Portfolio | Focus 2

Bestiary

I paint animals engaged with the world and each other. Like the creatures in Kipling’s Mowgli, they speak in peace to each other and to chosen humans: “We be of one blood, thee and I.”*

  • All
  • Animals in Clothes
  • Animals in Washington DC Society
  • Animals at Home in Their Environment
A Meekest Esthete (you can tell by his yellow gloves and monocle). He has a hip hop grasshopper for a pet. 10x6” gouache on paper.
A Jazz Band is getting their groove on. The wasp waisted chanteuse is buzzing a song of love and loss while the others are backing her up with a totally hip accompaniment. 12x10” gouache on mat board.
The Empreror’s favorite concubine is exchanging gossip with Courtier Mouse. Is a plot in the making? 12x10” acrylic on canvas.
Collecting stars is a lot of work, but Mr. Turtle Astronomer leaves the job up to his minions. He is too important, he thinks, to do such menial tasks. 12x 10” gouache on mat board.
Masha, the Russian Poet Bear, is declaiming a poem about living on the collective farm. His poetic talent saved him from having a life digging rutabagas. Now he is a Very Important Personage and lives in a highrise in Moscow. 12x10” watercolor on Arches paper.
Dolly Lobster, the Washington DC Hostess with the Mostess. She only likes people with money and power. 2x4’ acrylic on canvas.
Dashiell Giraffe, a DC investigative reporter. 2x4’ acrylic on canvas.
J. Edgar Hoofer, FBI, Washington DC, a cross dressing Zebra. 2x4” acrylic on canvas.
Mz. Bruin from Dubuque. She’s in Charge of Public Decency. 2x4’ acrylic on canvas.
The Chairman of the Republican Men’s Club. A connoisseur of cognac and fine wimmen. 2x4” acrylic on canvas.
Mr. Smith, a Fruit Bat, goes to Washington. He is lobbying for a papaya in every pot. 2x4’ acrylic.
Bee eater bird munching leisurely on a bee.
Tiger discussing the weather with a golden magpie.
Lemur offering you a peach.
Lazy Leopard eyeing the parrot (he is too sleepy to swat it).
Squirrel monkey picking a poinciana blossom.
Panda having his favorite meal of bamboo leaves.
Mother South African giraffe and her baby eating their choicest leaves for dinner.
Two owls in a pomegranate tree discussing the political situation.
Uptail Ducks. A Mallard family enjoying a lovely day on the lily pond.
South African zebras on the veldt. The proteus plant is at their feet and their herd is back in the distance.
*Bestiary Notes
Animals in Clothes: Creatures think we are very silly. No fur or feathers to keep off the sun and the rain. No wonder we wear such ridiculous coverings. Animals will try our outfits on, and make fun of us behind our backs. Sometimes I spy them at night wearing clothes from my closet. They think I am sleeping.
Animals in Society: Dressing in style in Washington D.C. in the 1930s.
Animals at Home: I portray animals of all types at ease in their environments and with each other. I imagine them having conversations and enjoying their interactions. No animal, even the predators, are fierce or famished. They live in a flowery Eden of my making. All of these are images are selected from my large mural projects. Acrylic on canvas.
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