Blog

I'm of the (recently discovered) opinion that everyone should know about freshwater mussels...Sandbank Pocketbook (Lampsilis satura) paletteIf you like to play in clean and clear fresh waters, you can thank nature’s filters- the native freshwater mussels. There are 52 mussel species in Texas and 15 are listed as Threatened in Texas. ⁠⠀⁠⠀Featured he

"Study Nature, love nature, stay close to nature. It will never fail you." - Frank Lloyd WrightBeautiful colors...As an artist, you would assume that I think a lot about color. It’s true! As a painter, I practice color mixing, blending, subtle changes, stark contrasts. As an Art Educator, I think about color theory and how I can share som

What has a 3rd eye, sensors on its skin to detects electricity, and can become airborne jumping out of the water? The Paddlefish.The Paddlefish is a living fossil (records of paddlefish date back over 125 million years) and the now thought to be the only species of its kind after the Chinese Paddlefish has recently been presumed exti

Today I'm sharing a gift with you- a personal art project... one of our holiday traditions... In 2010 I enjoyed my very first holiday with my eventual stepson. As an 8 year old, he led us in creating a collaborative transforming origami star/ wreath.The best part was that this art project came from a brave, young Kai. He took a chance with me and

Black Bear (Ursus americanus)WOW! There are 16 subspecies of American Black Bear.Black bears apparently come in more colors than any other North American mammal?!? ⁠⁠Black, brown, cinnamon, blond, blue-gray, or white.... ⁠⁠I used the negative space in this design so you could choose which of the 16 subspecies of black bear you've alway wanted

This artwork & color palette is based on a true power-napper. Texas' Threatened Bird- The Sooty Tern apparently sleeps on the wing...These impressive threatened birds spend the vast majority of their life at sea (apparently up to 10 years!). Since they don't float, and can't rest easily. I have read that they take micro-naps (1 or 2-seconds) wh

               The incredible, ancient, threatened Alligator Snapping Turtle (Macrochelys temminckii), averages 70 lbs. but the largest recorded weighed 298 lbs These spiky-shelled (carapace) threatened species are "ambush predators" and take the "slow but steady" approach. They hunt by stationing their

                     Cacti are fascinating- they work so hard conserving water, defending themselves from hungry animals and protecting themselves from intensely sunny days and bitter cold nights. Though when it comes to attracting pollinators, they put on the most exciting shows around.&n

                 Meet the stunning, non-venomous Speckled Racer (Drymobius margaritiferus). The specific name of this snake, margaritiferus, means "pearl-bearing" in Latin, referring to the pearl-like spots on the dorsal scales. I simply love the beautiful colors on this threatened Texas r

                    Countershading. This was a new word for me. Almost all sharks are grayish with a darker top and lighter underside. This is called countershading. Imagine attempting to find places to hide or be inconspicuous in the open ocean. Countershading is works like camouflage, fo