Really big octopus.
24 X 48 Acrylic on canvas, $1200 SOLD.
Big Red Octopus
Chillin’ with the Belugas
I was lucky to spot a large pod of belugas in Cook Inlet a few weeks ago. With no pack ice to camouflage them in the summer, they really stand out with their bright white color and can be easily sighted splashing and rolling as they hunt their fishy prey. Such charismatic little whales, I can help but smile whenever I see them. With the corners of their mouths naturally upturned, I like to imagine they are smiling back at me.
September Grizzly
Midnight in the Tongass
One of my very favorite places on earth is the Tongass National Forest. It is the largest national forest in the US at 16.7 million acres and is also the largest intact temperate rain forest ecosystem in the world. A visit to the Tongass, located in coastal SE Alaska is pure magic. The forest is dominated by huge stands of Sitka Spruce, Western Red Cedar, and Western Hemlock. Though logging has been an important influence on the Tongass in the past, large portions of the forest are now protected by the Roadless Rule. In addition to being home to three Alaska Native nations, the Tongass is a vital part of the cycle of salmon species in Alaska. The Tongass filters and cleans the abundant rain water as it flows into rivers and then the oceans. The many rivers are vital habitat for young salmon, which then migrate to the oceans, and after several years feeding, return to the rivers to spawn and die. Their bodies then return nutrients to the Tongass in a beautiful never ending cycle.
If you ever get a chance to visit Southeast Alaska, I highly recommend a hike through the Tongass, where you can enjoy the unparalleled natural beauty, breath the fresh air, and dip your toes into icy streams that lead to dramatic rocky shorelines. It is a true gem.
Lupine in bloom
The lupine are in bloom and the bees are buzzing. It’s a beautiful time of year in Alaska.
The show is up!
My show is up at the Art Shop Gallery in Homer!
There are quite a few new pieces, like this one:
And this one:
And many more.
Come by and take a look if you get a chance.
Sneak peek
Here is a little sneak peek at a few of my paintings that will be debuting in June at my show at the Art Shop Gallery in Homer, AK. See if you can tell from these little slivers what the whole pieces are!
Did I give you enough of a glimpse to guess? See these in their entirety and more at the show!
Opening is Friday June 5 and show runs through the end of the month. I hope to see you there!
Down by the bay
In honor of the 28th annual Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival (which is virtual this year, May 7-10) , always a highlight of the year here on the Kenai Penninsula, I’m sharing my own little shorebird:
The tiny bird is a detail from a mixed media piece titled “Surf Song,” part of my “Earthsong” series, which features vintage sheet music combined with scenes from nature. The entire piece below:
Also available in the Earthsong series:
Kachemak Bay is one of the world’s top shorebird viewing destinations, with over 100,000 birds of 25+ species migrating through in early May. Truly a sight to see. Go grab some virtual binoculars and join in all the birding fun!
Breakage
On this most somber of Earth Days, let us not lose sight of the beauty that surrounds us, and is within each of us. We will get through this together.
Breakage
By Mary Oliver
I go down to the edge of the sea.
How everything shines in the morning light!
The cusp of the whelk,
the broken cupboard of the clam,
the opened, blue mussels,
moon snails, pale pink and barnacle scarred—
and nothing at all whole or shut, but tattered, split,
dropped by the gulls onto the gray rocks and all the moisture gone.
It’s like a schoolhouse
of little words,
thousands of words.
First you figure out what each one means by itself,
the jingle, the periwinkle, the scallop
full of moonlight.
Then you begin, slowly, to read the whole story.
Is it spring yet?
Because Milo would really like to know.
As would these folks:
And these:
We were just wondering…
Twin Spruce Studio 