The Pygmy Owl

The desert can be barren, harsh, and even deadly. Yet somehow life finds a way to thrive there, and when it does, it can be colorful.

These 6" owls nest in the Saguaro cacti in the Sonoran desert of North America. This is the Cactus Ferruginous Pygmy Owl and is now listed as threatened per the Endangered Species Act. If you're lucky to spot them, it most likely will be at dawn or dusk. Numbering in the 100's in Arizona, habitat loss is the major contributor to their decline. 

Painted with M. Graham watercolors and Daniel Smith Luminescent watercolors on 10 X 12 canvas board. 

The Sierra Nevada Red Fox

The Sierra Nevada Red Fox is a small fox species dwelling in the mountains of California, is susceptible to drought and wildfire, and less than 50 remain in the wild. It is on the Endangered Species list currently. They are nocturnal animals, and little is known about this particular species. 

I am very concerned about the Endangered Species Act currently with the swift and massive changes within our US Government. My intent in this post is to not only capture the beauty of these animals, but to amplify the importance of protecting them and their habitat. We have the responsibility to preserve and protect them in their natural environments from climate change and human over utilization of their domain. I have made it no secret of my love for wildlife in this blog, and I will continue to advocate for them through my artwork and blog posts.

This is a watercolor on 10X12 canvas board. 

The Sierra Nevada Bighorn Sheep

 On the Endangered Species Act list, a unique breed of these Bighorn Sheep roam the Sierra Nevada mountains in California. I made this one very detailed with the finalizer, and then added washes of watercolor. The background is a very wet wash of watercolors lightly dotted with alcohol.