish and white. In the spring, in the woodland shadows, this plant spreads and beautifully fills a lot of space. The second plant, Buttonbush, grows in wet areas and also appreciates shade. In the spring the blossoms are like little green balls that each open into dozens of tightly packed small white flowers like the globe you see here. The foliage is dense and dark and in the fall the “buttons” become red and copper colored. Both of these plants are quite dramatic.

I haven’t done any watercolors in a while and it was a pleasure to work on these two. They are small, as I say, and working on small pieces was also a nice change. I’ll be back to larger work soon.

Both of these originals are available in my Etsy shop where I’m also offering free domestic shipping on all orders through Sunday, October 9. Here are the links:

“Bloodroot”
5 x 6 inches
Watercolor on Fabriano Hot Press
$90
https://www.etsy.com/listing/1318491625/original-watercolor-painting-bloodroot?click_key=6d824a8df84af158ef00b08fb3a00f0133c480d6%3A1318491625&click_sum=7bca4747&ref=shop_home_active_2

“Buttonbush
5 x 6 inches
Watercolor on Fabriano Hot Press
SOLD
https://www.etsy.com/listing/1318500245/original-watercolor-painting-buttonbush?click_key=f24f7649d7317fc42c19a9d7951b9b5884f25ffb%3A1318500245&click_sum=d04f1daa&ref=shop_home_active_1

You can also find prints of these paintings in my shop here:
https://www.etsy.com/shop/NatalieWargin?ref=seller-platform-mcnav

Thanks so much for taking a look at what I’ve been up to.
It’s most appreciated!

A new Sampler In Colored Pencil

I decided to do another colored pencil sampler, just to get back into the swing of things after my exhibit in Woodstock. These drawings done in the style of an old fashioned sampler are relatively quick for me to execute and they’re very satisfying when completed. I’ve titled this one “Everything.”

Just above the curve of the earth are the moon and stars in the night sky and the soft clouds and sun of a new day. In the hills white tailed deer graze, odd birds fly, a rabbit runs, a horse gallops. Somebody should repair that fence. The woman waters her wildly successful garden. Just get a load of the peonies. An old dog relaxes. I’ll bet the house is cozy. The shed seems in good repair and if you choose to sit and rest for a moment you can watch the turtle in the pond under the buttonbush. There’s a black bear near the tree. I have to think about him.
This is everything.

“Sampler #4, Everything”
19 x 22 inches
Prismacolor pencil on Stonehenge Drawing Paper
$400

I’m running a sale in my Etsy shop, 15% off any purchase. The sale runs from today, August 5 through Sunday, August 7.
This original piece of art is available here:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/1278990519/original-colored-pencil-drawing-country?click_key=82736205cf8f36676c849f1f380c14b46f89819f%3A1278990519&click_sum=852e91ca&ref=shop_home_active_1

Prints of this image are also available here:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/1265042630/art-print-original-colored-pencil?click_key=355b32be87acde1a1c3fa446a8713b5229ebfd6f%3A1265042630&click_sum=9f11c33f&ref=shop_home_active_1

Thank you for taking a look at what I’ve been up to. I appreciate it!

“Everything” detail.

“Everything” detail.

“Everything” detail.

“Everything” detail.

“Everything” detail.

One Box Turtle, Coming Right Up

This painting was a commission, a birthday gift for a man who has a soft spot for turtles. I saw this particular box turtle in my driveway and thought I'd paint her instead of one of the snappers that I usually see. Box turtles are especially beautiful and a little showy with bright orange markings. Unlike other wild creatures that I encounter turtles don't mind inspection or a nosey photographer getting close. That's my little house in the upper corner and the woods beyond. It's windy and the trees are getting tossed. And because they are blooming now I've added wild roses and hydrangeas. If you look very carefully you can see that the spiders have been busy too.

I’ve reopened my Etsy shop with a 20% off sale on any purchase through Sunday the 26th.
You can find prints of this turtle painting here:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/1239661358/art-print-of-original-acrylic-painting?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=natalie+wargin&ref=sr_gallery-1-3

NOTE: For those of you who follow me on Instagram I have a new account.
You can follow me here to see me working on new things:
@nataliewargin2.0

And as always, thank you for taking a look at my work.

“Box Turtle” detail.

“Box Turtle” detail.

“Box Turtle”detail.

Two Stories, One Pencil Drawing

I feel the show in May nipping at my heels. This is the penultimate piece for my exhibit. It’s a colored pencil drawing, another sampler, that combines two of my favorite stories, the meteor shower and the weed bouquet. I’ve contained them within a floral border.

A few years ago, at 2AM on a very cold morning, my husband and I carried blankets and quilts out to the front yard where we laid down to watch a meteor shower. The dog took one look at this and went back in the house. Her loss, though, because it was a sight to see. I’ve shown it here with deer instead, under the shooting stars, helping themselves to my garden. The inset bouquet is actually a bunch of dried weeds, Queen Anne’s Lace and other things that looked pretty but made me sneeze so badly that I could not keep it. The floral border is adapted from samplers that I’ve admired.

“Meteor Shower and Bouquet”
Sampler #3
22 x 18 inches
Prismacolor pencil on Stonehenge Drawing Paper

I’ll be closing my Etsy shop indefinitely while I get ready for my May show and another show that will come on it’s heals. Before I do I will run a final sale.
20% off any purchase from April 21 through April 24.
Here’s a link to my shop:
https://www.etsy.com/shop/NatalieWargin

Thank you, as always, for your interest in my work.

“Meteor Shower and Bouquet” detail.

“Meteor Shower and Bouquet” detail.

“Meteor Shower and Bouquet” detail.

“Meteor Shower and Bouquet” detail.

Moonlight and Snowfall

Finishing up a morning run I turned the corner into my driveway and there was a buck. I didn’t startle him in the least but he surprised me a little. He was very big. He looked at me and calmly kept on foraging. I can go most of the year without seeing many, or any, bucks but there he was. I’ve put him here, in a slightly different scene. Here it’s nighttime, the moon is full, and snow is beginning to fall. I’ve added a doe. The green house is mine. The red barn is not mine although it seems to make regular appearances in my work. The helter skelter arrangement of my neighbors homes is fairly accurate, typical in a rural setting. No straight lines or right angles here.

This is a watercolor painting on Fabriano paper, 17” x 13”. The original painting has been sold but prints of the image are available in my Etsy shop. I’m offering FREE SHIPPING on any order, no code needed. The offer runs from January 17 through January 22. You can find prints of this image here:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/674690645/art-print-original-watercolor-moonlight?ref=listing_published_alert

“Moonlight andSnowfall” detail.

“Moonlight and Snowfall” detail.

“Moonlight and Snowfall” detail.

The Storm and A Show!

"The Storm," detail.

"The Storm," detail.

"The Storm," detail.

"The Storm," detail.

"The Storm," detail.

A funny thing happened when I started this painting. The sky took over. I had every intention of showing a garden on a sunny blue sky day but, as you can see, that's not what happened. I've never before had the feeling that I wasn't completely in control of a piece. When my brush began making those dark churning clouds it crossed my mind that I could make the sky brighter and clearer but something kept me from doing it. In the end I was glad that I let the painting have its way. 

So a storm is definitely coming.  Trees are blowing sideways, blossomed branches are tossed, a curtain flies from a window, a bell on a gate rings and rings.  Milkweed, ferns, wild roses, and spider wort are tangled. The stream is rushing into the pond and the ducks are having second thoughts about their swim. The deer are heading for shelter, a turtle seems to have found some. And if I know that dog she's about to be frightened when the thunder starts. The stone house looks safe and welcoming. I think someone's about to get dinner going.

"The Storm," acrylic on panel, 24" x 18".  This painting has sold.

I have some news too. I have had three paintings accepted into a juried show at the Woodstock Artists Museum.  The show is titled FOCUS: Surveying the Landscape.  I'm very happy about this. It's the first juried show for me and my paintings.  The show runs from July 21 through August 26. I'll be at the opening reception on Saturday, July 28 from 4 to 6pm. I'd love to see you if you happen to be in the area.

I have several new prints in my Etsy shop.
Everything is 20% off starting today, July 20, and running through Monday, July 23.
https://www.etsy.com/shop/NatalieWargin

Pink Tulips And An Attack

"Pink Tulips" detail.

"Pink Tulips" detail.

Spring has been very slow in arriving here in the Hudson Valley.  I know this is true of many parts of the country.  But even if there's still snow on the ground it seems a sign when the market starts to sell tulips.  I'm especially fond of the pale pink ones myself and I can never resist.  In a way this is a reprise of an earlier watercolor of pink tulips and peepers; tulips in the foreground, the little frogs hanging on to the stems and leaves.  But in this painting, beyond the flowers, is my rural landscape and a little drama that unfolded. Maggie was attacked by an angry Canada goose who came out of nowhere.  Luckily Maggie escaped mostly unharmed. This is a true story.

As you can imagine the altercation between goose and dog got my heart racing. I'm working on a depiction. It will be the painting you'll see in the next installment of this newsletter.  You can watch my progress on my Instagram page here:
instagram.com/nataliewargin/

The painting, "Pink Tulips and An Attack," and prints of this image are available in my Etsy shop.  
You can find the painting here:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/595821212/pink-tulips-with-peepers-and-canada?ref=shop_home_active_1

You can find the print here:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/592033034/pink-tulips-with-peepers-art-print-of?ref=shop_home_active_2

I've added several more prints of past paintings to my shop as well.
And to celebrate the arrival of this very tardy spring there's FREE SHIPPING on every order from April 26 through
Wednesday, May 2. No code needed.  

Meteor Showers. One more for the show.

"Meteor Shower" detail

"Meteor Shower" detail

"Meteor Shower" detail

A couple of years ago my husband and I decided to watch a juicy meteor shower that had been predicted.  Coming from Chicago, with all of its ambient light, we'd never had an opportunity to do this. But the wide open skies of the valley gave us a good opportunity.  Here's my depiction with some license taken.  In reality this happened at 2 am on a frigid January morning.  We bundled up and took blankets and quilts outside to lay on and wrap up in. Maggie took one look at this and walked right back inside.  Here in the painting I've made the night a warmer one with turkeys bedding down in the trees and deer eating my plantings. In the sky is a ridiculous display of stars and flying meteors, a slight exaggeration.

This is the final piece for my show, number eleven.  If you're interested in purchasing this painting please get in touch through the contact page or send me an email.  And if you're near Gardiner, NY between noon and 2pm on November 18 stop by the Gardiner Library.  I'm having a small reception and would love to meet you.

Ten New Paintings!

For the past ten months or so I've been busy working on new paintings for my November show at the Gardiner Library. I've completed ten - a visual representation of my beautiful surroundings. They are a timely reminder of what we can lose if we're not careful.  

I'm offering all of these paintings for sale now, prior to the show, with the understanding that they won't ship until after the show closes on December 30.  I hope you like this collection. To purchase a painting please contact me via the "Contact" page or at natalie@nataliewargin.com. You can also email me for detail images of any of the paintings or for a more detailed price list with a description of each piece.  And you can see my work-in-progress
at instagram.com/nataliewargin/

If you're nearby you can check out the show or come and meet me at the reception.
The show runs from November 14 through December 30. 
Opening reception:
Saturday, November 18 from 12pm until 2pm.
Gardiner Library
133 Farmer's Turnpike
Gardiner, NY  12525
 

"Vultures at High Falls"
24" x 18"
Acrylic on birch panel
$2200.

"Maggie"
18" x 24"
Acrylic on birch panel
$2200.

"Slabsides"
24" x 18" 
Acrylic on birch panel
$2200.

"Lodges"
18" x 24" 
Acrylic on birch panel
$2200.

"Pleasant"
18" x 24"
Acrylic on birch panel
$3200.

"Red Barn with Fox"
12" x 18"
Acrylic gouache on birch panel
$900.

"Coyote"
18" x 12"
Acrylic on birch panel
$900.

"Autumn Orchard"
12" x 16"
Acrylic on birch panel
$1200.

"Winter Barns"
12" x 18"
Acrylic on birch panel
$1200.

Again, If you have questions please email me via the "Contact" page or at natalie@nataliewargin.com.  Thanks for taking a look!

Blue Heron Blue Snakes

"Blue Heron" detail

"Blue Heron" detail

"Blue Heron" detail

When I walk down the trail along the Cottekill swamp a flying blue heron is a fairly common sight.  I might initially glimpse one sitting on a limb or a fallen tree but once the bird sees me it usually takes off.  They are very shy.  I've exaggerated the bird's blue coloring in this painting. The true color is more subtle, more of a gray, better camouflage. To me they remain a startling sight when they fly off.  They are large and ungainly and their long thin legs stretch far out behind them.  Beautiful nonetheless.

Snakes live along the swamp's edge.  They can be big and startling as they slither quickly into the water.  Even shyer, I think, than the herons.  Maggie is intrigued but I quickly shoo her away.  I haven't learned yet which snakes are poisonous.  Since it's early in a cold spring there's not too much growing yet.  Mostly just the gorgeous emerald swamp cabbage.

This painting measures 7 x 9 inches (15 x 23cm). 
It's available in my shop here:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/276304442/original-watercolor-blue-heron-blue?ref=shop_home_listings
Prints of this painting are available here:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/290195037/art-print-original-watercolor-blue-heron?ref=shop_home_listings

A Riotous Painting + Free SHIPPING

"One Hundred Geese" detail

"One Hundred Geese" detail

"One Hundred Geese" detail

Spring is coming, that's for sure.  I look out my window or ride down a road and flocks of birds are gathering and singing like it's some big happy family reunion.  Dozens of starlings flying in an abstract formation that thins and swells and curves.  Dozens of robins in my yard, hopping and pecking at the grass and filling the yet to bud flame bushes.  Driving down 209 recently I looked over to the fields where Gill's Farm has been growing exceptional corn for decades and I saw hundreds of geese.  Hundreds.  I have never seen so many birds all in one place.  Maybe they were resting or maybe there was something tasty that geese just love left over from last season.  All I know is that it was an impressive sight.  

I've painted a version of what I saw and I admit that I took some license.  The geese I saw were still and if there were other animals I didn't see them. I've moved the creek.  The Esopus is actually a couple hundred yards away.  I haven't seen any turtles yet this year.  And these geese are flying which would probably be a wise decision if there were foxes around.  

This is a watercolor and gouache painting, slightly horizontal, 13" x 12".
You can find the painting and prints of the image in my shop here:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/270709027/original-watercolor-painting-100-geese?ref=shop_home_active_1
https://www.etsy.com/listing/271423948/art-print-original-watercolor-painting?ref=listing-shop-header-0

And get free shipping, today through Sunday March 13, with this code:
FREESHIP

New Watercolor, Winter Nest

"Winter Nest" detail

"Winter Nest" detail

"Winter Nest" detail

One of the best things about having a nosey dog is that she makes me wait.  While I don't like to let Maggie spend an eternity sniffing the same spot I do feel that since the walk is for her as well as for me she should have some time to explore.  She noses around, I look around.  A couple of weeks ago we were on the road near the Cottekill and Maggie stopped.  I looked up at the tall bushes in front of me on the edge of the creek and saw a small nest.  It was abandoned, of course, almost lost in the branches and I would have missed it but for the dog.  On the ground were some hydrangeas, dry and papery, a pretty straw color.

Here's the nest, caught in a tangle against a clear blue sky, hydrangeas below.  
This is a small painting, 4.5 x 6 inches.  
It's available in my shop.
https://www.etsy.com/listing/269730526/original-watercolor-painting-winter-nest?ref=shop_home_active_1

New Painting + S A L E

"Early Snow" detail

"Early Snow" detail

"Early Snow" detail

In a way this is a study for a larger painting that I'm planning.  I've been wanting to paint sleeping deer ever since Maggie and I discovered the place in the woods where several of them sleep.  We were walking beyond the ridge behind our house -- there are hundreds of wooded acres back there -- and we found a well-sheltered spot with eight hollowed ovals in the snow.  I figured out what they were fairly quickly and the realization was accompanied by my usual "Wow!" There were trees all around, tall pines that blocked the sunlight.  In fact, the soft light filtering through the needled branches almost looked green.  
The place was secluded and felt safe.  

Here they are, the resting deer, protected by the rare red tree.  The fancy house in the background is inspired by Sunnyside, the home of Washington Irving here on the Hudson River.  The Hudson banks were favored by many influential people, close enough to the city but just far enough away to be a retreat.  

This is a small painting, watercolor and gouache, 5 1/2 x 6 inches.  It's available in my shop here:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/267191746/original-watercolor-painting-early-snow?ref=shop_home_active_2
You can find prints of "Early Snow" here:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/267252295/art-print-original-watercolor-early-snow?ref=listing-shop-header-0

I am having a big birthday on Sunday.  A milestone.  I invite you to join in my celebration.
 I am offering 25% off anything in my shop including original art.  
This sale will run from Saturday through Sunday, February 13 -14.
Coupon code:  MILESTONE

Two Bears and Homeopathy

"Grandparents of the Forest" website header art

I've been busy lately developing some characters for a website and a future children's book.  The client is an herbalist and therapist who specializes in behavior disorders in children.  She's chosen a bear couple, bespectacled Nicolas and Lila, as the stars in a story about how herbs, natural remedies, and nature itself can help children to lead calmer lives.  The author wants to show children the wonders of nature and how turning to nature can be helpful and healing.

The bears are mythical medicine makers – community herbalists. The female is a shaman, the male is a scientist although there is some fun and play in this as they switch roles often. They complement each other.  The bears have a cave to retreat to – deep in the woods. It’s a classic underworld cave with mystical writing and drawings on the walls.   Lila talks to the plants, rocks, animals and birds, listening for their reply.  She is the personification of the Mother, warm, welcoming, kind.   Nicolas is a scientist who knows a lot about plants and animals and he likes to dabble with potions and medicines.  The book will tell of Lila coming to know that there is a need somewhere amongst the children of the village.  She'll look for the right plant to help.

That's it in a nutshell.  I'll let you know how things progress.

I want to wish all of you the happiest of holidays.  
Thank you for following along with my bits of news.  
I'm planning lots of new work in the new year.

Autumn Orchard

"Autumn Orchard" detail

"Autumn Orchard" detail

"Autumn Orchard" detail

There's a pretty apple orchard on River Road in Red Hook.  It belongs to Migliorelli Farm.  The trees are small and the many many branches reach dramatically straight up to the sky.  Both of these things surprised me.  Apparently it's important to keep fruit bearing trees small and tidy to get the best crop.  I'm still not sure why the branches grow straight up though, instead of gracefully curving and bending like other trees.  Anyway, I decided this fall to paint the orchard at harvest time.  The trees were loaded with red apples, the leaves were so green; lots of color.  I nearly always work from photos that I take and River Road is narrow and curved with no shoulder so where to put my car and how to get over the stone wall that separates the orchard from the road?  I knew if I could get onto the orchard that I'd technically be trespassing.  But the farm stand is way at the other corner and the lovely gray house is a bit farther still.  And I wanted some pictures.

There's a driveway with fancy iron gates that leads to a handsome property right across the road from where I wanted to access the orchard.  I have never seen anyone coming or going from this driveway so I decided to risk parking there for the shortest time possible.  Flashers on, I left Maggie in the car, crossed the road, and scooted across the relatively low stone wall.  I walked quickly through the high, wet grass to the trees, took pictures from different angles, all the while keeping an eye on my car and my dog in the forbidden driveway.  When I got back to the car my pants were wet to the knee.  I will confess.  I picked one apple.  It was delicious.  Crisp, and tangy; a MacIntosh.

Why the pheasants?  I didn't see them at the orchard but rather up the road at Bard College on another day entirely.  But they fit here, as do the mourning doves in the tree tops.

This is a 10 x 10 inch (25 x 25cm) acrylic painting on board.  It is listed in my Etsy shop.
https://www.etsy.com/listing/254514646/acrylic-painting-original-autumn-orchard?ref=shop_home_active_1

New Painting -- A view from the Cottekill Trail

I see a lot of deer these days.  It must be the time of year.  I'll be running on the trail and they'll walk out of the woods and stand in my path, looking at me as I get closer and closer to them.  It's a delight to see them though I worry that I can get so close before they leap away.  I know that animals are far from stupid.  Most, I suspect, are much more intelligent than we egotistical humans will allow.  But I don't want the wild animals around here to ever trust people.  Hunting season is around the corner.

I pass this spot on the Cottekill trail.  The trail is bordered by woods and all sorts of small plants.  That funny lattice structure is a puzzlement.  There are houses beyond and the mountains of course.  This is a cool morning with smoke from wood stoves in the air.  You can also spot bunnies, a squirrel, and one deer a-leaping.

This is a 12 x 16" acrylic painting on birch board.  It's titled "Over."
https://www.etsy.com/listing/248611494/original-acrylic-painting-a-view-from?ref=shop_home_active_1

Porcupines at the Mohonk Preserve

"Porcupines" detail

"Porcupines" detail

"Porcupines" detail

"Porcupines" detail

I went for a hike at the Mohonk Preserve with my friends Raedel and Mary Grace.  The Mohonk Preserve is in the Shawangunk Mountains or Gunks, as they are affectionately called around here.  The Gunks are part of the long ridge of the Appalachian Mountains, known early on for logging and mining but now known mainly for recreation, most notably for rock climbing and hiking.  As with many areas like this the trails vary in difficulty.  We were on an a fairly easy trail, a good walk and conversation being our intent.  It was a perfect morning for it. As we neared the end of our hike we rounded a bend and Mary Grace, who was in the lead, almost stepped on a porcupine.  

I had never seen a porcupine outside of a zoo and it was all I could do to get out my phone and start snapping pictures.  Although the porcupine was clearly moving away from me it wasn't running and I was able to get some decent shots.  I doubt it was worried about me because once it got to an overgrown area it stopped to grab and eat a bunch of leaves.  I thought it was very beautiful.  I did wonder about those quills though.  Do they shoot them in self-defense?  Later I looked it up and found that porcupines do not shoot their quills but will charge and impale a predator with multiple barbs.  

Here is my portrayal of the porcupine we saw, munching in the foreground and then calmly retreating.  It really was an attractive animal with many many quills that almost looked soft.  Almost.  I've added the orange day lilies that line the roads here in the summer.  

The painting is available in my shop here:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/243853269/original-watercolor-porcupines-at-the?ref=shop_home_active_1

And prints of the image are available here:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/243854559/art-print-original-watercolor-porcupines?ref=shop_home_active_2

Here's a back-to-school special:  20% off any purchase, good until September 3rd:
FALL20