Forestry Friday … The Fellers

WIP update.

I’m continuing to work on the art piece for the Sierra Cascade Logging Conference Forestry Education Auction. I’ve sketched it out in pencil and am now laying down the ink. It’s been going very slow.

Tasha one of our golden girls has been ready to whelp since Sunday. She started this morning and had 10 puppies. She’s been a bit of a distraction keeping us up late, but now we’re done with that and everyone is doing well.  Mary posted a picture of the puppies here.

I’m waiting to see the piece that Mary is working on. It’s good to scope out the competition. She’s going to have to bring it for the competitive auction!

 

Forestry Friday … Art Auction Time Again!

pen and ink, vintage logging art, logging art

Circa 1940’s, loggers use a two-man chainsaw to fell a large Douglas-fir. Pen and ink.

It’s time for Mary and me to create a piece of art for charity once again. Every year we do something for the Sierra Cascade Logging Conference Forestry Education Auction. This pen and ink is my exploratory drawing for my painting. I like the direction it’s going. The tree and the background still needs some tweaking.  I was helped out by the Forest History Society. They have an excellent photo library of vintage logging scenes and were kind enough to allow me use it for art reference.

Last year at the auction Mary and I each provide a piece of art. To liven things up we competed against each other. It was a big success. You can read about it here on Mary’s blog, And The Winner Is!  In fact it was so successful that we are going head to head again this year. We’ll both be working on our paintings this weekend. I can’t wait to see the competition this year.

 

 

Forestry Friday … Canyon Live Oak

Canyon Live Oak, Oak, acorns, pen and ink

Canyon Live Oak acorns in pen and ink.

Canyon Live Oak, Quercus chrysolepis, is an evergreen oak of the California Sierra Nevada and Coastal Range. Its full range stretches from Mexico and Arizona north to southwestern Oregon. These trees typically prefer shallow soils like those found in steep canyons common in the low and mid elevation mountains.  Hence the name. These sites are normally poor soil quality and aren’t the best locations for growing commercial timber. Canyon Live Oak is not considered as a commercial species. Its main commercial value is as firewood. However, it has a high intrinsic value as a species important to wildlife. In forest management it is far more beneficial left on the landscape providing food, nesting and roosting habitat.

Golden Retriever Bliss

Golden Retriever, Bliss, pen and ink, pen drawing, drawing pet portrait

Golden Retriever Portrait of Bliss in pen and ink.

We took a walk around the property on this blustery day. Here’s a gallery of our pack. Just click on a picture to enlarge.

Wild Wednesday … White-Crowned Sparrow

WhiteCrownedSparrow001

Just for fun, here’s an old sketch fit for “Throw Back Thursday.”

Yellow Lab Portrait

This one is for Labrador retriever fans. Even though I’m more of a golden retriever kind of guy.

yellow lab, Labrador retriever, lab, hunting dog, dog, portrait, pen and ink, ink drawing

His name’s Ducky. He’s a handsome yellow lab. I did this pen and ink portrait as auction prize for our retriever club a few years back.

Wild Wednesday … Don’t Even Breathe!

black bear,black tail deer, pen and ink, drawing, wildlife

Fawns are often killed by black bears in the Spring. Right after birth, fawns know instinctively to lay perfectly still. They have almost no scent. If the fawn doesn’t move a muscle and the bear is up wind it my not see the little deer.

I have you folks to thank, or blame for this pen and ink. It’s the third version of this fawn. You can see the two previous versions in the post Wild Wednesday Fawn Redo. First was a sweet vignette, which Mary told me was lacking. So I added more detail and asked if you all preferred the simple vignette of the more complete fawn. I received lots of great feedback and the majority liked the additional detail. If more detail is good then a lot more should be great. Truth is, I kept adding more and more because I had a vision. That’s when the bear came along to add some drama. The first rendition was lackluster. Now it tells a story, so thank you Mary and all you folks who commented before. Listening to a good critique only makes us better artist and writers. Even if I grumbled about it at first.

On a side note, if I’d known it was going to morph into this final drawing, the composition would have been different. However, I think it works okay. What do you think?

Forestry Friday … Waiting

Foresters spend a lot of time driving. Therefore, we spend a lot of time waiting in road construction. This is how I pass my time waiting. At least when I have no cell phone service.RdConstruction

Bliss isn’t impressed.

Wild Wednesday … Northern Goshawk

northern goshawk

A Northern Goshawk fledgling ready to fight, in pen and ink.

My inspiration can be found at “forestry-friday-the-critical-period.”

Ready to Rumble Bliss

It’s on! The auction is Friday night!

MaryALivingston's avatarSneaking Bliss

All delivered and ready for the Education Auction on Friday!

Here are the finished pieces that Tim and I donated to Sierra Cascade Logging Conference Lumberjack Dinner and Education Auction supporting forestry education. We hope this head to head, friendly “Hers vs. His” competition raises the stakes and funds brought in. There’s a lot of talking smack taking place in our house! We’ll keep you posted.

Going head to head. What married couple doesn't thrive on a little friendly competition? Going head to head. What married couple doesn’t thrive on a little friendly competition?

"Uncle Sam" mixed media by Tim Livingston “Uncle Sam” mixed media by Tim Livingston

"Food Chain" watercolor by Mary A Livingston “Food Chain” watercolor by Mary A Livingston

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