Bug Hunters Ananymous!

Hi all! Finally back online. Thought in some spare time of the midnight hours I would blog again...as that is what my world has come too these days. I chose to blog about some of the awesome insects we caught and photographed while we performed in Muscatine, Iowa during the crazy floods and heat of the summer months of 2008.

(Pictured Below) I captured this Katydid nymph on the little bush right outside our front door on my way to the Art Center in early June. I couldn't believe his color, nor his coloring for such a little stinker. No bigger than a quarter of a penny, he sure posed for the camera with plenty of Napoleon attitude.
(Pictured below) I finally have captured the notorious eluding "scorpion fly" on camera. Believe me, I've been trying a long time, and not only that during the capture of this one, I managed to stay out of the poison ivy to get the shot...that in and of itself is a miracle! Isn't she an awesome insect?

(Pictured Below) This curious creature below was one that James and I had never encountered before in all of our travels. One Monday morning, we set out to go bug hunting at the Muscatine Nature Center and stumbled upon this awesome fly. He glistened gold and had the strangest posture holding his abdomen in a crescent moon shape the entire time I photographed him. We did indeed collect the specimen and he may be a painting in the near future.

The first Mayfly of the season.....did infact show up on time despite the flooding on the Mississippi river just 7 blocks away from our apartment. Photographed on the Lilac bush outside our humble labode....I thought he appeared quite regal, angelic and beautiful for a 24 hour lifespan.

Wilbur the Luna Moth Pastel Study

Hi everyone! We arrived in Muscatine Iowa about 3 weeks ago and have been busy ever since. In fact busy isn't even the word! This town is great! Right on the Misssissippi River, and full of great people and places to go. James is performing over 100 programs in this area of Iowa over the next few months as I paint a 108" x 72" Luna moth named "Wilbur" (as pictured the pastel study to give you an idea). Tonight was our opening reception, and it was fantastic! Thanks to all of you who helped and gave efforts to help us install, and plan. We give you our deepest gratitude. I begin tommorrow morning on the giant canvas, and have a group of 3rd graders visiting the Art Center after lunch to take in the presentation and performance of Wilbur coming to life on canvas. Our schedule is so full, for the summer, but I will do my best at blogging when I can.

Ward Parkway Art Fair 2008

I thought I would post some pics of James and I performing and exhibiting as Featured Artist at the 45th Annual Ward Parkway Art Fair in Kansas City last month. It sure was a cold couple of weeks up there, but it was great! Thanks to all of you that came out to see us, many of which I haven't seen in years. We also would like to thank our huge supporters in donation of their time and efforts helping us install, man the gift shop, and help pack up at the end. And the huge applause goes too: Dave, Junior, Nic , Ryan, Robert and Teri for the awesome photos! We love you guys! And last but not least, Thanks to Jamie for getting us up there for this event. We know how hard you worked for it:o) See you all in August.

It has been almost a year!

Wow has it been a long time. I'm not sure I even remember how to do this bloggin thing! So we will give it a whirl. To catch up on some news, James has been painting in pastels and creating some awesome works. I too have been painting but mostly getting ready for our exhibit coming to Muscatine Iowa and Powell Gardens happening this spring and summer 2008. Below are some of what we've created, starting with the grasshopper pastel that James finished last month (only his 5th painting).
Below is a finished pastel that James did....isn't it awesome! His very first one to boot. It is a Polythemis moth some of which we hatched and reared back in 2005. They are huge moths found in the Midwest US.

This pastel was quick-1 hour and came out great! I caught the cactus in bloom right outside our RV before we left for Denver in spring 2007

And finally, below is the finished pastel of the prior blog from 1 year ago. I actually did finish it! Unfortunately haven't had any time to take that easle out into the desert this past winter or spring. Maybe next winter:o) Until Next time!

A Big Change of Pace

To start...all I gotta say is "this bloggin is nuts!" the pictures somehow never seem to end up in the spot I intended with the dialogue to go under it. Any how, this pic above belongs down below under where I am pictured painting. This is a close up of the plein air I was working on at Gates Pass, sorry for any confusion:o)

With the Sonoran Desert Cactus in bloom (one pictured above), I decided it was high time I get myself a French easle so I could do some plein air paintings outside. I've only wanted one for the passed 25 years, and finally here it is. James and I took off for the hills and I began my first paintings out in the open air since the early 1990's.

The day was beautiful! We went up to Gates Pass and you can see the rock formations in the background that I'm looking at for the painting. (Above picture is what I talk about here....)Below is a close up of the pastel in progress, about 20 minutes in. The lighting changes so quick, so all the plein air pieces I started this day will be done in 2 parts. Need a day with little wind, so I can have my umbrella up to protect me from the beating down sun.

Below is James standing in front of a towering saguro cactus right near camp. Look how tiny James is next to this collassal cactus! They are beginning to bloom now which is early for them, and some like this one, don't even have any buds.

A look at my references for the Tarantula Painting

I have entered the third week and third coat of oil paint on this massive painting, and it continues to evolve.

This is a detail shot of the Tarantula hawk wasp (pepsis wasp) sitting on the "pearl" found in the Saguaro cactus arm skeleton that I found. I thought it would be perfect for the background of her while she is stalking the tarantula as a predator.

Above is a close up pic of the rare "pearl" we found in this saguaro cactus arm skeleton I am using for the painting. It appears that a healthy live saguaro will develop a scar tissue to any intruders or foreign matter and this particular pearl is believed to be the left behind evidence of an insect that burrowed into the cactus us when it was alive and well. Being very rare as an occurrence, we stumbled upon something that fit right in with what it is we do with an insect focus.

I must admit, this to be the perfect piece of saguaro cactus that I imagined for this painting. James and I searched acres of the Sonaran Desert, and as the hours passed, it became apparent to me that we were literally looking for a needle in a hay stack! What a great and exciting find we made for this painting.

Painting Progress

Nine days in on the painting at the Desert Museum. The visitors have been awesome, and the interaction while painting has been so exciting. I finished the second coat of paint on Sunday and begin the third coat on Wednesday when I perform again. I will take a pic of the saguaro arm skeleton reference I am using for the background habitat and post with next blog, so that all of you can see how intense and twisted it really is. Thanks for tuning in!