Every time I paint a frog, I think I should try it more often. The textures and complex greens within their skin make for a very satisfying subject in watercolor. This study includes the Green Frog, Northern Leopard Frog, and the American Bullfrog.

“Spring has returned. The Earth is like a child that knows poems.” -Rainer Maria Rilke Spring Wildflowers, watercolor 2016

Here they are: all my ducks, in rows! I painted this life-sized field guide mural in 2017 for the Neustadter Nature Center in Collins Marsh (Wisconsin).

“We abuse land because we regard it as a commodity belonging to us. When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect.” -Aldo Leopold Wet-Mesic Prairie, watercolor from the Natural Communities of Wisconsin series

Happy spring! I couldn’t ever say that I have one favorite bird. But I could tell you that I’ve painted, drawn, and inked the American Woodcock more times than any other bird.

Join me this summer for a workshop at Peninsula School of Art in Fish Creek, Wisconsin. We’ll cover watercolor basics and provide a focused and supportive environment for four days of painting natural subjects. You can find more information at this link: www.peninsulaschoolofart.org/workshops/p/...

Happy Valentine’s Day, plover lovers! Great Lakes Dunes, from the Natural Communities of Wisconsin series (2018)

I've spent so much time on decision-making as I build a career as an illustrator. However, choosing an image for my business cards 9 (nine!) years ago was easy, and I haven't changed it since. I have great appreciation for the North American Porcupine, an animal that knows how to set boundaries.

Three years ago, I stood outside three hours in frigid conditions for the gift of a 30-second view of this magnificent bird. The genus of the Varied Thrush, Ixoreus, comes from the Greek "ixos," or mistletoe.