Please Participate: Monochrome Monday

Please Participate

Please Participate by Jeppe Hein 2015 at Portland Art Museum, Oregon

Monochrome Monday

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Lunar New Year decorations: RDP

When I visited the Lan Su Chinese Garden in Portland, Oregon last week, I saw several Lunar New Year decorations. They were prepping the garden for celebrations on February 17, the day the 2026 lunar new year begins.

This impressive dragon was inside one of the buildings hovering over a table and desk.

Lunar New Year decorations

I zoomed in to get a better view. The colors and textures were gorgeous.

close up of dragon

Outside, a jumping fish floated over the pond.

Lunar New Year decorations

Here is a closer view of it surfacing near an arch, lotus blossom, and smaller fish.

Fish in garden

In another part of the pond, a dragon curls around mountains in the clouds. All of these Lunar New Year decorations showed a lot of expression.

Lunar New Year decorations

Speaking of expression, I’m also sharing a sculpture of a horse at the nearby Portland Art Museum. I thought it was appropriate since it’s the year of the horse. Recent “Horse” years include 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, and 2026.

The chinesenewyear.net website describes those born in the year of the horse as follows:

Horses are lively, charming, and adventurous. In the zodiac, they thrive in lively settings and are often seen as natural leaders and motivators.

This Prancing Horse sculpture, by an unidentified artist, is made of gray earthenware with traces of calcified green lead glaze. The sculpture is from China, Sichuan province. It is likely from Chengdu, Tianhuishan and created in the 2nd century CE.

Prancing Horse sculpture

I really liked the face on this sculpture. Is it grimacing or grinning? Hmm…

Prancing Horse sculpture

For more info and photos about Lan Su Chinese Garden, see my previous post.

Ragtag Daily Prompt (RDP) – Celebrations!

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3 fish 3 ways: First Friday Art

Today, I’m sharing images I created of 3 fish 3 ways. When I took an ichthyology class at Western Washington University in Bellingham, Washington, we visited the aquarium in Vancouver, B.C. Our assignment was to sketch some of the fish we saw and write down notes related to their life history. What a fun assignment! 😀

My first picture shows a pencil sketch of three fish. I drew a Longnose Butterflyfish, Forcipiger longirostris, a Swallow-tailed Angelfish, Genicanthus melanospilos, and a Smoothed Unicorn Tang, Naso lituratus. These three have great common names.

3 fish 3 ways

I traced a copy of the pencil drawing and outlined each fish with an ink brush pen.

pen and ink drawings

In the last of my 3 fish 3 ways pictures, I quickly filled in the ink outlines with watercolor pens. The coloring of these fish varies widely.

Note to self… use a good quality watercolor paper next time. Since I used cheap printer paper, the paint dried fast and I couldn’t blend it.

watercolor pen fish

Here’s the watercolor pen set I used. I found it at one of the gift stores in downtown Bend. I like having them organized in a handy case.

watercolor pens

Do you have artwork you would like to share? Be sure to include the First Friday Art tag.

First Friday Art

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Well-loved camels: Monochrome Mondays

These two well-loved camels are at Volunteer Park in Seattle. Numerous children have climbed onto these large sculptures. Though they may not remember what was inside the museum, they likely have fond memories of their time spent sitting atop these large sculptures. The two camel sculptures flank the doors of the Seattle Asian Art Museum, formerly the Seattle Art Museum (SAM).

well-loved camels

outdoor sculpture

Of the nearly 24,000 objects in SAM’s collection, two sculptures have probably had the broadest impact on visitors’ experience of the museum since it opened in 1933.

SAM Stories

The original marble camels were created in the late 14th-mid 17th century in China. Due to conservation concerns, in 1991 the originals were moved inside SAM. Today, the well-loved camels outside the Seattle Asian Art Museum are replicas.

Here is a 1933 picture of the Art Deco-style building that shows two camel and two ram sculptures in front of the museum.

Monochrome Monday

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Elephant seal drawing & photo: First Friday Art

I did this elephant seal drawing as part of the Inktober challenge. On October 9th, the prompt was “heavy.”

elephant seal drawing

I drew this quick sketch with a black Pentel Brush Sign Pen Artist pen and I used a gray Tombow ABT pen for the shading. I especially liked the Pentel pen since you can easily vary the width of each stroke with the brush tip. The Tombow pen has a soft brush on one end and a hard tip on the other end.

elephant seal drawing pens

Since I was going to be traveling during part of the Inktober challenge, I wanted a small pad I could tuck into my backpack. I found this cute little watercolor book. Yes, the paper has a rougher texture than I would prefer, but it worked out well.

drawing book

I taped a copy of the 2025 Inktober prompt list onto the inside cover.

Drawing book

This is the photograph I worked from for the elephant seal drawing. I thought of this pair of seals I saw at Elephant Seal Vista Point north of San Simeon, California. They appeared to be smiling. I’m not sure they really were, but they certainly looked comfortable.

content critters

Do you have artwork you would like to share? Be sure to include the First Friday Art tag.

First Friday Art

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Artichokes two ways: Wordless Wednesday

artichoke sculpture

artichokes two ways

Artichokes two ways – as a sculpture and in the garden

Wordless Wednesday

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Eye drawings and paintings: FFA

Today I’m sharing eye drawings and paintings. The first three show pencil sketches of human eyes; the second three show paintings of animal eyes done with acrylics.

Pencil drawings

In the first drawing, I tried to convey a person who is bright and inquisitive. Slight changes in how open the eye is and the position of the eyebrow can change the emotions you are trying to portray.

eye drawings and paintings

In the next drawing, I show the eye of a person who is sad and anxious.

eye drawings and paintings

In the last drawing I started out trying to portray someone laughing, but I think it turned into a slightly mysterious, Mona Lisa-type smiling expression.

pencil sketch of eye

Acrylic paintings

The next photo shows a close up of an Australian shepherd I painted on a rock with acrylics. Though I could have added more shading to the eyes, I decided not to. The expression could be seen as startled or alert.

Australian shepherds’ hauntingly blue eyes often are referred to as “ghost eyes.” Here’s a quote from Dogster about this feature:

“According to legend, Native Americans considered them sacred animals whose unique eyes linked them to the spirit world. Other legends speak of heterochromatic dogs as being able to view heaven and earth simultaneously.”

Here is a close-up of one of my current dog’s eyes. Her other eye is predominantly brown, so she has heterochromatic eyes. Now I understand why she sees things in a unique way. 🙂

Close up of dog

The next painting shows a close up of a fox rock I painted. On this rock, I added a light color on the bottom of the eye and darker color near the top eyelid. This adds depth to the eyes and shows the fox’s sly personality.

fox painting

The last painting shows a close up of a lion’s eyes. On this painting, I added a thick black line around the eyes. This “eyeliner” effect pulls your attention to the eyes. They give this lion a powerful presence.

eye drawings and paintings

I hope these eye drawings and paintings show you different ways you can portray a person or an animal’s personality.

Do you have artwork you would like to share? Be sure to include the First Friday Art tag.

First Friday Art (FFA)

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Aosagi mural: Monday Mural

This Aosagi mural is located in downtown Edmonds, Washington. It was created by Shoga Ota and installed in September 2021. The mural’s style is similar to Japanese woodblocks. In the mural, a large blue heron (Aosagi) flies over a series of waves.

Aosagi mural

Japanese immigrants were an important part of the history of the Pacific Northwest. In the 19th century, they were instrumental in the railroad, mining, timber, and fishing industries. During World War II, there was a rise in anti-Japanese sentiments and they were forcibly relocated to internment camps. Reparations for that action did not occur until 1988, under the Civil Liberties Act.

In April of 1988, Edmonds developed a sister city relationship with Hekinan, Japan. This mural was created partly to acknowledge Edmond’s relationship with Hekinan. The goal of this relationship is to foster “exchanges that reflect our intercultural focus between business, education and nonprofit organizations in the local area.”

This mural was funded by a grant from the City of Edmonds Arts Commission and a generous donation from the McMurray family.

Monday Mural

Exquisite Creatures Revealed: LAPC & TTC

Exquisite Creatures Revealed is an amazing exhibition at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) in Portland, Oregon. It will be on display until February 17, 2025.

Christopher Marley combined elements of art and the natural world into three-dimensional masterpieces. Marley has lived in dozens of countries and studied art and design, while pursuing a career in fashion. The time he spent working for Luis Vuitton, Georgio Armani, Gucci, Donna Karan, and Nike influenced his overall aesthetics.

These displays were created using mainly one color, complementary colors, analogous colors, and black and white. The unique works of art highlight the wide range of colors and forms occurring in nature.

Butterfly & Beetle Exquisite Creatures

The butterfly pieces were wonderfully colorful, but also beautiful because of their iridescence. The various species of Lepidoptera shown live in France, China, Indonesia, Laos, Peru, Brazil, Guyana, Bolivia, Central African Republic, Japan, Thailand, and Malaysia.

exquisite creatures

exquisite creatures

butterfly art

butterfly and moth art

exquisite creatures

These Jewel Beetles are all the same species, just different in color. The wide variety of colors, and their shiny texture, made for an eye-catching display. They live in Southeast Asia.

jewel beetles

Dragonflies and katydids

These remarkable creatures are considered one of the most efficient hunters in the animal kingdom. The dragonfly species in this piece live in regions of the U.S. and Asia.

There are over 20,000 species of leaf mimic katydids in the world. The insects shown live in Peru, Indonesia, Malayasia, Thailand, and Papua New Guinea.

exquisite creatures

Crab Exquisite Creatures

This triptych shows the significant differences in crab’s body shape and size. Did you know there are over 7,000 species of crab in the world?

Crab art

crab display

crab art

Sea urchin and sand dollar Exquisite Creatures

I think these were some of my favorite pieces in this exhibit. The sea urchins in these pieces reside in oceans around the world.

sea urchin art

This triptych piece had a nice movement to it. I liked its curving lines, the variety of its colorful sea urchins, and the simple shapes of the white sand dollars in the background.

exquisite creatures

I liked the next piece because it reminded me of the excitement I’ve experienced upon finding a complete sand dollar while walking along Pacific Northwest beaches. If you shake them, you’ll hear a rattling sound. The small V-shaped pieces found inside dead sand dollars are called doves. In life, they function as teeth.

sand dollars

Seahorses and brittle stars

These seahorse skeletons looked so delicate. These seahorses lived in Hawaii.

seahorses

This piece, composed of Brittle Stars, also looked fragile. This species lives in the Philippines.

exquisite creatures brittle stars

Snakes

This piece includes three Royal Pythons that lived in Sub-Saharan Africa. This piece was interesting, but I also found it to be kind of disturbing.

Feathers and birds

This piece showed the diversity of colors and forms of feathers.

feather art

These Rosella skins show the wide range of color in their feathers. This species is native to Australia.

exquisite creatures rosella skins

Orchids

Christopher Marley briefly described why he included this orchid piece in the exhibition. He was impressed by the flowers’ “bizarre, extravagant, even superfluous morphology, and the colors unbound by any parameters give them a ruggedly individual, almost defiant air that I find both intoxicating and humbling.”

orchid art

In case you were wondering, all of the artwork includes real preserved specimens. The specimens were collected using ecologically friendly and sustainable methods in collaboration with zoos, museums, and collectors. None of the vertebrates featured in this exhibition were killed for the art pieces.

The Exquisite Creatures Revealed exhibition was unlike any I’ve ever seen. It was definitely one of my favorite exhibits I saw last year. Yeah, the specimens themselves are fascinating, but the way Marley displayed them was awe-inspiring. WOW!

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge (LAPC) – Complementary Colors

Three Things Challenge TTC)- Yeah, Year

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Magpie silkscreen & photos: First Friday Art

Today I’m sharing a magpie silkscreen image I created with blue ink. One of the things I like about Black-billed Magpies is their contrasting black and white plumage. There are a lot of birds that are showier than magpies, but their simple markings make them a good subject for art.

Magpie silkscreen

Though I’ve only created one magpie silkscreen, I’ve done several paintings and drawings of this bird in the past. Here’s a magpie I painted as part of a mural on my studio/guesthouse.

Black-billed magpie Siobhan Sullivan August 2020

Here’s a photo of a magpie perched on a fence in Bozeman, Montana. They are year-round residents in much of western and central North America.

Black-billed Magpies are omnivores that feed on a wide variety of plants, insects, birds, and small mammals. They are also opportunistic feeders. Here’s a picture of a couple magpies trying to get a bite of a rabbit a Red-tailed Hawk was feeding on.

hawk with prey and magpies

The scientific name of Black-billed Magpies is Pica hudsonia. When people have compulsive cravings to eat things with little to no nutritional value, it’s referred to as a ‘pica disorder.’ This temporary disorder is most common among children and pregnant women.

Do you have artwork you would like to share? Be sure to include the First Friday Art tag.

First Friday Art (FFA)

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Corky’s Bunny: First Friday Art

Years ago, I volunteered at an artists’ cooperative gallery in Bellingham, Washington. A man named Corky regularly visited the gallery. He had special needs and, despite his challenges, always had a sunny outlook on life. One day, he asked if I could draw him a rabbit. I drew him this pen and ink drawing that I titled, “Corky’s Bunny.” I decided to portray this rabbit looking up because that’s what Corky always did.

I’ll never forget how excited Corky was when I gave him the final drawing. I only charged him ten dollars for the original artwork. To him, this drawing was something of immeasurable value that he would always treasure.

Corky's Bunny

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A challenging photo edit: Sunday Stills

Today I’m sharing a particularly challenging photo edit I worked on recently. Sometimes putting extra time into something can really pay off.

When I visited the Museum of the American West in Lander, Wyoming last year, I took a couple pictures of an art piece entitled The Confrontation. I marveled at the detail the artist, Tess Diaz, created with thousands of tiny glass beads.

Here are the two pictures I took that day, shown with no editing. As you can see, the bright light and many reflections hid the beauty of the work.

glare on artwork

challenging photo edit
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The Future Starts Now mural: Monday Murals

This dramatic mural, The Future Starts Now, is located on The Palace building in Burns, Oregon.

The Future Starts Now

The artist, Matthew Miles Gutierrez, goes by the nickname of Matteo Miles. Miles has done graphic design, canvas paintings, tattoos, sculptures, and sewing projects. His personal interest in pop culture and vintage ads shows in this mural.

Miles was invited to paint murals in Burns by Forrest and Jen Keady. The Keadys were impressed by the work he’d done in Greenville, South Carolina, where he lives. They wanted murals in Burns “that would spread a positive message, bring life and energy to the spaces they occupy, and give people yet another reason to stop in our small town.”

The Keadys requested that this mural be more edgy. The woman portrayed is part 1950s pinup/ part cowgirl. Her tattoo-covered arms bring her forward to more modern times.

I visited Burns on a chilly day in April 2023 and The Future Starts Now radiated a warm feeling. It delivered exactly what the Keadys hoped it would.

Monday Murals

Snowy bear sculpture: Sculpture Saturday

This snowy bear sculpture is located on the east side of Bend, Oregon. It’s part of our privately funded roundabout art collection. Art in Public Places has helped fund art in over 20 of our 51 traffic roundabouts.

snowy bear

I’ve been waiting for snow to fall here in Bend to photograph this sculpture. Can you see why I liked showing it as a snowy bear?

Roundabout bear sculpture

Grizzly was created by Montana-based artist Sherry Sander in 2001.

This sculpture is a block away from Bend High School. The mythical lava bear is their mascot.

Here’s one more photo, taken a month later, showing more snow covering the statue.

Bear sculpture

To see some of Bend’s horse-related sculptures in roundabouts and elsewhere, see my Outdoor Horse Sculptures post.

Sculpture Saturday

Tough terrier painting: First Friday Art

Today I’m sharing an acrylic painting I did of a tough terrier. He’s resting comfortably within the spines of my cactus garden. Juniper berries and branches cushion his bed.

tough terrier

I used to sell my artwork at craft shows and a customer requested this rock. The elderly woman described her dog’s two-colored face. Unfortunately, I never saw her again. Maybe she passed away.

The spirit of her dog “Charlie” lives on in this little rock, guarding my garden.

Do you have artwork you would like to share? Be sure to include the First Friday Art tag.

First Friday Art (FFA)

Valley Gorge HUB mural: MM

The Valley Gorge HUB mural, in The Dalles, Oregon, is one of my most favorite murals. This mural was painted in 2018 by Blaine Fontana, with help from Toma Villa, Jeremy Nichols, and Jeff Sheridan. This long mural is on E 1st St.

Valley Gorge HUB mural

I took pictures of each section so you can see it more closely. This part features a Trout, Salmon, and Sturgeon.

Valley Gorge HUB mural

This section shows a Black Bear, Bighorn sheep, and Cougar. A Yellow Warbler photo bombed this one.

big mammals mural

This part shows a Yellow Warbler, Osprey, Blue Jay, and Raven.

Birds mural

The last section shows a Monarch Butterfly and a Chickadee. There’s a mural by another artist around the corner on this end of the building.

The HUB mural

I’ve visited The Dalles in the past and didn’t realize the Valley Gorge HUB mural wrapped around the building. Here’s the mural on other parts of the building. You can see a Mule Deer, Red-winged Blackbirds, and an Egret.

Magnificent mural in The Dalles, Oregon October 2019

I took pictures in The Dalles in 2022 of the Northwest Mural Fest. They now have 33 murals in the downtown area.

Here’s an updated map of their locations. I like how they added a red line to show which side of the building has murals. This map was updated in January of 2023.

The Dalles mural map

Monday Mural

Eagle drawing & photo: FFA & BOTW

This month, I’m sharing an eagle drawing I created. This is a pencil sketch of Rapaz Nube, the evil character in one of the books I’m working on. Rapaz Nube translates as “Cloud Raptor.” He shifts shape and is always harassing the main character, Melodía. She and her companions go on a quest to return water to a parched land.

Eagle sketch

I’m also sharing a photograph I took of a Golden Eagle on its nest near Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon. This nest is in the same area where my fictional novel takes place.

Raptor on nest

Do you have artwork you would like to share? Be sure to include the First Friday Art tag.

First Friday Art (FFA)

Bird of the Week (BOTW)

Cedar Bear: Monday Mural

I saw this Cedar Bear Herbal Supplements mural while visiting Vernal, Utah. I especially liked the blue and green colors in this mural. The artist did a great job of painting liquid, not an easy thing to do. The light outlines of cresting waves filled out the space and gave a good sense of movement.

Cedar Bear mural

Monday Mural

Hummingbird painting: First Friday Art

Today I’m sharing a hummingbird painting I painted. I did a quick drawing with pen and ink and later filled in the lines with acrylic paint. The colors of the fuschia flower and leaves are reflected in the plumage of the bird.

Hummingbird painting

Do you have artwork you would like to share? Be sure to include the First Friday Art tag.

First Friday Art (FFA)

Cholla painting & photos: FFA & FOTD

It’s time once again to share a piece of my artwork for the First Friday Art prompt. I created this watercolor painting yesterday afternoon. This is a cholla cactus in bloom. For my inspiration this month, I looked in my own backyard.

Cholla painting

We have a few kinds of cactus growing in our landscaping. You have to be careful when working around them or you’ll get poked by the barbed spines. I held my phone out at arm’s length and snapped a picture, but I couldn’t see the photo I took. It turned out surprisingly well, I thought. I like the how the spines radiate outward from the magenta blossom.

Cholla blossom

Several chollas grow in my backyard. I started a couple in the front yard by placing a cactus stem on the ground. There was no drip irrigation going to those parts of the landscaping, but the plants grew anyway.

Here’s one of the propagated cholla plants blooming. It’s doing great, and currently measures about three feet across.

Cactus blooming

Do you have artwork you would like to share? Be sure to include the First Friday Art tag.

First Friday Art (FFA)

Flower of the Day Challenge (FOTD)

Mallard drawing and photos: First Friday Art

Today I’m sharing a pen and ink drawing I did of a mallard duck in flight. These ducks live in many parts of the world and most of us are familiar with their quack, quack calls.

Duck pen & ink

This hen was very photogenic. She stood a few feet away from me one warm summer day, posing in different positions.

Mallard hen
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Mountain scene table: First Friday Art

I created this mountain scene table with my husband twenty years ago. He made the table from milled birch wood and vine maple, cut from our property. I designed, painted, and carved around the mountain scene on the table’s top.

mountain scene table

Here’s a picture of the table while I worked on it. I painted the mountain scene with acrylics and used different colored stains on the game boards to mimic marquetry. Real marquetry uses different colors and types of wood that is cut and pieced together.

Mountain scene table
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Snowy Owl drawing: First Friday Art

Today I’m sharing a pen and ink drawing I did of a Snowy Owl. Some have more black markings on their feathers than others.

Snowy owl drawing

I once took a long drive to see a Snowy Owl when I lived in Bellingham, in northwestern Washington state. The owl had been spotted in a residential neighborhood in Point Roberts, Washington. To get to the peninsula where Point Roberts is located, you have to drive into Canada or get there by boat. At that time, it was quick and easy to drive into Canada from the states.

I’m including a map to show where Point Roberts is. Zoom out to get a better view.

When I got to where the owl was, I watched it perch on a fence post in someone’s yard, oblivious to the crowds flocking around it. The bird was there for a few days, just long enough for many birders to check this species off their list.

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Sisters Coffee Mural: Monday Mural

This Sisters Coffee Mural is in the Old Mill District of Bend. I believe the featured bird is an Osprey. Ospreys are regularly seen near the Deschutes River. This bird is also known as a ‘Fish Hawk’ since fish are its preferred prey.

This mural was painted last summer by Vivi Design Co. I previously featured murals they created at Dr Jolly’s.

Sisters Coffee Mural

Monday Mural

Lone Pine Coffee mural: Monday Mural

This painting is in the eastside Lone Pine Coffee Roasters business in Bend. The mural was painted by artist Megan McGuinness and it wraps around three walls. I like how she outlined almost everything with white borders.

This scene shows a fox in the foreground and a snowy owl in the upper corner. The mountain on the right is Smith Rock, a local rock climber’s favorite. Crooked River wraps around the edge of the mountain.

Lone Pine Coffee mural

Monday Mural

More reindeer decorations

Last year I showed pictures of part of my reindeer collection and this year I’m sharing more of my reindeer decorations. A good thing about this collection is that it’s only out during the yuletide season. I look forward to seeing them every year!

This large metal reindeer looks delicate, but it’s heavy. I like displaying it underneath this metal sun sculpture.

more reindeer decorations

This beauty is made from blown glass. I love how this one’s pose is so confidant.

Glass ornament

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Killdeer sketches and photos: First Friday Art

Here are a few killdeer pencil sketches I did while watching them in the field.

Killdeer sketches

These shorebirds always let you know they are there with their distinctive kill-deer call. Here’s one calling near Sizzling Basin at Yellowstone National Park.

furry & feathered, killdeer at Yellowstone National Park

In the photo below, you can see a killdeer defending its nest from ornithologist Pepper Trail at Summer Lake, Oregon. I circled it to make it easier to see.

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Indian peacock drawing & photos: First Friday Art

Today I’m sharing a quick pen-and-ink drawing of an Indian peacock I drew. This was for the month-long Inktober drawing challenge. The prompt that day was “ego.” When male peacocks prance around displaying their tail feathers I think of them as being proud, egotistical birds. In reality, they are trying to attract mates and protect their territory.

Peacock drawing by Siobhan Sullivan

Here’s a photo I took of a proud Indian peacock. I increased the color saturation when I processed it to bring out his beautiful blue and green colors.

Proud peacock

When I think of peacocks here in Central Oregon, I think of Richardson’s Rock Ranch in Madras. They have a large indoor and outdoor rock shop and peacocks wander freely around the buildings.

Here’s a photo of their old family home with the birds perched on the front porch and foraging in the front yard. Can you see the pheasant decoration on the side of the building? The peafowl must have been attracted to it since they are also part of the pheasant family, Phasianidae.

Richardson's Rock Ranch

Do you have artwork you would like to share? Be sure to include the First Friday Art tag.

First Friday Art (FFA)

Hibiscus photo & drawings: First Friday Art

For this First Friday Art post, I’m sharing a hibiscus photo and a few drawings. I took this picture of a Spin the Bottle Hibiscus, Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, at the Oregon Garden in Silverton, Oregon. I’m not sure who came up with the common name, but it’s a funny one!

Hibiscus

I’m sharing a quick pen-and-ink drawing I did of Hibiscus flowers. I’m participating in Inktober, a challenge where you make a drawing a day for a month based on prompts.

I tend to fuss over my artwork a lot, so for this challenge, I’m trying to draw fast. You create a different kind of artwork when working quickly. Is it perfect? No, but it’s a freeing experience. The goal is to capture the essence of your subject.

You can interpret the prompts any way you want to. Here was my interpretation of ‘bouquet’ from the October 5 prompt.

Hibiscus bouquet
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Northwest Mural Fest : LAPC & MM

In late August, while out exploring places along the Columbia River, we stumbled upon the Northwest Mural Fest in The Dalles, Oregon. Painters from all over the country met in The Dalles to create 15 murals in three days. Yes, it was a huge undertaking, literally and figuratively.

The Walldogs


The 200+ sign painters and mural artists who took part in the event belong to a group called The Walldogs. Imagine a “pack” of artists gathering in a town for a few days to create unforgettable works of art. The murals depict places, people, and products that have local significance. The murals attract tourists and give residents a sense of hometown pride.

Honoring the History


The artists working on this mural, by Anat Ronen, must not have a fear of heights. This mural portrays photographer Benjamin Gifford. He moved from the Midwest to Portland in 1888, and to The Dalles in 1896. His work highlights scenic views of the Columbia River and the scenic highway running beside it. Gifford also featured portraits of local Native Americans.

Northwest Mural Fest

The Benjamin Gifford mural is being painted on the back of the Clock Tower. This photo shows the building, built in 1883, from the front.

Clock Tower
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Triceratops painted rock: First Friday Art

I created this palm-sized Triceratops painted rock about twenty years ago. Many of us, young and old, love dinosaurs and this one lived in my garden for a while. I painted it with acrylics and covered it with a thin layer of clear finish.

Triceratops painted rock

Triceratops’ unique anatomy is apparent in this mounted skeleton at the Los Angeles Museum of Natural History. Their name means ‘three-horned face.’ The massive skull has a fringe of bone in the back. The horns and bony fringe may have helped protect this dinosaur from Tyrannosaurus rex, its most common predator. I’ve featured a big T. rex rock and a smaller one in previous posts.

Triceratops skeleton
Triceratops mounted skeleton at Los Angeles Museum of Natural History, Los Angeles, CA
Source: Allie_Caulfield Derivative: User:MathKnight, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Though they look ferocious, Triceratops were herbivores. This stout dinosaur has been described as sort of a cross between a cow and a rhinoceros. These massive creatures could weigh well over 11,000 pounds.

Models of this and other life-size dinosaurs can be found JuraPark in Baltow, Poland. I’ve seen models at other museums and parks, but have not visited this site. Their Triceratops models look amazing!

Dinosaur models
Model of dinosaur, JuraPark, Solec Kujawski, Poland
Source: CLI, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Hmmm. After seeing this model, I’m feeling inspired to create a baby Triceratops painted rock. 😀

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First Friday Art (FFA)

Sisters Oregon mural: Monday Mural

This Sisters Oregon mural in Central Oregon is full of life. North Sister, Middle Sister, and South Sister volcanic peaks hover in the background. Local wildflowers and wildlife fill the bottom of the frame.

I especially liked the great gray owl in the middle of the mural. If you stand in front of this mural in just the right spot, it looks like you have wings. Great for pictures!

Sisters Oregon mural

The Sisters Oregon mural was created in 2020 by local artists, Katie Daisy and Karen Eland. You’ll find it on the wall of Marigold and True, a boutique gift shop. Katie also contributed to murals painted in Foxtail Bakery, which I featured in a previous post.

As noted in this article in The Nugget Newspaper, Katie and Karen had known the store’s owner, Kelley Rae, for ten years. She commissioned them to paint this piece and it turned out beautifully.

I was in town taking pictures of the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show when I stumbled upon the mural. The arts are alive and well in this small town.

Monday Mural

The art of quilters in Sisters, Oregon: LAPC

When I was strolling down Hood Avenue on 9 July 2022, something across the street caught my eye. I was there to see the art of quilters at the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show. Though the event has taken breaks due to wildfire smoke and pandemics, it proudly celebrated its 47th year in 2022.

A WOW! quilt

Quilt show

I had to take a closer look at this quilt. WOW! I think it was my favorite of the whole show. The intricate stitching and subtle changes in color drew me towards it. There are signs telling you not to touch the quilts, but I really wanted to touch this one.

Art of quilters

I continued my walk and noted some of the interesting architecture in this western-themed town. This clock business was one of my favorites. I’ve always wanted to live in a house with a tower.

Clock store

Attention getters

Some quilts attracted a lot of attention and I had to wait for visitors to pass by before snapping a picture. Here is one of those.

Art of quilters
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More quilts in Sisters, Oregon: LAPC

Once again, I am sharing images of the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show on 9 July 2022. Today I’ll show quilts with critters, people, holidays, and places.

Quilts on display

Buzzing bees on quilts

One of the groups attending the event had a bee-themed challenge.

More quilts

The one below was my favorite. It’s simple but complex at the same time.

Bee quilt

This “Phoebee” quilt had a lot of quilting stiches.

Bee quilt

This one had a more traditional design.

Bee quilt
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Outdoor Quilt Show in Sisters, Oregon: LAPC

The Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show is one of the biggest events in Central Oregon. You know it’s summer when you start seeing advertisements about the show.

Outdoor Quilt Show in Sisters

Set in the small town of Sisters, Oregon, this show “is internationally recognized as the world’s largest outdoor quilt show.” The show often displays more than 1,300 quilts. Visitors from all over the world gather in Sisters on the second Saturday in July to view the quilts.

The quilts shown include more traditional patterns.

Colorful patterns
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