Forestry Friday … Pacific Fisher

Posted on May 18, 2018 by foresterartist

fisher, Pacific fisher, weasel, pen and ink, ink, drawing, mammal

Pacific fisher in pen and ink. Mary and I had a chance meeting with a pair of fishers. That’s when I took the photo that this picture was based on. We watched this fisher as it climbed up and down a Douglas-fir tree while it was hunting.

The Pacific fisher is a large member of the weasel family that makes its home on our California timberland.

This was a different Pacific fisher that unknowingly visited us. Observing wildlife from a hidden hunting blind is a great way to watch animals in their natural state.

The fisher investigates our wildlife camera. Come on little fella just a bit farther. Darn, we didn’t get his picture on the wildlife camera.

The company I work for, Sierra Pacific Industries, has been involved in a fisher relocation project for a number of years. Our partners in the project include US Fish and Wildlife Service, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and researchers from North Carolina State University. The purpose is to re-establish fisher into parts of the Sierra Nevada Mountains that used to be their historic range. The project has been highly successful. You can read more about the project here at the Fish and Wildlife Service website.

This is a mixed media illustration of a fisher with a radio collar that I did for the children’s book Timber!. The pen and ink version appeared in the young reader book Timber In The Working Forest. Both books were written by Mary A Livingston and illustrated by me. You can read her blog at Sneaking Bliss.com.

Wild Wednesday … Hooded Merganser

Posted on April 25, 2018 by foresterartist

hooded merganser, merganser, waterfowl, birds, birding, pen and ink, drawing, wildlife, wildlife art

Hooded Merganser in pen and ink.

Tasha By Gosh!

Posted on April 22, 2018 by foresterartist

Tasha, golden retriever, dog, portrait, pen and ink, drawing, pet art

Tasha in pen and ink. Golden retriever portrait.

Our girl Tasha gave birth to ten beautiful pups today. It seemed like a good time to post her new portrait.

Forestry Friday … Forester’s Boots

Posted on April 13, 2018 by foresterartist

Forester, pen and ink, boots, forester artist, drawing, Timber In The Working Forest

Forester’s Boot, in pen and ink. To be more specific, Forester Artist’s boots!

I did this piece for the book Timber In The Working Forest, written by Mary A Livingston.

Dreaming of the Night

Posted on April 11, 2018 by foresterartist

“Dreaming of the Night”, pen and ink of Kowanni the great horned owl.

Kowanni, as it turns out is female. She’s about twenty-one years old according to her handler Hollianne. She came to Shasta Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation after suffering a permanent wing injury from being electrocuted on a utility pole. She’s been with Hollianne for about two years as she has outlived her original handler. Not only is she an animal ambassador she’s also a foster-mother. When SWRR get great horned owl chicks brought in they are placed with Kowanni and an old male owl named Captain to be raised. Less human contact with the youngsters make them easier to return to the wild. Many of the rescued animals live at home with their handlers for the rest of their lives if they are unable to return to the wild. It’s a beautiful ministry they do for their animal charges.

Kowanni and Hollianne.

Hollianne was kind enough to let me get my picture taken with Kowanni.

Kowanni, More Progress

Posted on April 5, 2018 by foresterartist

Here an update for Kowanni the great horned owl. I’m planning to finish tonight!

I’ve added my previous progression pictures and the original photo of Kowanni for fun. Although, they aren’t very illustrative of my process other than I draw when I can. By the way, don’t you think Bliss is a great photo prop. She kind of doesn’t really like it. This is the look I get just before she gets up and leaves.

Inking the night!

I thought maybe a woody update would be cool, not sure it’s working. Bliss just wasn’t into it.

Jury duty sketching.

This is the real Kowanni. In case you missed my last post, he’s a resident of Shasta Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation. Actually I’m not sure if Kowanni is a him or her. Sadly, he’s not capable of hunting so will never be released. I want to portray Kowanni as he is meant to be.

Wild Wednesday … Wildlife Rescue WIP

Posted on April 3, 2018 by foresterartist

This weekend is the Shasta Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Open House. Mary and I will be attending for Red Tail Publishing. We sell children’s books and art prints. This year I decide to do a special art print of a special owl. Here’s a work in progress of Kowanni the great horned owl. It’s the same picture I was working on at jury duty.

Kowanni is a resident at SWRR because he can’t be returned to the wild due to the nature of his injury which left him unable to hunt. I took a photo of him last year at the event in his capacity of animal ambassador.

Here’s Kowanni on his perch. My drawing is of him where I imagine he would want to be if he could. Stay tuned for updates.

If you’re around on Saturday come on down.

Jury Duty

Posted on March 27, 2018 by foresterartist

I had jury duty today. It’s always good to come prepared to do a lot of waiting around and wait we did. After I finished returning work emails I settled in. However, I was prepared because I had my traveling sketch pad a assorted pens. There was nothing left to do but sit and draw. I was at a table. There were two ladies at the same table and one wouldn’t stop shaking the table so I couldn’t use it. I managed. I find drawing makes the time go by quickly. Also, when I’m focused on drawing, people don’t talk to me, which is nice if I don’t feel like talking. The judge finally came in to update to us. The cases before the court all pleaded out instead of going to trial so they cut us all loose.

Wild Wednesday … Eagles Nest?

Posted on February 21, 2018 by foresterartist

This is week that the osprey customarily return to their nest in the electrical tower at the sawmill. I haven’t seen them yet. Usually the male shows up a week or two before the female. This year they will be in for a bit of a surprise. A little over a month ago a pair of eagles moved in. I’m not sure how this will go, but the eagle are a lot bigger than the osprey. I’d have to put my money on the eagles. Click on the gallery to enlarge to photos and get the dirt.

Nice looking birds.

He seems to have staked a claim here.

I keep waiting for them to gather sticks, but the haven’t. I not convinced their serious about nesting here.

These are all osprey pictures from previous years.

osprey, pen and ink, nature, wildlife, drawing, portrait

The osprey have inspired art from yours truly.

This has been an osprey nest literally for decades.

It’s a prime location for fishing birds with its grand overlook of the Sacramento river.

It hasn’t been without struggle. last season it rained so much the nest grew a garden before the birds arrived. They had to weed it.

When the summer heat get over about 106 the parents shade the chicks.

Osprey, pen and ink, drawing, wildlife, nature, ink

More art.

Two years ago the male osprey was struck be a helicopter blade and died. he was trying to defend the nest from the helicopter that was inspecting the tower.