Description: I can’t even count how much time I have spent sitting at the shores of the lake near my home hoping to spot the otters. I know they are there because I see their latrines near their slides and tiny tracks that lead from the bank to the lake. In the winter I see their holes in the ice and I see their snowy slip ‘n slide paths. I think if I see one I will feel the joy their magical presence brings. But I found just the act of waiting, sitting, watching, and pondering brings so much joy too🦦
Description: This piece features a combination of plants I have enjoyed since childhood – blue vervain, blackeyed susan, and daisy. As a kid I noticed that they seemed to pop up in the same ditches every year. This thriving collection of companion flowers managed to survive for years and in doing so created a diverse ecosystem. But like anything they are a part of a larger whole. If the monarchs are happy here they will go onto a nearby garden while the chickadee will most likely continue on a quest for food leaving seeds along the way. The whole ecosystem thrives when these wild companion plants do.
Description: These two bear cubs have found the perfect spot to roll around in this patch of low bush blueberries. Imagine how awesome it would feel to be rolling with your best fluffy bud in a patch of blueberries and butterflies. What a tripped out moment that would be. I created the piece to represent the joy that is happening somewhere deep in the underbrush when humans aren’t there to witness it. This also answers the question of where all the blueberries disappear to. Featured flora and fauna • Low Bush Blueberries, Eastern Tailed Butterflies, and a couple of Black Bear cubs
Description: This Owl looks out from a pink / purple freezing sunset. When the thermometer stays right around the 0° mark here in Northern Minnesota, and the chill gets to the walls and the fingers, the Owl surveys its territory. And as the sky grows dark, and the frigid temps dip, the owl lets out a long, low hooooot; a sound that warms the soul.
Description: This piece contains the cool blue of winter days contrasted so well by the fiery hot colors of the male cardinal. This harbinger of the hope is perfect for the changing season. The winter solstice is so cold this year with so many storms and very cold temps. I hope this cardinal represents all the good to come in the coming turn around the sun☀
Description: The trees are still dusky. The morning light filters through soft and sweet. The sun warms the trees and flowers, the smells of spring fill the air reminiscent of syrup and honey. The male Northern Cardinal rests, a flash in the canopy of green. The enchanting bird carries magic. He is out and about collecting before going back to his mate and their nest. The long term pair may break up some day, but unlike many birds they are in it for the long haul. The wizened bird brings his partner twigs and food. This NPC's presence brings us blessings on our woodland journey.
Description: This Gray Wolf watches knowingly from the forest depths. Considering the nightfall as it approaches and thinking about the deer and beaver it senses are near. Today this Gray Wolf feels secure in its status as a top predator and keystone species in this ecosystem. Though some days when things are tougher it is hard to feel so self assured today is a good day for this particular creature. The Spring Azures sense the joy and color from this confident canine and surround before tucking in for the night. Featured flora and fauna • Gray Wolf, Spring Azure, Growth
Description: The Wood Turtle makes its way up the river bank after a long cold season spent in the mud. It is welcomed by the spring growth that carpets the ground. All winter it has dreamed of the sweet kisses of fresh foraged foods. The berries, worms, mushrooms, & sprouts have been calling to the slow, deliberate creature as it stayed warm & survived. It’s now time to resurface from the river & look for strawberries under starry skies🍓
Description: Koalas are the stars of the eucalyptus groves. They shine bright and are at risk because of human made factors. The neon lights surrounding this Koala represent the human influence, both good and bad, that are affecting this vulnerable species. Koalas are soft and sweet. They also have great big teeth and a bark that scares away predators. Like all of Mother Nature’s creations they contain a balanced multiplicity.
Description: Squirrels are often busy, running and climbing along the tree canopy, scurrying and rustling along the ground. This red squirrel is no different. This dude is looking at us like many red squirrels have stared at me right before going into a series of chitters and chirps. Red squirrels (aka chickarees) are protective and very hard workers. This dude is checking you out, wondering what your next move might be.
Noodlin' T-Shirt
$24
Description: I love Minnesota through thick or thin, hot or frigid, but it does have my mind dreaming of warmer days and climates, someplace where this otter might live. The addition of the balloon makes this piece feel like a “get well soon” card, and – so – it is! A get well soon card for you! I hope you feel better and the cold doesn’t get you down too much.
Description: Despite their popularity Manatee’s are a threatened species due to human created issues including habitat loss and boat collisions. It is a hard life for this beautiful critter but I like to envision how neat it would be to be them, hanging out under the water, enjoying the sight of the other fish in between seagrass feasts.
Description: A red tailed hawk waits patiently high in the branches of its leafy home. This is one parent of two who both take turns sitting on this nest, guarding these eggs. The couple will mate for life and may even come back to this same nest year after year. We can tell by the more colorful shells that these are healthy eggs which means their parents are probably fairly well fed, boding well for the hawklets survival as well as the overall health of this particular ecosystem. The Trembling Aspen pods let loose their seeds as the breeze blows through. The Aspen’s offspring are hatching in their own way, taking flight on the fluffy white down that is so easily carried by the spring zephyr.
Description: Bunny rabbits are hardworking critters. They know when to pause, and they know when to skip, but when they do skip they can be as fast as a rocket. The other night I watched our neighborhood Eastern Cottontail Rabbit hurdle away when it realized I saw it. I remember thinking, “how does it go so fast over the obstacles?” You would think that the rabbit would just jump into trees, sticks, or other protuberances when leaping at their fast pace, but if they do I have never seen it. They have fast reflexes, and despite disruptions and obstacles they manage to keep surviving, skipping along.
Description: It has been a perfect spring week with rain, sunshine, birds, and plants growing in leaps and bounty. The sunny days have been filled with so many Popple fluffs that the whole woods (at least the space I inhabit) looks like a magical, fairytale filled snow globe. It’s so wonderful to experience these fairy tales in real time, in real life. And then a Loon starts singing and other critters join in and it makes me so grateful for all that we get to be a part of in this wild world. What a joy to be able to live, love, and share it all with other living, loving creatures. If you hear the Loon tonight, blow them a kiss from me, and if you see a flower blooming please give it an extra long look🌿🌌💕
Description: The moon is on the rise. The clear lake captures it’s beauty perfectly on the placid waters. A fish jumps here and there but they are beginning to relax. Now it is the loons turn. This bird has been making soft calls throughout the day but now it’s time for the real thing. The moon is the spotlight as the loons take the stage. The frogs accompany backing vocals from the coyotes and eventually the wolves. The owl hoots it’s appreciation from a distant tree. The lightning bugs flit on and off like lighters at a concert as the whole Northwoods listens in. I really like how the loon call makes the night feel full and thoughts of the day seem so far away. A person can just get lost in their thoughts and float away.
Description: Two Whistle Pigs hang out on their deck, eating from the forest floor before venturing back into their underground homes. The sun isn’t too hot yet, and the flowers taste fresh, with just a bit of dew on them to help hydrate these critters' wet whistles. It is a calm morning so these critters are quiet but they have a shrill whistle ready to go if they detect any sign of predators. Until then they will eat the fresh bounty provided by the spring rains and propagated by the pollinators to give them extra energy for tunnel construction and young Whistle Pig rearing.
Description: This Painted Turtle is joined by a Clouded Sulphur butterfly somewhere on a glistening stone in a lake or pond. The day I started painting this bugger I actually met a painted turtle on the road and had to herd it across to prevent it from being ran over. I love turtles. They are slow, like me, and they are sweet. I am a painted turtle, and this painted turtle is me🐢 If you can relate to this slow, sweet, peaceful little guy I think it should find a home on your wall💚💙🧡
Description: This Painted Turtle watches a Dragonfly as they both soak in the rays of a sunny, warm lake day. I love turtles. They are slow, like me, and they are sweet. I am a painted turtle, and this painted turtle is me🐢 If you can relate to this slow, sweet, peaceful little guy I think it should find a home on your wall🫶
Description: Douglas Adam’s makes the claim that the mouse is the most intelligent species on Earth in the modern classic, Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. “These creatures you call mice, you see, they are not quite as they appear. They are merely the protrusion into our dimension of vastly hyperintelligent pan dimensional beings.”
Description: Blue jays are a pretty flash of blue of among the green canopies. They are well known for many things, but the way I know them best is by their shrieking voice that often goes on and on as they try to get their point across. What are those blue jays doing when they flit around in the trees, squaking? Whatever it is, the mystery is quite glorious to observe.
Description: The American Bison is such a keystone species. It is hard to imagine there was a time when they were almost wiped out. When I went through Yellowstone there were so many it seemed that they ruled the park. I was riding through on my motorcycle, considering the sheer audacity of a two wheeled object trying to exist around those ginormous, sometimes feisty, beings. This piece is about all that. It is about the toughness it takes to survive. How even soft, cuddly looking critters have to struggle through. Feat. American Bison, Milkweed, Thistle, Goatsbeard, Monarch Butterfly
Description: I find sandhill cranes striking. I love their graceful appearance & brightly colored head. I began to appreciate their lanky frames more when I found out that they can dance quite well especially when searching for a partner. Their grace reminds me of a ballerina or a fancy shawl dancer. Conversing is like a graceful dance, both individuals have to be ready to work together with respect. Effective dances/ growth/ change occur on common ground. Folks who don’t think the same as your group aren’t all stupid or bad people, instead they are all just people. Just like you. You & they are made of the same stuff sharing the same world. We are all in this dance together – it is good to practice grace.
Description: Still building up energy and fat reserves from the cold Minnesota winter, Marten takes a minute between hunts to consider laying down for the day. This largely nocturnal mammal doesn’t always show herself in the day, but as a loner she chooses to do what she wants. With no qualms breaking the rules this suave charmer is an adept hunter.. and doesn’t she know it. All magic and whimsy with her lustrous hair, this discreet critter has allowed us to spot her on her Red Pine branch through the leafy forest. We are as fortunate as she is magical.
Description: A Badger at the edge of the meadow pokes its head out of its den. The sun is hot but her shady tree is the perfect temperature. Though she is mainly a nocturnal mammal she does enjoy poking her head out to observe the daytime. It has been a long hard winter and spring, and the abundance of food and plant life make this sweet lady happy to have made it through the cold times.
Holed Up T-Shirt
$24
Description: Beavers are powerful critters. They can drag their own weight in building supplies as they build their home. They also can redesign the landscape with their structures. In many cases the ponds that beavers create are invaluable to the environment they live in. Sometimes the dams are inconvenient and need to be moved so some people think of beavers as pests. I believe them to be one of the coolest architects around🌲🛶🌳
Description: Spring is a time for growth. New life is born and old life is reawakened. Flora and fauna remember how to live in their environment as things change with the season. Newborn fawns are a common sign of spring in the Northwoods. These mild-mannered critters face many tough challenges as they grow up. I see the fawn as a symbol of gentleness in a harsh world. Even though it seems like such a small, mild-mannered, critter would not be able to survive the harshness of the forest so many of them still do. They are gentle and tough.
Description: I think of the bald eagle as an American growth story. It is a symbol of the nation, holds a lot of personal meaning for folks & cultures throughout, and is also a keystone species. Because of environmental & endangered species protections the bald eagle went from being endangered to having a growing population. The fact that folks could come together to protect such a lovely keystone species demonstrates the our nations abilty to grow & adapt.
Description: This piece was painted in the midst of the pandemic, prior to the very contentious 2020 election and during the summer’s protests. It was a good time to create some joyous art. Flowing with this little lady as she came to life was a real joy. She has a nice energy and I feel like she might float right off the canvas. I am pretty certain her purpose is to give out blessings. Joyful tidings to you!
