SOLD Arctic Fox

SOLD "Arctic Fox", 29x24", Prismacolor on Cranson paper

Polar bears may not be the only Arctic wildlife threatened by global warming. Scientists have discovered the arctic fox also struggles as ice disappears because they rely on the frozen seas to survive the bleak winters. 

A smaller cousin of the red fox, the arctic fox's fur camouflages to white in winter and brown gray in summer. The species can be found throughout the Arctic tundra, Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Russia, Norway, Scandinavia and Iceland. 

Arctic fox were one of the first mammals to colonize Sweden and Finland at the end of the Ice Age. As the ice retreated they remained in the mountain tundra areas. High hunting pressure led to a drastic population decline in the early 1900s. The arctic fox has not recovered despite protection and most likely would have gone extinct in this region.

The major threats for this fox species are lack of rodents and increased competition from the red fox which take over dens and kill the arctic fox. The increased abundance of red fox in the tundra in northern regions is most likely caused by climate change. With increasing average temperatures, the loss of sea ice, and greater tree coverage in the region predator red fox populations have increased.
   
ARTIST STATEMENT 

My goal in this series of endangered species, created in the mid-80s, was to capture the souls and spirits of our mute neighbors with whom we share the planet. I was captivated and haunted by the frank eyes of all of these creatures, so human in their longing and need, pleading silently for their future and ultimate survival. 

This is the final drawing from my endangered series.  
Thanks for viewing,
nancy 

 

To see more of my art or to contact me: Online Gallery  • E-mail  • Website  •  Graphic Design Studio •  Saatchi Gallery •  Fine Art America

SOLD Bald Eagle

SOLD "Bald Eagle", Prismacolor on paper, 29x24"

Forty years ago this strong symbol of our nation was in danger of extinction. Habitat destruction and degradation, illegal shooting, and the contamination of its food source, largely as a consequence of DDT, decimated the eagle population. However, with bans on DDT and the protection of habitat, the Bald Eagle made a remarkable recovery and became a success story in August 2007 when it was removed from the endangered species list as populations recovered. 

Distinguished by a white head and tail feathers, bald eagles are powerful, brown birds that may weigh 14 pounds with a wingspan of 8 feet. They live near rivers, lakes, and marshes where fish is their staple food. Bald Eagles will also feed on waterfowl, turtles, rabbits, snakes, and other small animals and carrion. Their habitat includes estuaries, large lakes, reservoirs, rivers, and some seacoasts.
 
Eagles mate for life, choosing the tops of large trees to build nests which may reach 10 feet across and weigh a half ton. Bald Eagles can live 15 to 25 years in the wild. Breeding Bald Eagles typically lay one to three eggs once a year, and they hatch after about 35 days. The young eagles are flying within three months and are on their own about a month later.

ARTIST STATEMENT 

My goal in this series of endangered species, created in the mid-80s, was to capture the souls and spirits of our mute neighbors with whom we share the planet. I was captivated and haunted by the frank eyes of all of these creatures, so human in their longing and need, pleading silently for their future and ultimate survival. 

Thanks for viewing,
nancy

To see more of my art or to contact me: Online Gallery  • E-mail  • Website  •  Graphic Design Studio •  Saatchi Gallery •  Fine Art America

Brown Pelican

"Brown Pelican", 29x24", Prismacolor on Cranson Paper

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In the 1970s, the Brown Pelican's existence in the southeast United States and California was threatened by pesticides like DDT and Deildrin which caused the pelican's eggshells to become too thin and incapable of supporting an embryo to maturity. With the ban of DDT in 1972, the population of the brown pelican increased enough to be removed from the endangered list. 

However in 2009, California brown pelicans—a slightly smaller version of the subspecies seen on the East and Gulf Coasts —experienced unprecedented nesting failures, and have starved to death by the thousands because of a sharp decline in Pacific sardines, their most important food. The U.S. sardine famine is now in its sixth year and the production of California brown pelicans is extraordinarily low. 

To learn more see full details in this article by Ted Williams, longtime contributor to Audubon magazine, in the Yale Environment 360.

ARTIST STATEMENT 

My goal in this series of endangered species, created in the mid-80s, was to capture the souls and spirits of our mute neighbors with whom we share the planet. I was captivated and haunted by the frank eyes of all of these creatures, so human in their longing and need, pleading silently for their future and ultimate survival. 

Thanks for viewing,
nancy

 

To see more of my art or to contact me: Online Gallery  • E-mail  • Website  •  Graphic Design Studio •  Saatchi Gallery •  Fine Art America

Praire Chicken

"Praire Chicken", 29x24", Prismacolor on paper

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The Greater Prairie Chicken, sometimes called a boomer, is a member of the grouse family. Almost extinct in the 1930s, today these incredible birds remain threatened by habitat loss and loss of genetic variance and are extremely rare or extinct over much of its range. 

The male variety boasts prominent feathers called pinnae on their necks, a bright yellow eye comb, and a gular air sack on the side of their neck that is orange to yellow in color during the breeding season. During mating season, males inflate this air sack causing a booming noise, raise their pinnae feathers, and enlarge their eye comb to attract females for breeding. The largest remaining populations are in Kansas, Nebraska and South Dakota.   

Of the three subspecies, Attwater's prairie hen is native to coastal Texas and Louisiana, survives only in small portions of southeast Texas, and is listed as endangered in the US. Another subspecies the heath hen which was historically found along the Atlantic coast is extinct.  

ARTIST STATEMENT 

My goal in this series of endangered species, created in the mid-80s, was to capture the souls and spirits of our mute neighbors with whom we share the planet. I was captivated and haunted by the frank eyes of all of these creatures, so human in their longing and need, pleading silently for their futures and ultimate survival. 

Thanks for viewing,
nancy 

To see more of my art or to contact me: Online Gallery  • E-mail  •  Website  •  Graphic Design Studio •  Saatchi Gallery •  Fine Art America

 

The Trumpeter Swan

"Trumpeter Swan", 29x24" Prismacolor on paper

Here's another piece from my circa 1980s endangered species series. The Trumpeter Swan (Olor buccinator) weighing up to 35 pounds with a 8-foot wingspan are the rarest swans in the world. 

The Trumpeter Swan, while once abundant in the United States, was considered extinct in the 1960s until a nesting flock was discovered in Alaska. However, various states list the trumpeter as either state-threatened or state-endangered. 

Photo: The Trumpeter Swan Society

Trivia: A male trumpeter is called a cob. The female is called a pen and the young of the year are called cygnets.

I am happy to report this painting flew north and resides happily in Maine with one of my collectors. 

Thank you for viewing my work. 
nancy

To see more of my art or to contact me: Online Gallery  • E-mail  •  Website  •  Graphic Design Studio •  Saatchi Gallery •  Fine Art America

 

Walrus

"Walrus", 29x24" Prismacolor drawing on paper

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I have been working around the clock with my Graphic Design business leaving me with literally no time to paint. So, rather than lose touch, I thought I'd show you some of my earlier artwork rendered in Prismacolor, a brand name of colored pencil in case you are unfamiliar with the medium. 

This piece is one in a series of six drawings of endangered species I drew in the mid 1980s (not to date myself ). Working with colored pencil is a very slow layering process of building up values and color. I begin with a mid-tone colored paper and from there build up countless layers to the lightest lights and the darkest dark. A piece this size usually taking 30-40 hours to complete.

My goal in this series was to capture the souls and spirits of our voiceless neighbors with whom we share the planet. I was captivated and haunted by their anthropomorphic eyes so familiar in their longing and need, seemingly pleading silently for their future and ultimate survival.
 
The walrus threatened with endangerment twice has made a come back both times with the help of humans. Most people don't realize the walrus plays a vital role in the ecosystem of the waters. Since they feed off of food from the bottom of the waters, their movements allow a variety of nutrients from the floor of the water to be mixed up. Without this happening it is unknown how many different plants and organisms would also be lost to the world forever. 

Thank you for checking in today. 
nancy 

To see more of my art or to contact me: Online Gallery  • E-mail  •  Website  •  Graphic Design Studio •  Saatchi Gallery •  Fine Art America