Hairy seed pods like this grow on the southern Magnolia tree. The Georgia Tech campus in Atlanta has many of these trees, and that’s where this Magnolia grandiflora fruit was seen. It has a visitor, which the Atlanta Audubon Society tells me is a leaf-footed bug known as Leptoglossus spp. This is a sucking bug …
Magnolia grandiflora Fruit
2011 - 12" x 9" - Mixed Media (Acrylic Colored Ink, Watercolor), Arches Aquarelle watercolor paper
Magnolia grandiflora Seed Pod
2011 - 12" x 9" - Mixed Media (Acrylic Colored Ink, Watercolor), Arches Aquarelle watercolor paper
All across the Georgia Tech campus in Atlanta are southern Magnolia trees. The trees grow large, hairy seed pods which open to reveal bright, red seeds inside. I used pearlescent inks, mixed with white ink for opacity, to create the sparkling hairs and parts of the leaves. I have to thank my son Jon for …
King of the Ice
2012 - 16.75" x 11.25" - Mixed Media (Acrylic Colored Ink, Watercolor), Arches Aquarelle watercolor paper
He slows for a millisecond, eyes locking on the goal: the hockey player, King of the Ice. King of the Ice is a portrait of my athletic and talented nephew Adam Vance, who plays and coached hockey. The game is fast-paced and intense. The painting is mostly watercolor, but pearlescent acrylic ink washes add sparkle …
Argiope with Egg Sack
2003 - 16" x 12" - Mixed Media (Acrylic Colored Ink, Acrylic paint, Gouache, Watercolor), Arches Aquarelle watercolor paper
This seven-legged Black-and-yellow Argiope spider lived in some bushes near our house. It was fascinating to watch the spider catch insects, and later grow fat with her eggs. The egg sack she built seemed to glow in the early morning light. This spider is quite stunning, with her furry head and dramatic black and yellow …