Wilderness

Illustration Friday (theme: "wilderness")

Another one from the files...This watercolor painting was inspired by the Grand Canyon Phantom Ranch mule train, heading up the Kaibab Trail as I was heading down a few years ago. The mule train is the only form of transportation down to the ranch (other than your own two feet), located at the bottom of the canyon near the Colorado River. These faithful and reliable beasts of burden carry everything that goes in and out of the ranch--linens, food, supplies, mail, and garbage. Thanks to them, hundreds of visitors get to enjoy a little taste of the wilderness each year with a warm meal and a soft bed waiting for them at the bottom, one mile straight down in world's most magnificent canyon!

Thanks for visiting!

Renewal

Illustration Friday (theme: "renewal")

It's amazing the lengths that some plants will go to--creating the most amazing and alluring blossoms conceivable in order to seduce passing pollinators to ensure renewal... This seductive echiveria from Southern California was no exception...it certainly caugh MY eye!

This is an original watercolor painting from my archives, which is now in a private collection.

Thanks for visiting!

The title of this painting is "Passion", and it is available as a limited edition giclee print, ready-to-frame in dusty blue matting, in my Etsy online shop

Frozen

Illustration Friday (theme: "frozen")

I came across this little cottontail early one morning on a five-mile hiking loop through the foothills . It wasn't cold at all, but the young bunny was frozen solid. Frozen as in "if I hold so still that not even a whisker twitches, certainly she will not see me and eat me."

It worked!

Treasure Tins

Just added to my Etsy Shop:


These little tin treasure boxes feature artwork from my "Mother Nature" series celebrating the wonders of nature.






Use for tiny treasures and trinkets, or as a candle holder--a scented tea light candle included!












Great gift idea for your favorite hiking buddy or tree hugger!











Thanks for visiting!

Leave Only Footprints...

As the season draws to a close and we head into one of the last weekends of summer (a LONG weekend here in the USofA), here's hoping that you make some time to enjoy the beauty and wonder of Mother Earth.

There was a saying that was impressed upon me by a forest ranger in Yosemite when I was a youngster that I thought was oh-so-clever (and to this day think is oh-so-important!): Take only pictures and leave only footprints...

Have a great weekend!

My LEAVE ONLY FOOTPRINTS design is available on a variety of great camping t-shirts, note cards, totes, and more in my Cafepress shop: Susan Faye For Nature Lovers

Mystery Visitor

This handsome fellow became quite infatuated with my Echinacea flowers yesterday, and as you can see by the photos, I became quite infatuated with him. Does anyone know what type of butterfly he is?

Illustration Friday..."Hollow"

Illustration Friday (theme: "hollow")

What a pleasure to spot this handsome fellow as he hopped along a hollow log in search of bugs and grubs just two days before spring, signaling the end of a particularly chilly winter...
Thanks for visiting!

Hooray! I'm excited to announce that this original watercolor painting has just found a new home with a lovely Oregon art collector.

Etsy Asks "Which Item Colors You Beautiful?"

I was pleased and excited this morning to discover that Etsy.com has included my "Peaceable Kingdom" print in their weekly poll asking "Which Item Colors You Beautiful?" Please vote for me at

http://www.etsy.com/voter_list.php?ref=voter&room_id=57


...and if you don't mind, please ask all of your cat-dog-bird-butterfly lovin' friends to vote too {{{pretty please with sugar on top }}}! If you aren't already a member of Etsy, it's easy to sign up! Voting ends early next Monday morning...

Thanks!

This print is available with or without text in my Etsy shop: Matted Print

And is also available as a mini poster in my Cafepress shop: Mini Poster

A Beautiful Day

I had the pleasure of hiking up the Cascade Head trail for the first time on Friday with Dave, Mary, and Scott. It was one of those perfect, windswept, shining, glorious days along the Oregon coast. God bless the Nature Conservancy for preserving, developing and maintaining a beautiful trail winding upward through a fairy garden forest.

We enjoyed flora...

and fauna...

and the VIEW!

For more information about Cascade Head visit this link: Cascade Head
Enjoy!

Illustration Friday: Cloud Drifting

Illustration
Friday
(theme:
"drifting" )














Summer is a lovely time to climb to a dreamy mountain lake filled with clouds--upside-down and drifting in tandem with those in the perfect blue sky above.

Thanks for visiting!

"Drift With The Clouds" is an illustration from my Mother Nature Series. These designs are available on an assortment of Nature Lover clothing and gifts at my Cafepress Shop: www.cafepress.com/SusanFayeNature

Illustation Friday: Unfold

Illustration Friday
(theme:"unfold" )

A watercolor from the archives...a delicate yellow cactus blossom beckons a honeybee while tightly-closed buds await their turn to unfold...

Thanks for visiting!

This limited edition giclee print, called "First Blush" is available as a matted print in my Etsy Shop

Orange Tulip

Alas, the tulips are gone now, but I have plenty of photos to remember them by, and some will hopefully become the subject of paintings over the next year.

This little orange tulip was an experiment with using watercolors on clayboard. It was my 3rd or 4th attempt and it takes a little getting used to, as the paint moves around differently than on paper. The advantage is that it does not need to be framed under glass!

I'm happy to report that my experiment was a success, as this painting has made its way to a new home, thanks to Hidden Treasures Gallery in McMinnville, Oregon.

Look at these beauties! These were some specialty tulips at the Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival in April. I feel a painting coming on....

Thanks for visiting!

Goldfinch Invasion

I'm happy to report that my watercolor painting called "Delicate By Nature" has flown the coop and landed in a lovely home in Portland, Oregon! It features a pair of American Goldfinches enjoying a spring day. On the same day that the sale was confirmed, a little goldfinch flew into the Lawrence Gallery and Margot was able to rescue it and hold it in her hands for a few moments before she set it free.

Dave and I have been enjoying a record number of goldfinches at the feeders. Dave found this wonderful rock with many holes at the coast and it makes a perfect goldfinch feeder--some holes are filled with water, and others are filled with nyjer seed.

Aren't these birds just the prettiest little things?

Thanks for visiting!

This limited edition print is a giclee reproduction of another watercolor painting of mine called "Such a Pretty Day". Prints may be purchased at my Etsy online shop:

GOLDFINCH LIMITED EDITION PRINT

And The Winner Is......DoodleGirl!

Thank you to all who participated in my May Giveaway! A winner was chosen by a random drawing and the winner of the Bird Brain magnet set is The Doodle Girl. Please drop by her website and enjoy her whimsical artwork:

The Doodle Girl - Confessions of an Obsessive Doodler

Enjoy!