Did someone say cobblestones?

The background is about finished. I am going to darken up the garage a little bit more and adjust some other minor things and then I'll get back to work on the raccoon.

Raccoon drawing

A little bit more progress...

Progress on Raccoon drawing

Originally I was going to draw just the raccoon and its shadow leaving the background totally white. Though to get the detail along the edge of the fur I found that I was going to have to push back the space around the raccoon. So if I was going to have to work the background I might as well put something interesting in there. I actually ran across this scene, be it not this actual alley, lighting, or pose, several years back while I was living in the city.

This is probably the largest graphite drawing that I have done to date, when finished it will be 10" x 16".

"Art and the Animal"

Well I am proud to announce that "2008 (Rat)" has been chosen to be in The Society of Animal Artists' 48th Annual Exhibition of "Art and the Animal." The Exhibit opens August 30, 2008 through November 2, 2008 at The Neville Public Museum in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

"2008 (Rat)," Graphite Pencil, 4 x 16

I also wanted to share some photos from a research trip that I took with some wildlife biologist last Saturday searching for Box turtles. It was an extremely hot morning but we where able to find three turtles and one more that had already been captured before. Below is a photo of one of the captured three and beneath that are some photos of another box turtle that my neighbor and I came across while walking back from dropping our kids of at school. It is not every day that you find a turtle that has dug a nest and in the process of laying eggs - It was truly remarkable and made for an exciting Monday morning!

Box turtle captured by researchers awaiting work-up.

Box turtle digging a hole for her eggs.

Five eggs and resting.

Packing in the dirt.

Finally below is my progress on the Raccoon drawing. This is moving a bit slower than usual mainly because I am working on a paper that I do not normally work with. I like to use Arches 300lb. water color paper, cold press, but have been having some trouble with the paper picking on the last couple of drawings that I have done so I thought that I would try something new - Strathmore's Series 500 Bristol Board.

Back to work!!!

Back in the studio and back to work!

I would first like to make note that I have added another link to my links section. I have added a friend and fellow artist Steven Walker. I ran into him again at the artist reception for the "Art at the Mill" show in Millwood, Virginia. Steven's style has change so much since we went to school that I am just floored! Don't get me wrong he was excellent in school but his landscapes that he does now are just incredible. I hope one day to own one of his pieces. So check out his site!

Another note... I just shipped "Faded" off to Vermont for the Art of the Animal Kingdom XIII show which opens June 14th and runs though July 27th. "Faded" will be one of just over eighty pieces that where selected for this prestigious show.

"Faded," Oil, 12 x 24

Now to the current work at hand... a drawing of a raccoon. This little guy wondered up on the deck a year ago and gave me about an hour of shooting reference shots.