Animals and Birds - Ralph F. Wilson Watercolors

In the last few years I've been enjoying painting animals and birds for my young granddaughters.

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Watercolor: Woodpecker Bookmark - 13" x 3.5" $0.00 This is the basis of a bookmark of Nuttall's Woodpecker (Picoides nuttallii) that appeared at my bird feeder in December 2017. It has striking marking. The bookmark was designed to have lettering in the lower portion, as yet to be determined. 180404. 13" x 3.5"	Watercolor: Western Painted Turtle - 14" x 10" $0.00 I got interested in turtles when reading a book on turtles to Evangeline a couple of weeks before Christmas. This painting depicts the turtle, a cold-blooded animal, emerging from a lake to bask in the sun to warm its body for several hours before foraging. It may repeat this behavior two or three more times in the day. 181220. Watercolor, 14" x 10". In a private collection: A. Roberts.
Watercolor: Palace Swans (20" x 14") A pair of swans at San Francisco's Palace of Fine Arts lagoon. These are Mute Swans (Cygnus olor). Watercolor, 20"x14". Exhibited at Sacramento Fine Arts Center, "Awash with Color" WASH 2014 Members Show, April 1-19, 2014.	Watercolor: Colorful Giraffe - 7" x 13" $0.00 While painting Giraffes with Mt. Kilimanjaro in the distance, I wondered what it might look like to have different colors in the characteristic spots that camouflage them. Here's what I came up with. 181201. Watercolor, 7" x 13".
Watercolor: Giraffe Pair Feeding at Lake Nakuru - 20" x 14" One of the most delightful 15 minutes of my most recent trip to Kenya were spent in my driver's car at the side of the road observing a herd of about 14 giraffes feed in the Yellow Acacia forest in Lake Nakuru National Park, Kenya, on October 31, 2019. They were so very graceful and unassuming. It was so peaceful! I shot photos and videos with the 30x lens on my compact Sony DSC-HX90V camera. This particular scene was captured as a frame of a video, when the giraffe closest to us dipped his head down to feed next to the other giraffe. The parallel lines of the neck fascinated me. I realize that it's hard to differentiate the two giraffes from each other, but that's the effect of their natural camouflage. Watercolor, 20" x 14".	Watercolor: Giraffes at Mount Kilimanjaro - 20" x 14" $0.00 What interested me originally was the Umbrella Thorn Acacia trees seen in the distance. I saw some of their acacia cousins in Kenya, and consider this tree the iconic tree shape of the savannas of Africa. My resource materials combined a couple of photos. Pictured is a family of the Masai Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi) which populates central and southern Kenya as well as Tanzania. Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa at 19,452 ft., looms in the distance. It is an extinct volcano. 181201. Watercolor, 20" x 14".
Watercolor: Family - Goose, Gander, and 19 Goslings - 20" x 13" $0.00 I saw these geese at the small lake at Auburn Regional Park in late April, where half a dozen goose families sat on the grass to the side of the lake. Most couples had perhaps 5 or 6 goslings. But then a family with 19 goslings entered the water, shepherded by the goose and gander, out into the lake together. I don't think this goose laid all 19 eggs, since a typical clutch is two to eight offspring. Perhaps some goslings from other mothers imprinted on them when they hatched. But this family stirs in me feelings of danger, of vulnerability, and especially hope for each of these youngin's. They're family, with parents watching out for them, perhaps in the way God watches out for us and teaches us to swim in deep waters. This painting won an Award of Merit in the WASH Open "Go with the Flow" watercolor show at Sacramento Fine Arts, September 4-30, 2018. It was also exhibited at the Placer Arts Council's "New Beginnings" show at the Hacker Lab, Rocklin, from 26 January to 23 May, 2019. 180505. Watercolor, 20" x 13".	Watercolor: Duckbill Stork - 10.5" x 10.5" Here is a pair of Duckbilled Storks that Pastor Charles and I saw in the Nairobi National Park in 2014. This stork is named for a yellow bill that protrudes at the top of its own bill. Native to Africa. Watercolor, 10.5" x 10.5".
Watercolor: Colorful Zebra - 10.5" x 14.5" On our way home from Eldoret, Kenya in 2012, Pastor Charles Brown and I took a two-hour tour in 2012 of Nairobi National Park, just a mile or two south of the city, we saw herds of zebras. This one caught my attention. But I didn't want to paint him with boring black stripes, rather set him apart as a special zebra! Watercolor, 10.5" x 14.5". This painting was exhibited in the WASH Member Show, "Awash with Color" at Sacramento Fine Arts Center, April 26-May 14, 2016. In a private collection: A. Roberts.	Watercolor: Brown Leghorn Rooster - 8" x 8" $0.00 I wanted to paint something for my 31 paintings in July challenge, and a rooster came to mind. Here's a wonderfully colorful, strutting bird. Watercolor. 8" x 8".
Watercolor: Bass Swimming Aimlessly - 7" x 5" $0.00 Bigmouth Bass swimming in the large aquarium at Bass Pro Shop in Rocklin inspired this small paining -- one of my 31 watercolors in July series. This is on L'Aquarelle Canson Heritage hot press paper, which I got at Hobby Lobby. Watercolor, 7" x 5".	Watercolor: Barn Owl Hunting - 20" x 9" Barn owls are fast and silent at dusk. All you hear is the rush of air over wings. I feel sorry for rodents foolish enough to be out after dark. Watercolor, 20" x 9".
Watercolor: Baa! More! (10.5" x 14.5") The goat is bleating, calling rather impolitely for more feed! This is an old nanny goat belonging to my friends Keith and Allyson on their six acre farm in Loomis. Watercolor, 10.5" x 14.5" It was exhibited in the "Animal House" show at Sacramento Fine Arts Center, February 7 to March 8, 2015. In a private collection: K. Huggett.	Watercolor: American Eagle Eye - 14.5" x 10.5" I was fascinated by the glaring intensity of the eagle's eye. Maybe it helps represent America's determination to be free and help others live free. Watercolor, 14.5" x 10.5". In a private collection: K. Huggett.
Watercolor: Gulls at Close of Day (10.5" x 14.5") In April 2008 I saw these three Franklin's Gulls late in the afternoon at Jacksonville Beach, Florida. Their interesting shadows and reflections made me want to paint them. Watercolor, 14.5" x 10.5". Exhibited at Sacramento Fine Arts Center, "Awash with Color" WASH 2014 Members Show, April 1-19, 2014. In a private collection: D & T Wilson.	Watercolor: Flamingos Feeding, Lake Nakuru NP, Kenya - 20" x 14" I spent a wonderful day on October 31, 2019 along the shores of Lake Nakuru. Though there weren't as many flamingos as in former years, there were many. I grouped these for composition. Hidden under one of the Lesser Flamingos is a Wood Sandpiper. 200107. Watercolor, 20" x 14".
Watercolor: Lesser Flamingo and Wood Sandpiper at Lake Nakuru - 10" x 14" I enjoyed the colors of the Flamingos at Lake Nakuru NP, Kenya, on October 31, 2019. Here are some feeding in the shallow alkaline water along the shores. The small bird is a Wood Sandpiper. Won an Award of Merit in the WASH Member Show, "Awash with Color," April 7-26, 2020. 191203. Watercolor, 10" x 14".	Watercolor: Horned Puffin Pair - 10" x 13" Here's a pair of Horned Puffins painted on Yupo, with my granddaughters in mind. 191120. Watercolor on Yupo, 10" x 13".
Watercolor: Tiger Stalking the Jungle - 10" x 14" $0.00 I've been painting a series of animals to entertain my granddaughters. They probably won't want this one in their bedroom, however, because it might be scary in the middle of the night. Watercolor, 10" x 14".	Watercolor: Monarch Butterfly Feeding - 14" x 10" I painted this Monarch butterfly for my granddaughters. 190711. Watercolor and ink, 14" x 10". In a private collection: A. Roberts.
Watercolor: Yellow Swallowtail Butterfly - 8" x 8" I painted this for my granddaughters. 190711. Watercolor and ink, 8" x 8".	Watercolor: Pelican at Lake Nakuru, Kenya - 7" x 13" On October 31, 2019, I spent a day at Lake Nakuru, after a conference in Eldoret, Kenya. It was a delightful day! Especially enjoyable were the giraffes, the flamingos, and the pelicans, that were fishing in the shallows of the lake. This was the Great White Pelican (Pelecanus onocrotalu). 200403. Watercolor, 7" x 13".
Watercolor: Zebra Love - 14" x 20" I caught a photo of these to zebras nuzzling near the shore of Lake Nakuru National Park in Kenya late October 2019. There IS love among Zebras! You'll notice that none of the stripes are black, but a mix of blues, reds, and purples. Nor was the sky yellow that day, but that's why I got an Artistic License! Juried into the WASH �Go with the Flow� 2020 Open Show, August 25-Oct 25, 2020. 200403. Watercolor, 14" x 20"200624. Watercolor, 14" x 20".	Watercolor: 'Conquering Lamb of Revelation' Bookcover In May 2020 I published a series of 24 devotional messages focusing on the Conquering Lamb of Revelation. Here's the watercolor I painted for the book cover. 200502. Original uncropped size 10" x 14".
Watercolor: Giraffe - 10" x 10" On November 2, 2019, I visited the Giraffe Center in Nairobi, where I saw this giraffe up close and personal. 210130. Watercolor, 10" x 10"	Watercolor: Pacific Tree Frog - 14" x 10" I've been painting a series of animals that appear on the walls of my granddaughters' rooms in Auburn. This Pacific Tree Frog (Pseudacris regilla) abounds in our area. This is from a photo I found searching. Part of my 31 Paintings in July Challenge. 210703. Watercolor, 14" x 10".
Watercolor: Seven-Spot Lady Bird Beetle - 14" x 10" My oldest granddaughter is interested in all things animal -- including insects. Here's a Seven-spot Ladybird (or Ladybug, Coccinella septempunctata, the most common ladybird in Europe, and expanding in the American eastern seaboard. Part of my 31 Paintings in July Challenge. 210712. Watercolor, 14" x 10".	Watercolor: Ready to Strike (Boa Constrictor) - 14" x 10" When I asked my granddaughter what kind of animal I should paint for her, she responded: Boa Constrictor (Boa constrictor). So I looked for a dramatic photo from which to paint -- not having my own pet boa -- and found a particular menacing one. Part of my 31 Paintings in July Challenge. 210716. Watercolor, 14" x 10".
Watercolor: Owl Eyes - 14" x 8" In church recently it occurred to me that owl eyes would be interesting. So here's my attempt. His eyes just won't let you go. 220421. Watercolor, 14" x 8".	Watercolor: Eagle and Flag Stained Glass - 14" x 10" I felt like doing something striking -- and what's more striking than an American Eagle with a glare in his eye? For a couple years I have been occasionally playing with a stained glassy effect. I think I like it because I can use wonderful saturated colors, and because of the definition it offers. And it's fun, even though it's tedious. 220527. Watercolor and ink on hot press 140# watercolor paper, 14" x 10".
Watercolor: Mockingbird in Blue - 10" x 10" We've had a mockingbird staying around the last few weeks, bringing joy to the morning air. Mockingbirds are primarily gray, black, and white, but I wanted mine more colorful. So .... 220625. Watercolor and ink, 10" x 10".	Watercolor: Red Bark Scorpion - 10" x 7" In looking for a scorpion to impress my granddaughters, I ran across a photo of a Red Bark Scorpion (Babycurus jacksoni). It is venomous, though not native to California. Full-grown it is about 4 inches long. Part of my 31 Paintings in July challenge. 220707. Watercolor, 10" x 7".
Watercolor: Garden Snail Slime - 10" x 7" When I was in Jr. High in Hayward, California, I can remember having snail wars with the plentiful snails in our yard. Fortunately, where we live now has been pretty well spared. This is a quick painting of the common Garden Snail (Helix aspersa). Part of my 31 Paintings in July challenge. 220707. Watercolor, 10" x 7".	Watercolor: Here's Lookin' at You, Kenya Giraffe, 7.5" x 7.5" One of the joys of a mission to Kenya in October 2019 was a daytrip to Lake Nakuru National Park where I watched a herd of Rothchild's Giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis rothschildi) in the wild feeding in the forest beside the lake. One looked straight at me for a moment when I snapped a photo. Part of my 31 Paintings in July challenge. 220709. Watercolor, 7.5" x 7.5".
Watercolor: Sorrel Stallion Mr. Jess Perry - 7" x 10" For my 8-year-old granddaughter I painted a portrait of a sorrel quarter horse stallion Mr. Jess Perry (1992-2017). He had won races in Texas and Louisiana, then was a top-earning stud. Part of my 31 Paintings in July series. 220710. Watercolor, 7" x 10".	Watercolor: Palomino Jacs Little Sunrise - 10" x 7" My eight-year-old granddaughter is in a horse-loving phase, going to horse camp in Auburn this summer, so I painted her a couple of horse pictures. This one is a Palomino quarter horse stallion Jacs Little Sunrise, seen here galloping around the field. He was active in 2008-2012 in Europe and Britain. Part of my 31 Paintings in July series. 220710. Watercolor, 10" x 7".
Watercolor: Lorquin's Admiral - 10" x 7" One of the resident butterflies where I live in Loomis, California, is the Lorquin's Admiral (Limenitis lorquini). Here's my take on it. Part of my 31 Paintings in July series. 220712. Watercolor and ink, 10" x 7".	Watercolor: Rainbow Unicorn - 7" x 10" One of my granddaughters is entranced by unicorns. So I painted this rainbow unicorn just for her. Part of my 31 Paintings in July series. 220713. Watercolor, 7" x 10".
Watercolor: Dragonfly Blue - 21" x 8" A dragonfly's wings are beautiful when it is perched on a branch over the edge of the lake. I am fascinated by the colors in the minute wing panels of the membrane stretched tight, reflecting the sun. 221122. Watercolor and ink, 21" x 8".	Watercolor: Dragonfly Yellow - 21" x 8" I worked on a pair of dragonflies simultaneously -- one on a blue background, the other on bright yellow. This is Dragonfly Yellow. I think I like this one better. 221123. Watercolor and ink. 21" x 8".
Watercolor: Great Egret at Inverness - 10" x 14" On a photo day with my son Dan in mid-December 2022, I watched this Great Egret (Ardea alba) standing in shallow water at the edge of Tomales Bay near Inverness, California, waiting for a fish to spear. None appeared this time, and he eventually flew away with his great wing strokes. I tried to capture the dancing waters behind the egret with various colors of blue horizontal lines. 221223. Watercolor, 10" x 14".