Have you ever been so lost in something that you're doing that the world around you melts away? Give me some headphones, pastels, paper, a subject and don't forget the Starbucks and I can get lost in the world of wildlife for hours.
I've always been fascinated by nature and animals. You won't typically find me scaling steep hills or rock climbing, however you COULD see me out in a (flat) meadow with my Nikon D5100 searching for any interesting thing that catches my eye.
As a kid, our family would always camp in what I like to call "a little slice of heaven". That place is Lundy Lake, California. Tucked away at the very northern boundaries of the Inyo National Forest, this campsite borders the east entrance to Yosemite National Park. Situated at an elevation of 7,858 feet, this popular fishing resort once housed a community that strived in the lumber industry which operated under W.J. Lundy in the late 1800's. Today, a dam maintains the lake and a creek runs through the campsites. The lake is stocked with several types of trout including rainbow, brown and brook. It offers several breathtaking hiking trails in the Eastern Sierra Nevada mountains. The wildlife is rampant and it's not unusual to have wild visitors (bears, mule deer, and chipmunks) in your campsite! Even today as I close my eyes, I can still feel the breeze of the aspen trees, the prickly grass of the meadows and hear the rushing sound of the creek flowing through camp.
One of my earlier drawings, "Temptation" is actually inspired by actual fish I caught in one of the many beaver ponds during a visit in 2005.
I also get a lot of inspiration from visiting zoos. One of my favorite paintings is actually from a photograph I took at the Portland Zoo. I stood at the tiger enclosure for close to 45 minutes. Perched behind some palms, I patiently waited and watched until I could get the perfect shot. "The Prowl" was a project I wasn't exactly planning on doing...until I loaded my photos to my computer. I took a break from whatever project I was working on at the time and dove right in. It's become one of my most award winning pieces to date.
I'm excited to connect with you more through my blog! Check back often and thank you so much for your support!
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