A Bright Bouquet with Two Sparrows

March 31, 2016 Natalie Wargin

There's a small but very special shop one town over. It's the perfect place to find a gift or to get a wildly colorful bouquet and I was lucky enough to receive some of their fancy flowers for my birthday. Scarlet poppies, purple-indigo delphinium, lime-light hydrangeas. I thought I'd paint them even though the arrangement was a bit more colorful than my usual palette. Here they are. Somehow a couple of sparrows got into the picture. If you know me at all you know that I can't just leave things alone. Birds and animals tug at my sleeve every time I pull out my paints. I happen to have a soft spot for sparrows. Small and unassuming, quietly colored, they are hearty and tough. I had some space so in they went.

This is a 9 x 12 inch watercolor and gouache painting. It's available here in my shop:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/286217601/watercolor-painting-original-bouquet?ref=shop_home_active_2
You can find prints of this painting here:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/274048834/art-print-watercolor-painting-original?ref=listing-shop-header-1

A Riotous Painting + Free SHIPPING

March 10, 2016 Natalie Wargin

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

February 26, 2016 Natalie Wargin

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

February 12, 2016 Natalie Wargin

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

A Room With A View + Free Shipping

January 29, 2016 Natalie Wargin

I have to face it. This winter here in the Hudson Valley is a dud. I know, I know, there's still more winter to come but I can recognize a pattern when I see one. This one says "No Snow." And I love snow.

Recently I was out with Maggie in the gray afternoon thinking a pretty bouquet might lift my funk when I realized that I didn't have to go over to Green Cottage for flowers. I could pick an interesting assortment of drying things; leaves of red and brown, gray-brown Queen Anne's Lace, and some of those other things, all appropriately decomposing like my mood. But I felt my mood improving. You can see in the photo of the things I chose that they made a pleasing arrangement. I took them home, took that photo, and was about to place the weeds in a vase when I noticed all the little dust and seeds falling. I began to sneeze wildly. The bouquet ended up back in the woods but I had an image and an idea for a watercolor.

The drying bouquet is hanging, as you can see, tied with a ribbon. I added the falling dust and seeds just for fun. There are goats in my vicinity but not right next door. The view out the window of goats in the snow is wishful.

The original watercolor is 11" x 14" and available in my Etsy shop here:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/265830673/watercolor-painting-original-a-room-with?ref=shop_home_active_1
Prints of the image are available here:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/265937368/art-print-original-watercolor-a-room?ref=listing-shop-header-1

And shipping is free on any order with this code, good through January 31.
FREESHIP

New Painting -- My Neighbors

January 12, 2016 Natalie Wargin

I have these neighbors up the road who have a story that you can read just by looking at their property. The star of the story as I tell it is Chester, the 16 year old rescued Belgian Draft Horse. Chester is big and blonde and gentle. A handsome chap. Belgians are related to Clydesdales so that might give you an idea of Chester's size. He loves to lay in the mud or stand out in the rain or snow. I suppose if you had such an enormous body you might like to cool down when you get the opportunity. Chester has his own barn and a corral that are pretty much right on the road and he attracts attention. Hence the sign: "Please Don't Feed The Horse. Ask." I should say right now that I haven't manufactured anything that you see in the painting. I loved that brilliant sign the second I saw it. I took a picture and I'm glad I did because it's weathered and you can't really read it anymore.

The deer hanging from the tree is common during hunting season. I think the man who lives here is a pretty good hunter because every year there's a deer. One year there was a bear. And one year there was a coyote. Apparently the coyotes were eating the chickens. Although I've placed the tree in the background the actual "hanging tree" is on the road. Scared the daylights out of me the first morning I ran past and saw a dead deer hanging next to me.

The woman who lives here actually has three pigs. Pot bellied pigs that live in the house. I have met them and they are sweet and bristley. Here she is walking the largest.

The painting is an acrylic on birch board, 16" x 12", my largest to date.
This is also the first time I've added a person.
And I've given Chester a pink halo just to show how special I think he is.

The piece is available in my shop:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/263160806/original-painting-my-neighbors-with?ref=shop_home_active_1

Two Bears and Homeopathy

December 17, 2015 Natalie Wargin

"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.

Winter Orchard

November 24, 2015 Natalie Wargin

This is the same apple orchard that I pictured in "Autumn Orchard" now a little later in the season with some snow on the ground. It's the Migliorelli orchard with some family members living in the lovely gray house at the far corner. It looks like a grand place to live. I took some liberties here. I never saw this wild life in the orchard all at the same time. But once I start adding creatures it's hard for me to stop until there's almost a party. I'm certain, though, that all of them have passed through at some time, probably some at the same time. So here you'll find a dozen crows, a few red squirrels, a couple of rabbits, and eight wild turkeys. The turkeys are moving along, minding their own business, the bunnies are still, trying not to be noticed. The squirrels are dashing and chattering and what can I say about the crows? A noisy presence as always, two are playing around, their antics scatter some snow.

I will say the idea of painting snow befuddled me. White paper, white snow may seem like a no-brainer but it's a little more complicated than that. At least I thought so. Should the little drifts be edged in gray? Blue? Lavender? I went with some gray and some blue and I suppose it works well enough. I am going to be painting more winter scenes. I'll get the hang of it.

You can find the painting and prints of this painting in my shop.
https://www.etsy.com/listing/257064213/original-watercolor-painting-winter?ref=shop_home_active_2
https://www.etsy.com/listing/256904101/art-print-original-watercolor-winter?ref=listing-shop-header-0

HOLIDAY SALE!
BLACK FRIDAY through CYBER MONDAY:
20% off entire purchase with code: BLACK20

Autumn Orchard

November 11, 2015 Natalie Wargin

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

A Coyote on the Ridge Watching

October 22, 2015 Natalie Wargin

We had just finished our afternoon walk, Maggie and I, and were coming around the side of the house to the mud room door. Something made me look up to the ridge just beyond our little stream and there was a single coyote watching us. I don't know how I noticed him. He was sleek and silvery and completely still. The ridge is not far away, maybe 80 feet from the house. My silly dog didn't see the coyote for which I was grateful because I'm pretty sure her barking would have chased him away. He continued to watch for a brief minute and then he gracefully turned and walked up the ridge into the woods. I walk the trails every day and I love to hike in the woods once the colder weather comes and the ticks have died down. I enjoy the spine tingling thought that I'm probably being watched by creatures I can't see. Maybe even by this coyote.

Besides the coyote, this painting is chock-full of other things. There are two dozen starlings in the tree tops, red efts here and there, and some snapping turtles on the rocks near the stream. Bright green swamp cabbage leaves and buds are growing along with Virginia Creeper and, of course, all the trees.

For anyone who may have been looking for prints they are now back in my shop.
I had briefly pulled them to make some changes.

and...

I recently started an Instagram gallery. I post photos of what's happening in the studio, sketches, work in progress, and glimpses of what's happening in my day-to-day. You can find and follow me here:
https://instagram.com/nataliewargin/

New Painting -- A view from the Cottekill Trail

September 22, 2015 Natalie Wargin

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

August 26, 2015 Natalie Wargin

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

Portrait of Two Ragdoll Cats

August 14, 2015 Natalie Wargin

I was thrilled to be asked to do another pet portrait. You may remember that I had done a watercolor of "Two Dogs On The Hudson." Here I have painted two Ragdoll cats. I was asked if I could get a wild turkey, a chipmunk, and part of the house into the picture too. This is the result. I've titled the painting "What Happened In The Garden" because I thought there was maybe a little story here...

Paris and Blanket Marie, the two lovely Ragdolls, are surprised and slightly confused by all of the activity in their garden. It's usually such a peaceful place with the sweet grass and bright flowers and the comfort of the conservatory a few steps away. It's a perfect place for a little nap, for instance. But who invited all of these birds? They're so noisy and they have certainly made themselves at home. Blanket Marie thinks the chipmunk is to blame. Sure, he looks innocent off there in the corner nibbling a nut, his back to the hullabaloo, but she knows he likes to start things. Paris, however, has a funny feeling about that show-off turkey.

"What Happened In The Garden" is done in watercolor and gouache and measures 11" x 11". I hope to do more pet portraits and should probably start planning one of my own dog, Maggie. I must give some thought to this.

Dogwood and Deer

July 28, 2015 Natalie Wargin

This spring was a good one for the dogwoods here in the Hudson Valley. While other things, my honeysuckle for example, failed after the terrible winter the dogwoods were as full of blooms as I've ever seen them. Branches heavy with perfect pinkish white flowers that stopped me in my tracks more than once. I thought I'd make a canopy of them. The deer and rabbits beneath are actually a study for a larger acrylic painting that I'm planning. They do seem at home here though, silent in the cool dark wood. I've finally gotten some cattails into the mix, there in the foreground. And a few spiderwebs higher, in the tree tops.

This is an original watercolor and gouache painting of three deer and a few rabbits under a blooming dogwood. The painting is 7 x 10 inches (18 x 25 cm).
You can find the painting here:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/240400084/original-watercolor-painting-dogwood?ref=shop_home_active_1

And prints of the image here:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/241120525/art-print-deer-and-dogwood?ref=shop_home_active_2

Wild Turkey on Leggett Trail

July 9, 2015 Natalie Wargin

This is an original acrylic painting of a lone wild tom turkey. I have placed him in the surroundings where I see him -- woodland with wild roses, chipmunks and a small stream. The painting is on a 9 x 12" (23 x 30cm) birch panel. I haven't done an acrylic painting since high school. This was fun and I will be doing more.

There's a section of the trail here that Maggie & I like to walk. We access it from Leggett Road. For the past couple of years we have been most fortunate to spot, from time to time, a large lone wild turkey. We saw him again recently. He was close to the edge of the trail and I guess we startled him. He made a fuss and moved off. I think that he lives in the wild woodland that borders the particular section of the trail where we are likely to see him. He seems robust and healthy but I wonder why he's always alone. I try to stop myself from anthropomorphizing but I'm afraid he's lonely or maybe being ostracized. I told my sister, an area native, about this Tom and she said that she thinks turkeys sometimes spend time alone. It's true that I don't see him very often so maybe he's usually with a flock. Fabia and I decided that he was in a Garbo phase. Not tremendously clever, I know, but it made us laugh anyway.

As I mentioned above I haven't worked with acrylics for a while and to me this looks so different from my watercolors. Often I don't know what to think when I look at a painting I've finished and that was very true of this turkey. There's something about this piece that reminds me of portraits that itinerant painters would do during colonial times. Of course this is a turkey and not a well-to-do dry goods proprietor but still. There's just something about it...

You can find this painting in my shop.
https://www.etsy.com/listing/239253709/original-painting-wild-tom-turkey-on?ref=shop_home_active_1

And you can use this code for free shipping on any order. It's active through July 18.
FREESHIP

Three Black Hens in clover

June 23, 2015 Natalie Wargin

Out for my morning jaunt I rounded a familiar corner and spotted what I thought were three crows. As I got closer to the birds I realized that they were not crows at all but shiny black hens with scarlet heads. I stopped for a moment to take a closer look. What beauties! Such colors! It's not so unusual to see groups of hens and roosters roaming around but I'd never seen any like this before. Now I see these three here and there, close to where I saw them first but never in the same spot twice. "Free range" I suppose. I wonder what color their eggs are.

I placed the hens in a barn yard which is fairly accurate but I added a very small image of a church that's not anywhere near where I spotted the hens. You can see it in the background on one of the hills. This particular church is Dutch Reform and very old & colonial in design. They tell me it's the most frequently photographed church in New York. I had the pleasure of hearing some scary organ music there a few Halloweens ago while waiting for the cemetery tour to begin.

The painting is 7 x 10 inches (18 x 25 cm). The paper is Arches 100% cotton watercolor paper, smooth finish. The painting is signed and dated on the front, titled on the back. You can find it in my shop along with prints of the hens in various sizes.

And please take free shipping on any order with this code: FREESHIP
The code is good until June 30.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/236594981/art-print-watercolor-painting-original?ref=shop_home_active_1

https://www.etsy.com/listing/236596301/original-watercolor-painting-black-hens?ref=listing-shop-header-1

Work in Progress -- Herons

June 5, 2015 Natalie Wargin

I've been asked a few times if I could show my progress on a painting so here goes. This first image shows my light sketch and the beginning of the painting. I've learned from experience that I should start on the important parts -- in this case the herons -- because if I'm not happy with the stars of the piece I will need to start again and I'd hate to throw away more work than I need to.

I pass this pond on my daily rounds. It's very close to a section of the rail trail that has a swamp with the most amazing array of birds, frogs, turtles, and snakes. And beavers. I usually see a single heron at the swamp without fail but one morning I saw this pair on the pond. I had never seen a pair before and certainly never on the pond which is also close to a somewhat well traveled road. It was early morning and still quiet and there they were, the happy couple. The people who own the pond have planted dozens of daffodils. The purple phlox is wild. It's everywhere, the rocks too. I added the dashing squirrels because I love to watch them flying through the trees.

This is a large painting for me, 12 x 18". It's watercolor and gouache. You can find it in my shop, together with prints of the image in various sizes:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/234865593/watercolor-original-painting-herons?ref=shop_home_active_1
https://www.etsy.com/listing/234866381/art-print-original-watercolor-herons?ref=listing-shop-header-0

Pink Tulips & Peepers

May 19, 2015 Natalie Wargin

Pale pink tulips are my favorite and here it is, spring at long last, and I have been indulging myself with near weekly bouquets. And since it's spring the peepers are singing in the marsh behind the house pretty much non-stop. When I did the sketch for this painting it was raining and three of the tiny frogs hopped onto the french doors next to my work table. They stuck there on the glass. I love when I get to see them so close up, no larger than a quarter with a gorgeous copper ring around their eyes. I could see their little hearts beating so fast. They begged to be included.

This painting and prints in various sizes are available in my shop.
https://www.etsy.com/listing/232415560/watercolor-painting-original-tulips-and?ref=shop_home_active_2
https://www.etsy.com/listing/232454525/art-print-original-watercolor-tulips-and?ref=shop_home_active_1

New work -- Cardinals & Flame Bush

May 8, 2015 Natalie Wargin

There are birds galore here, as I've mentioned before, and I've painted a number of them: sparrows, bluebirds, crows, turkeys, phoebes, jays, owls. Here are a pair of cardinals. Since it's finally spring in the middle Hudson Valley I first thought to pair the cardinals with forsythia but red and yellow as a palette didn't do it for me. Red and red seemed like more fun. So even though it's spring and the flame bushes are far from their flashy autumn scarlet this is where I ended up.

This is a colorful painting but cardinals, the males at least, are very bright, and now that I think about it, unusual around here for their color since most of the birds I see are fairly subdued. Oh, there are a couple of other exceptions: jays and bluebirds. And I see touches of red on a blackbird's wing or a woodpecker's breast but overall muted earth tones prevail. It's survival that's important and these little birds have a lot to deal with. So how to explain the brilliant cardinal?

This painting, as well as prints in various sizes, are available in my Etsy shop.
https://www.etsy.com/listing/232229077/watercolor-painting-original-cardinals?ref=shop_home_active_2
https://www.etsy.com/listing/232215449/art-print-original-watercolor-cardinals?ref=listing-shop-header-1

Two Dogs on the Hudson

April 20, 2015 Natalie Wargin

I was asked to do a painting of two dogs in a Hudson Valley setting. I have always loved dog portraits, especially old master formal pieces. You know, the hunting scene with the dogs large in the foreground, horses and riders in their "pinks" in a tangle behind them. Or better, the stiff profile of a dog standing in the foreground of a country scene; river, hills and woodland always in the background. I admit I was a bit nonplussed by the request. I have never thought of myself as a portraitist but the opportunity intrigued me. I was provided with a number of photos of two handsome creatures. This is the result. Like so many of the old portraits I placed the dogs front and center. The requested Valley landscape -- Hudson River, Catskills, red barn, farm animals, foliage -- are present and also mimic the old portraits. But instead of a stiff traditional pose with the dog oblivious of the viewer, I have these two looking straight at us. Less formal. More like the dogs I know.

Prints of this painting are available in various sizes in my Etsy shop:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/230363174/art-print-original-watercolor-painting?ref=shop_home_active_1