I’m honored for some of my paintings to be included in the upcoming issue of @kyotojournal100, which celebrates the flora of Kyoto in its various forms, from the mountains and forests which surround it to the seasonal flower-shaped hair ornaments worn by maiko.

Despite being urban in many senses, Kyoto also maintains a closeness to nature. This, among other things, is why I’ve fallen in love with this city.

I’m looking forward to enjoying the work of other artists/writers who contributed their work and perspectives to the issue. It’s available for order via Kyoto Journal’s website if you’re interested.

Last summer, I donated some of my artwork in support of Sustainable Daisen, a non-profit based in Tottori, Japan. Sustainable Daisen is dedicated to protecting the Japanese giant salamander, a species facing increasing threats to its existence. Education and awareness of the plight of the JGS is a central part of Sustainable Daisen’s mission.

Our project’s aim was to provide each elementary school classroom with one educational book about the salamander, and we managed to do just that thanks to the generous donations of people around the world.

Although the paintings are currently sold out, a downloadable coloring page and video painting tutorial (how to paint hydrangeas) taught by me are still available for instant access/download by anyone who donates $5 or more to the campaign.

Thank you once again for your support and stay tuned for future opportunities to support the salamanders!

There’s a patch of cornflowers and poppies at one of the local parks. Today, I painted a poppy seed pod that I found there (as well as a bug that hitched a ride on my shoulder.)

 

Took my watercolor supplies to the New York Botanical Garden and Central Park yesterday, lots of great wildflowers! I’m particularly happy with the columbine.

Here are a couple of quick mini-watercolors I painted yesterday outside at the park:

 

This painting’s inspiration and title came from two of my former coworkers at the Cincinnati Zoo: Keeper Melanie Evans and Dorsey (an Eastern yellow-billed hornbill). Melanie took a series of Dorsey basking in the sun and graciously allowed me to use them as references for this painting. Although Dorsey was stationary and sitting on a branch when her photos were taken, she seemed to me to be in motion, her wings and feathers swooping and swirling almost like the skirts of a flamenco dancer. 

The abstract background is an experiment for me, and I am pleased with the results. In the past, I’ve tried making abstract pieces but they haven’t ever felt finished on their own. Conversely, when painting subjects in a more realistic fashion I struggle to make a background worthy of the subject. For this piece, I’ve tried to capture the glow and unparalleled feeling of warming oneself in the sunlight. That feeling must surely span so many species, from humans to housecats to hornbills.

The finished piece is 24″x 36″, making Dorsey much larger than life (though it certainly suits her).

Marbles are interesting objects to look at and certainly also to paint. I treated myself to a small collection of vintage/antique marbles; hopefully I’ll get a chance to paint the prettiest of them to practice new watercolor techniques.

I’m also working on a large acrylic painting that I hope to share with you all soon.

They’re finally here! The local cherry trees are finally in full bloom. Yesterday afternoon I took a picnic and my portable watercolor set to the park and made a little watercolor sketch of a cherry blossom. It was nice to try out some of the new skills I learned from my workshop last week:

When I was archiving my old sketchbooks, I found a couple of watercolor and pencil drawings from back in 2007: