New Artwork

'Tis the season! I love working on custom qouache watercolor pieces, and this Christmas party invitation was no different!     ..

It’s happening. Slowly, but surely I'm making my way back to blogging. The last few years have been a whirlwind for many of us. For me personally, I moved states (up the coast to Wilmington, North Carolina), began updating our new home, tried to get situated in a new city, had a new studio built, and most recently had kitchen renovations completed. Needless to say blogging took a back seat, as it often does.   Anyway, I’m getting back to this online journal journey with a recent commission that I love. For starters, it gives me all the spring/summer vibes, which I’m longing for. Heck, I’ve been dreaming of the warm summer sun since November. Only a few more months, y'all. This piece was inspired by a photo my client took on Sullivan’s Island, one of my favorite places.    Are you ready for warmer days?   ..

After months and months of working on this piece it's finally complete! This is the first painting I've created 100% for me! I call this oil painting the "Spirit Animal Painting" or simply "The Fox and the Pelican". The idea for the piece came from my interest and research into spirit animals. My husband, Derek, and I were chatting one day about what we thought our spirit animal would be. It didn't take long for a pelican to come to mind for Derek, being as he loves the wind and ocean so much (he's a windsurfer). Mine was a little more challenging, but we finally decided on the fox. From what I've learned about these intriguing creatures, they have traits similar to that of a cat and a dog. As someone who can identify with both species, a fox seemed like the perfect fit. With the main characters out of the way, on came the other details. Every creature and plant was well thought out and has a story, all special to me and my life. To say this is my favorite piece ever just might be an understatement. :) I love it!   ..

Creating wedding illustrations with pets involved never gets old. I’m not sure who stole the show more of this Park City, Utah wedding, the furry friend, back drop, gorgeous couple, or that insane floral arch? Wow! It’s a toss up I suppose. Needless to say this must have been an amazing day for the happy couple and their guests!..

Australia has always been a dream to me, ever since I was a little kid. Being the animal lover I am, it's been their creatures that have captivated me. Each one cuter or more unique than the next. What's been happening in Australia over the last few months hurts my soul. The amount of animal lives lost, both wild AND domestic is devastating and heartbreaking. Let us not forget about those trapped behind fences and inside barns, unable to even have the chance to escape their fate. They too suffer and feel pain the same as their wild forest friends. This illustration was created in memory of all those affected by this catastrophic event. 100% of the net proceeds from this illustration goes to bushfire relief programs, because every little bit helps! "We can't help everyone, but everyone can help someone." -Ronald Reagan    ..

There's only one way to shoot African wildlife and that's with a camera! Every few months there seem to be photographs circulating the internet of American hunters proudly posing with their trophy kills. And every single time there is public backlash. The most recent being Texas huntress, Tess Talley, whose 2017 South Africa giraffe hunt photo went viral, creating a storm of attention. Many of these hunters, when interviewed, claim to be “surprised” by the negative response, including Tess, but why? I’d say it’s clear that the majority of Americans do not condone this type of murder. Not only because we’ve been raised to love and respect these animals, but because we know their populations are dwindling. There are as little as 80,000 giraffes left in the wild! Some sub species are even more threatened. The Kordofan and Nubian giraffes have less than 4,650 animals left. Overall the number has plummeted by 40% in just the last 15 years. The reasons for these staggering stats include habitat loss, habitat fragmentation, climate change, and of course, overhunting and poaching. Elephant populations are also on the decline, with an estimated 350,000 left in the wild, a number that’s decreasing around 8% every year. Their main threats include habitat destruction, climate change,  and ivory poaching. For many hunters, their defensive responses seem to always be the same, “we are conservationists.” So why do all hunters seem to use the same “conservation” rhetoric? Shooting a trophy animal in Africa costs tens of thousands of dollars, anywhere from $10,000-$70,000, depending on the animal. Hunters argue that the money goes to the conserving of the species, yet many studies have shown little to no evidence of this. It appears the money often lines the pockets of the politicians, trickling down slowly, having little to no effect on the actual animals themselves. The word conservation is defined as “a careful preservation and protection of something”. So how can one truly conserve and protect something by destroying it? If one truly cares about the conserving and preserving of wildlife one can simply donate that money to the region or better yet, a specific animal conservation organization. I'd suggest if these hunters want to continue to kill these beautiful animals, they better keep their photos to themselves. Don’t post them on the internet. Otherwise, they can bet their bottom dollar (thousands of dollars) that most of America will be ready to condemn them once again. ..