The Eagle ~ A Symbol of Power

“This life is yours.

Take the power to choose

what you want to do and do it well. 

Take the power to love what you want in life

and love it honestly.

Take the power to walk in the forest

and be a part of nature.

Take the power to control your own life.

No one else can do it for you.

Take the power to make your life happy.”

~ Susan Polis Schutz

The Bald Eagle - A symbol of Power 10.5 x 8.5" original watercolor on Yupo paper, matted  to 16" x20" Signed and certified by the artist See painting information here.

The Bald Eagle - A symbol of Power

10.5 x 8.5" original watercolor on Yupo paper, matted  to 16" x20"

Signed and certified by the artist
See painting information here.

“Power is of two kinds.

One is obtained by the fear of punishment

and the other by acts of love.

Power based on love is a thousand times

more effective and permanent

than the one derived from fear of punishment.”

~ Mahatma Gandhi

Today I'm wishing you the inspiration to take your power.

X ♥  O

Hummingbirds - More Important Than TV

"Like winds and sunsets,

wild things were taken for granted

until progress began to do away with them.

Now we face the question
whether a still higher 'standard of living' is
worth its cost in things natural, wild and free.
For us of the minority,

the opportunity to see hummingbirds

is more important than television."

~ Aldo Leopold

Little Hummingbird, Wild and Free

7.5" x 5.5" original watercolor on Yupo paper, matted - $85.

acid free, white core mat with a foam core backing in an acetate sleeve

ready to fit into a standard 8" x 10" frame.

The Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds have been reported to be arriving in their summer breeding grounds about two weeks earlier this year. I looked online at the hummingbird migration map and a few early travelers have already been spotted down in Florida and in other states around the Gulf of Mexico. I will keep you updated on their progress. Do you look forward to their arrival too? When do you usually see your first hummingbird?

As always, I'd love to hear from you.

I'm hoping your week is off to a great start!

Raptor Rhapsody

Here is a collage of six hawk paintings

done in the past two weeks.

These paintings were all done on Yupo paper.

Yupo (pronounced You-po), paper is a recyclable, tree-free, synthetic paper which does not absorb water, so the transparent watercolor pigments sit on top of the surface. It is tricky to work on but very forgiving. It can be scrubbed back to the clean surface at any time prior to fixing it with a clear acrylic spray. YAHOO FOR YUPO!

One of the reasons we have so many hummingbirds here at The Sandarosa, is because we also have a healthy colony of Coopers Hawks. The hummingbirds build their nests close to Ms. Cooper's Clan. Too small to be of any interest to a hawk, the crows and other hummingbird predators stay clear or else. It's a very symbiotic relationship.

Ms. Coopers Hawk - Hummingbird Protector 5.5" x 7.5" original watercolor on Yupo paper, matted - $85. acid free, white core mat with a foam core backing in an acetate sleeve ready to fit into a standard 8" x 10" frame.

Ms. Coopers Hawk - Hummingbird Protector

5.5" x 7.5" original watercolor on Yupo paper, matted - $85.

acid free, white core mat with a foam core backing in an acetate sleeve

ready to fit into a standard 8" x 10" frame.

This is the same painting as the one below,

only without the background.

*I'd love to know, do you like it better with

or without the background?

Regal Red Tail 5.5" x 7.5" original watercolor on Yupo paper, matted - $85. acid free, white core mat with a foam core backing in an acetate sleeve ready to fit into a standard 8" x 10" frame.

Regal Red Tail

5.5" x 7.5" original watercolor on Yupo paper, matted - $85.

acid free, white core mat with a foam core backing in an acetate sleeve

ready to fit into a standard 8" x 10" frame.

On the home front, the kittens, Opie and Cutie Pye, are now 10 months old! How time flies when they are little!  Opie weighs about 8 lbs. now and looks as large as 15 lb.,Tigger because of all his hair. The boys like to sleep in the little wicker basket. And the petite Ms.Cutie Pye, at only 6lbs.2 oz., prefers the large dog bed. Go figure! ☺

Thanks for stopping by today. 

Have a great weekend everyone!

Hugs and Purrs, 

(And the Kitties)

P.S. Before you leave, please help me out with your opinion * above.

Thanks again! 

Hawk Totem

Hawk people tend to see an overall view of things and are more aware of signs and messages from the Spirit world. Individuals with hawk as a totem are often more evolved in that they are attuned to heightened physic perception and subtle energy forces. Because hawk is a visionary messenger, people with this totem often tend to be involved in some form of creativity as a vehicle in conveying their story.

Hawk Totem

5.5" x 7.5" original watercolor on Yupo paper, matted - $85.

acid free, white core mat with a foam core backing in an acetate sleeve

ready to fit into a standard 8" x 10" frame.

Here are some of the steps in painting this portrait.

This little American Kestrel,

actually a small falcon,

was inspired by one who sits on

the telephone lines up the street.

Like clockwork, he'll be there every morning,

waiting for his breakfast to show up.

Kolorful Kestrel

5.5" x 7.5" original watercolor on Yupo paper, matted - $85.

acid free, white core mat with a foam core backing in an acetate sleeve

ready to fit into a standard 8" x 10" frame.

Thanks for letting me come into your life.

"Humankind has not woven the web of life. 

We are but one thread within it. 

Whatever we do to the web,

we do to ourselves. 

All things are bound together. 

All things connect."  

~ Chief Seattle, 1855

X ♥  O

Dream Hawk

“If you talk to the animals, they will talk with you

and you will know each other.

If you do not talk to them, you will not know them

and what you do not know, you will fear.

What one fears one destroys.”

~Chief Dan George

Dream Hawk

See painting specifications and price here.

Do you remember your dreams?

Are they ever about animals?

If so, what animals come to you in the dreamtime

and what might their messages be?

Thanks for reading.

Follow your dreams and have a great day!

"An animal's eyes have the power to speak a great language."

~ Martin Buber

Hawk Messenger ~ SOLD

This time of year, the hawks seem to be out in full force. I see them soaring in the air, perching in the trees and standing on the ground. Maybe it's partially due to the fact that they are easier to see in the winter landscape.  According to my beliefs, it also has a lot to do with the messages they are bringing me. Right now there are many changes going on here at The Sandarosa with me and my artwork. Hawk is here to remind me that everything in the visible, physical world has a divine, invisible connection. Everything, including a hawk crossing your path, happens for a reason. I try to stay open to that. This week I have been painting hawks and have even remembered to take a couple of in-progress shots of this one! When was the last time you saw a beautiful hawk? What was it doing? How did it make you feel?

Hawk Messenger

SOLD

The work in progress:

The first thing I do when I am painting a portrait is to paint the eyes because they are the windows to the soul and they must be right. Here I also painted the dark beak and put a light wash on the body.

In this second step, more mid-value washes and some details were added.

Refining important details by adding darker mid-values to the bird and putting in the suggestive, soft green background hues brought this piece to a finish.

Please let me know if you are interested in seeing more work-in-progress shots in the future and I'll try to remember to stop and take a few snaps while I'm painting.

As always, thanks for reading

and for your interest.

Lessons From The Fox ~ SOLD

In-Between Times

5.5" x 7.5" original watercolor on Yupo paper, matted to 8" x 10" - $85.

acid free, white core mat with a foam core backing in an acetate sleeve

ready to fit into a standard 8" x 10" frame.

• SOLD

A magical creature of the night, fox is

usually most visible to us at dawn and dusk;

the in-between times, when the veil

between the physical and metaphysical

world is the most diaphanous.

Insulated From the Cold

5.5" x 7.5" original watercolor on Yupo paper, matted to 8" x 10" - $85.

acid free, white core mat with a foam core backing in an acetate sleeve

ready to fit into a standard 8" x 10" frame.

When it is cold, the fox wraps itself

in its thick insulating tail.  

Likewise, individuals with fox totems

will find the ability to insulate

themselves from anything that seems cold,

especially relationships.

These are some of the paintings that

have come through me during the

past couple of weeks.

If you would like to find out more about

animal totems and the messages they offer,

be sure to sign up for my

Animal Spirits Book Giveaway.

Wishing You Many Blessings,

Sitting Pretty - Camouflage, Patience and Observation ~ SOLD

Sitting Pretty

5.5" x 7.5" original watercolor on Yupo paper matted to fit a standard 8" x 10" frame

Sold •

Do you have animal totems? Or should I say, do you believe in animal totems? Since I got very little response to yesterday's post, I was wondering if anyone here is interested in the subject at all.

Regardless of the lack of interest or feedback online, the fox has still been with me all this month. Although no real life individuals have showed up here at The Sandarosa, I find myself being lured by fox's charm and now have two more of these watercolors in progress. I want to make a collage of my foxes like the one for the 30 in 30 Challenge when I'm done with the set. A nice comment on my Animal Spirit Lens today sent me there for a long overdue visit. Although I've learned a lot about photography and Photoshop the past four years, I fear that delving too deeply into the world of stock photography has had a toll on my watercolor art and marketing. The fox is a very suitable totem for me at this time because of all the industry shake ups that are presently going on in the world of micro stock. Current events leave me questioning my path, evaluating options and altering my career path yet again. Sound familiar anyone? It hasn't got me worried though, because I know that when one door closes, another always opens. Fox is here to remind me of the virtues of camouflage, patience and observation.

I started painting on synthetic Yupo paper about fourteen years ago, but switched back to regular cold press Arches in an effort to consolidate my style. Profoundly influenced by last month's challenge, Yupo paper has been the vehicle of choice for my paintings so far in February. After all this time, some of the  Yupo pieces I've done in the past, remain some of my favorites. Here are a few from my archives. What do you think of them? Your critiques are appreciated.

Be sure to visit my last post and leave a comment if you are interested in having your name added to the drawing for a free copy of my Animal Spirits book.

Thanks for reading and please share 

my book giveaway with your friends.

Best Wishes,