Series’ details - Protection, pollinators, she rises

Protection

This series began as a lot of sketches - on old receipts, the back of business cards, napkins, you name it.

Felling the political climate becoming extremely polarized quickly, I found myself frustrated and struggling to make sense of things. My way of coping and hoping . . the images started coming into my head when listening to the radio, watching the news, or doom scrolling. These had to be put to paper.

In late 2018 l was given the space and time to start putting these sketches on canvas, painting the sketches - this series is the evolving result - primarily things I feel were and are threatened and deserve protection.

These characters are my own - most often exactly what popped into my head. The main character at right is based upon my mom, and she is the main character in Protecting Dialogue as well. Recognizable animals who are the protectors are drawn from totem and / or tattoo art meanings of the animals represented, primarily those representing protecting others or those who are bellwethers in their environments - forest, depths, or other.

pollinators

This is a collections of works celebrating pollinators. Hhumans cannot exist without our most valuable contributors to keeping life alive - bees and butterfiles among them. Most of the pieces are painted from reference photos taken in my neighborhood in Denver or at the Denver Botanical Gardens. Some friends, family, and strangers have shared their photos with me to paint.

Pollinators provide vital but often unnoticed services to us all. More than 25% of the world's food crops depend upon bees, butterflies, and other pollinators to reproduce. There are more than 3,500 species of native bees alone!

We have three bee hives in our yard and my husband tends more in a couple of other places. He has inspired others to keep bees and help build the population in our area. In addition to the pollinating and keeping plants growing goodness, we get delicious and nutritious honey from our hives.

she rises

Women matter. . . our struggles are universal. . . our stories change the world. Of this series in progress, three are completed and they represent triumph over heartache.

This series is conceived of 8 - 10 pieces representing surviving and thriving despite whatever is holding one back.

The series will be completed in 2024.