This month, I took a four-session series of art classes at Starlight Studio and Art Gallery on sketchbooks. Starlight offers instruction for people who have disabilities. It gives them a chance to creatively express themselves in a supportive environment. Each session focused on a different topic. The really cool thing was that all art supplies, […]
the buffalo art class Read More »
Inktober occurs in October. The challenge of Inktober is to draw a picture a day in pen and ink for an entire month. I have actually completed the challenge twice. I had tried for several years but gave up partly through until two years ago, when I was able to complete the challenge. The project
inktober 52 challenge Read More »
Today’s blog post is all about one of my favorite insects, the butterfly Here are some interesting factoids about butterflies, according to AI. They can taste with their feet, drink liquids with a straw-like tongue called a proboscis, and they fly using four wings covered in microscopic scales. As insects, they have exoskeletons, which are
beautiful butterflies Read More »
There was once a time when I was terrified when I caught sight of a bee. I was afraid that the bee would land on me and then, suddenly, STING!!!!! Over the years, my fears lessened as I learned more about insects. I now understand that I wasn’t ever actually afraid of bees. I was
Today is National Gardening Day! So, I am going to combine my love for gardening with my love for native plants and pollinators, especially bumblebees, mason bees, leaf cutter bees, sweat bees, monarch butterflies, black swallowtail butterflies, and red admiral butterflies. Below are two drawings of plants that attract pollinators. These two plants will be
happy national gardening day Read More »
Today, I am starting a series of drawings of native plants in Western New York. My goal is to create a painting of native plants. These are plants that are likely to attract pollinators, especially bees and butterflies. Currently, here, the rusty patched bumblebee (bombus affinis) is on the endangered species list. That bee hasn’t
native plants drawing series 1 Read More »
Back in the mid-1990s, I saw an incredible documentary called “Microcosmos.” It was one of the most beautiful movies I had ever seen. It was all about the insects and other invertebrates who live in a quiet meadow in the French country side. I’ve loved plants for a long time but, until I saw this
Today is the last day of the January version of the Ultimate Blogging Challenge. It’s been an experience, especially with this crazy weather. So much snow and the arctic blast that stays on and on and on. Today, I went out to a workshop that was about both winter and the hope for spring. It
thinking spring and sowing seeds… Read More »
When I was a child, I had many dreams, which ranged from exploring space in a rocket ship to drawing comics that were published in newspapers all across the United States and even the world. I dreamed that I would walk across the United States, starting at the shores of the Atlantic Ocean and ending
Today, I am sharing pictures of bees that I have taken any time I saw a bee busy on a flower. Some bees are better at posing than others.
You have to beelieve Read More »