My Art Journey

This was based off a reference page so its not perfect but I enjoyed playing with colour. It started with ink and colored pencils/pencil crayons and then turned into watercolor pens.

Ever wonder what drills perfect holes into shells? It could be the moon snail. This is one of my note pages from the nature sketch class I am taking with the Robert Bateman center. The bottom right is the snail out of its shell. Bottom left is its egg collar which is mucus, sand and eggs mixed together

My first sketch based off of one of my own photos. Part of me didn't want to post the original because it makes me see ALL my mistakes but hey, that's how we learn.

I believe this is an Eastern Grey Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis). This one is located in Beacon Hill Park, Victoria, BC. If I am correct in identifying this little guy, they are native to Eastern North America. He is an invasive species in some parts of the world but is also a great little 'gardener' and "natural forest regenerator"-Wiki.

"Parks Department staff (Beacon Hill) report there were zero squirrels in the Park in the 1980's" A little bit more about these guys specifically can be found here: https://beaconhillparkhistory.org/articles/108_squirrels.htm

"The eastern gray squirrel is one of very few mammalian species that can descend a tree head-first. It does this by turning its feet so the claws of its hind paws are backward-pointing and can grip the tree bark" -Wiki I definitely have seen them doing this! They will eat almonds like this.

For those who personally know me, this will come as no surprise to them; I drew a banded garden snail (Cepaea hortensis) or a Grove Snail (Cepaea nemoralis). I am pretty sure this is a Grove snail despite the reference photo calling it a Branded Garden Snail. I still can't tell them apart to be honest.
Learn something:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8qghHQ7-n0

Despite popular belief, these guys are not bad for your garden! In fact, they may even help it! They tend to eat more of the decaying plants and fungi. I recently found out that they also eat aphids (a huge plus for me because my garden is an Aphid hotel and ladybugs just check out too early).

They are "a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusc in the family Helicidae" -Wiki

They are hermaphrodites which is always pretty neat!

I am currently taking a course online with the Robert Bateman Center called Adult Nature Sketch. It is a nice reminder of the different aspects of art that I often overlook. It is also a great course to be inspired and to learn more about the world around us.

The sketches below are from prompts that I found online. I know, the teddy looks like it laid an egg.

Fun Fact: For a long time, I didn't want to believe that giraffes were real. They don't make sense to me. A one-horned horse makes more sense to me than a long-necked, awkward, hoofed animal.

Here are those weird beasties in action: https://www.earthcam.com/usa/southcarolina/greenville/?cam=giraffe_ext

This is my most recent sketch. Admittedly, I forgot to wipe away the eraser specks.

Bewick Wrens have to be one of my most favoured bird on the West Coast of Canada. A few years back, we were lucky enough to have a family nest on our balcony. Because of this, I have begun to recognize their calls and some of their behaviours.

These little critters are native to North America. They aren't that big. They grow to be about 14cm in length. While their prominent white eyebrow helps identify it, it is the flicking of their tail and movements that always catch my eye.

Sadly, because of how speedy they are, I have not yet snapped a photograph of these little beauties.

You can listen to their songs and calls by following this link:
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Bewicks_Wren/sounds
You might even recognize the sounds