Kate Halpin Paints Beautiful Birds and Plants on Birch Wood

Kate Halpin is an artist and botanist who grew up in Alaska, and presently living in Healdsburg, Sonoma County, California. When she was only a little girl she discovered love for plants and the natural world around. She is trained as a plant systematist with a master’s degree in botany. Kate Halpin paints on beautiful birch wood grain with rich stains that results into luminous backgrounds for her detailed plant, bird and animal subjects. Her owls are in particular captivating. The craftsmanship in the feathers is absolutely jaw-dropping. 

You can find reproduction of her original paintings here. To view what's she working on and her paintings from the past you can visit Instagram.

Eclipse Holiday Fabric Collection by Cotton + Steel

Last week, I featured this fabric collection by Cotton + Steel which is perfect for a fall project. This week I discovered another exciting collection Eclipse by Cotton + Steel designed by Sarah Watts that consists of designs that you'll love for a halloween project. Eclipse features colorful motifs of owls, roses, moons, stars, ghosts, spiderwebs and haunted houses in bright, bold colors including black, navy, purple and metallic silver.

This collection is prefect for making costume or to incorporate in your home decoration. If you have a project in mind and you procrastinate then think no more, grab a design or more from the collection to start creating a unique piece for the holidays. You can find the entire range here.

Surreal Paintings Made with Wool by Dani Ives

Last year, I featured amazing work of Dani Ives a self-taught artist who creates amazing illustrations using just wool and a needle. She has been busy and I thought I share some of her new pieces with you all here. Her animal portraits and botanical pieces have incredible details and realism. She is magical in creating layered effects of colors, textures and depth.

She gives workshops in many cities like Washington DC, Oklahoma, San Diego, Austin, and more. They get sold out fast so if you want to learn from her then find out the details for the next upcoming class on her website. There is also an option of taking an e-course that are suitable for beginners and has plenty of information. You can find kits to make your own unique felted piece on her online store - Good Natured Art.

If you wish to see her work in person then stop by Enormous Tiny Art: Autumn Show #24 from Sep 1, 2018 through Sep 30, 2018 at Nahcotta, 110 Congress Street, Portsmouth New Hampshire. Watch this space for more info.

Stunning Menagerie by Melissa Townsend

 

Melissa Townsend is originally from Alberta who later moved to Canadian East Coast. She gained her Bachelor's degree in Fine Arts at the NSCAD University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada in 2005. She paints menagerie of creatures - deer, fox, birds, buffalo and her signature owls. She is also known as an "owl lady" for painting stunning owl portraits. When I set my eyes on her owl painting I was instantly drawn in the by its whimsy. She uses mediums like oils and watercolors to paint on a solid background with visible and forceful strokes, and dripping paint that travels off of the canvas.

Melissa's shares here about the owl series: "The owl/bird paintings come from a place of desiring freedom in life. A freedom to be and to exist with purpose, with great delight, even when suffering comes. Opportunity to discover the depths of who you are, your potential, and your biggest dreams. Freedom that speaks to the profoundness of endurance, and not giving up. Not so long ago somebody said this to me: "on the other side of pain is break-through." I have realized this to be a true statement."

Her paintings are in private collections of actors, musicians, writers and art appreciators all around the globe.

Birds That'll Look Perfect on your Sofa

Bess Betty is an illustrator and a creator living in Oakland, CA. She got a degree in studio art from UC Berkeley and founded her own brand Bird vs Bird in 2014 to share her bird illustrations. 

Bird vs. Bird grew out of her desire to keep stuff out of the trash. She started off with handmaking purses and other small accessories reusing the scraps. Over the years, her business grew and she expanded her product range by adding handmade home decor and gift items for bird lovers. The series of bird cushions offer all kind of bird designs from great horned owl, barn owl, steller's jay, chickadee, quail, raven, hummingbird and more. She gets inspiration for her work from photos in bird books and observing them in nature. All the products at made by the artist in her home studio and are based on her original illustrations. You can find all of her bird cushions in large and small size in her online store.