Here is the results from my artist’s demo at Jerry’s Artarama last Saturday. It is a fritillary butterfly on a thistle: something I saw in the desert of Utah this summer. It is done in a combination of watercolor and gouache. This and much more of my work will be available as affordable prints next week on my upcoming online store!

Well here it is! I can’t wait until this is at its full size… and that big guy will be towering over everyone! I’ll miss the mountains and howling coyotes at night, but I am excited to get back to civilization. Raleigh here I come!

Also, here is another project I worked on- canyons and rock formations in pen & ink may be the hardest subjects I’ve ever tried to draw… so many nooks and crannies!

Yesterday I carted my easel and supplies out to the Visitor Center and painted outside for people to see & ask questions. I love talking to the kids who tell me about their favorite dinosaurs. if I can inspire one, I think all the work is worth it.

Here where I found cell phone service today. This is my favorite trail to hike; it is so beautiful and has a great view of Split Mountain. Its called the “Sounds of Silence.”

And here is a sneak preview of a portion of my mural… The dinosaurs have been the easy part; its the plants that are taking the most time and thought. I have 2 more weeks to finish, and then I am back home to Raleigh!

So I finally have my paints and the mural begins! In the meantime I have been doing a lot of black & white work like this:This is an illustration of a dinosaur fossil that has been left in the rock along the “fossil discovery trail”

And this is a picture is from a recent hike on a day off. It is 4 miles out through desert wasteland until these massive canyons appear at the end, making the trek worth while:

Heres a stegosaurus I’ve been working on in pen and ink:

Here are some recent photos upon request! I swear there will be artwork coming soon!
Here I am at the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. It was soooo beautiful!

Here is where my friends Tim, Helena and I went camping in Dinosaur NM. It is a beautiful place called Echo Park.

And here we are having fun with the giant dinosaur:

Heres a little sketch of a Camptosaurus, one of the dinosaurs thats going to be featured in my mural.

Some other random things….I recently spotted a coyote:

Heres me giving a paleo-reconstruction demo. It was so fun!

And here I am climbing on the world famous dinosaur wall:

And this was just beautiful:

My first week here in Dinosaur National Monument has been amazing! I have spent my time hiking through beautiful desert landscapes, sketching outside in the field, running and biking, making new friends, photographing wildlife and wildflowers, discovering dinosaur fossils and ancient native american petroglyphs and of course beginning the work on my mural. I just recently met with the exhibit designer and paleontologist to discuss the initial plans. My painting will be 1.5′ x 9′ and will be blown up to be 8′ x 48′! It turns out its going to be big! So I have already begun researching species, coming up with the initial layout and beginning my own reconstructions of some dinosaurs. I will keep everyone posted as I have more definite drawings. And now a photo tour of my time here:

This is a little bird called a bushtit, which flocks in the willow trees behind my house. It hangs upside down like this foraging for these seed pods and for insects. This scratchboard piece only took one night to complete. It was a mad scratching frenzy. Oh, what a deadline can make you do……