Nature Note Cards

Here is a collection of my recently created note cards. These are about 4.5 x 6 inches and come with envelopes of course. They are all reproductions of paintings done with an airbrush. I hope you enjoy them!

Note Card Collection by SandraHealy

Curated By: SandraHealy

ArtFire.com

Small Paintings

These are some small paintings, each about 3 by 4 inches. I cut stencils of quail, raven, and heron, which I can reuse for different paintings, and then I improvise the background. They are primarily done using an airbrush, with a few additions. The airbrush gives a nice soft and dreamy look.

                                               

I am hoping to soon move these into my ArtFire studio for sale.

Previously I'd painted some art cards, the official size of which is 2.5 x 3.5 inches, which I find altogether too small for an original painting, though it's fine for a print. So these are a wee bit bigger. The painting is 3 x 4, but each is on a paper 3.5 x 4.5 so there's a 1/4 inch white border around, making them much easier to mat and frame. 

Painting: Five Animals Hidden at Echo Lake

I mostly painted this 5 x 7 landscape with an airbrush on multimedia artboard, but also used art markers and colored pencil. In this painting of Echo Lake, you'll find a circle of 5 animals.

Airbrush Painting: Hidden in the Redwood Sorrel

I had a photo which I took some time ago, of redwood sorrel and bedstraw, two plants which are found on the redwood forest floor. I thought it would make a nice painting, so started to sketch and soon all the animals entered into the story. The painting is about 5 by 6 inches.

Hidden Ptarmigan Airbrush Painting

When I was in Alaska, I almost stepped on a willow ptarmigan sitting on her nest. Two people ahead of me stepped right over her without seeing the bird. But my foot was coming down too close, so she fluttered up and away only a few yards, then trusted to her cryptic coloration to keep her hidden.

Using the photos I took then, I did this painting using the airbrush. It's 5 by 7 inches.

Overlapping Fawns Airbrush Painting

Another airbrush painting, this one is about 5 x 7. There is still a lot to learn about painting a scene like this with the airbrush. It was interesting to overlap the fawns. Is it one fawn at two different times? A friend said it reminded her of the way deer will be eating, then hear something and suddenly look up. What do you think?

I overworked this a little too much, and am thinking of trying it again.

In my Artfire studio I don't have any fawns, but do have Buck Deer Wood Carving and Doe deer wood carvings.

Artfire Collections: Oct 20-23

Turkeys seem to be popular in Artfire Collections these autumn days! 

There are a lot of these this time, so I haven't included all the photos. But the links on the animal names will lead you so a whole series of photos of each animal. The link on the name of each Collection, goes to that collection of 12 items from different studios.

• "Back Home...", curated by AppelJarVintage "These things seem so comforting." (Wild Turkey)
• "The Wise ol' Owl", curated by OsuCowgirl "Owls have made a comeback in recent weeks. What a beautiful collection of owl items." (Barn Owl)
• "Give Thanks", curated by SunshineSight "enjoy!" (Wild Turkey)
• "Spiders and Snakes", curated by WindysDesigns (Rattlesnake)
• "American Wildlife", curated by ManateeDreams (Wild Turkey)
• "Give 'em the Bird", curated by ChristyBeckwithStudios (Mockingbird)
• "OH DEER", curated by LULUSCLOSET (Doe Deer)
• "Science Geekery", curated by ShadowDogDesigns (Ivory-billed Woodpecker)
• "Fossils", curated by BadgerBeads (Trilobite)
• "Bear With Me!", curated by ViragoCreations (Bear and Fish)
• "Gone FISHING!!", curated by KeriMae (Red Snapper on sale) 
• "I Just Want Some Bunny to Love...", curated by ChristyBeckwithStudios (Cottontail Rabbit)
• "Do You Like Ducks?", curated by GlassandWireGems (Ruddy Duck)

Bear and Fish carved wood sculpture

Artfire Collections: Oct. 13-14

Wild Turkey Carving

I'm happy to share with you some more Artfire Collections! It's such a pleasure to have my shop, SandraHealy, included. A curator chooses a dozen items, fitting a theme, from different artists, so do check out the links to them. To not clutter my blog too much, I'm just including a small photo of my item which is included in each Collection.

Barn Owl Carving

• "Gobble, gobble", curated by ldphotography. "So many turkeys , so little time. Enjoy" (Wild Turkey Wood Carving)
• "Birds of a Feather", curated by Twist21 "A collection of some of Artfire's finest feathered friends." (Barn Owl Carving)

American Crow

 "Quoth the Raven", curated by ShadowDogDesigns "Ravens . . . Crows . . . Halloween! Enjoy these beauties!" (American Crow)

Blue Tit Carving

• "Trim the Tree!", curated by SuzanneStevens  "The stores and malls and, yes, Artfire, is already decked out for Christmas festivities! Seeing this always brings back memories of trimming our family tree with a myriad of ornaments: some heirlooms, some handmade, and new heirlooms-to-be. There's an abundance of beautiful Christmas ornaments available on AF...so many that many collections could be curated on that topic alone. Here is a small sampling of many that I found to be 'favorites'." (Blue Tit Carving)



Quail Pair Carving

• "Just The Two Of Us!", curated by GoldBracelets "Good things do come in pairs. And I know a lot of us handicrafters and artisans here at ArtFire are Empty Nesters, so I found quite a few beautiful items with couples and pairs! Once again, I found quite a few new and very interesting ArtFire Artisans. I do hope you enjoy browsing their pages!" (Quail Couple Carving)

Tiger Carving

Whooping Crane

• "Tiger Tiger Rawr Rawr", curated by Swann "Rawr!! for a beloved endangered species." (Tiger Carving)
• "Birds of a Feather", curated by NightSkyJewelry "I'm owned by an adorable little budgie, and she has taught me how amazing our little feathered friends are. Tweet tweet, chirp chirp!" (Whooping Crane Carving)
  
  

Rescuing a Dark-eyed Junco

This Dark-eyed Junco flew into my sunroom; I really need to screen the door because it's happened twice in the last two days. It was in quite a panic, trying to fly through the window and resolutely avoiding the open door and window. But I got my hand around the little thing and took it outside. I just happened to have my camera in my pocket so was able to snap a photo before it flew away, free at last. 

Shortly after this another one, I hope it wasn't the same one, flew into my kitchen through the open door. Alas my open door policy has gone awry. That one was easy to capture against the kitchen window, then released.

I make a carving of a Dark-eyed Junco (also known as an Oregon Junco; it's a nice way to remember these birds which are so common at the bird feeder. 

This carved Junco is available to purchase here. The one in the other photo is not available!