Intricate Paintings on Wooden Slices by Marika Paz

Portland based self-taught artist and an illustrator Marika Paz explores the relationship between animals, nature and humans through her art. She finds inspiration for her work in characters from folk tales and mysticism. Her paintings can be found at galleries and stores around the US. Her work is published by many blogs such as Young Adventuress, Inky Squid, and House of Moss, and magazines like Spoonful and Flow.

The series of wood slice paintings feature intricate flora and fauna painted using watercolors, gouache, pencil, and ink. For the one-of-a-kind originals, greeting cards and paper goods you can visit her online store.

Wire Animal Sculptures Come to Life Against Beautiful Landscapes

   

Self-taught wire sculpture artist Helen Godfrey makes these amazing sculptures with galvanized steel mesh inspired by the wildlife around where she lives. Her animals are often depicted in their natural habitat co-existing with other creatures. The owls, rabbits, birds, sheep, cats, and mice are generally built life-size, each one with distinct personality. They come to life when placed against beautiful landscapes and lush fields. My favorite is the owl with the wings spread out all set to take a flight. 

You can see more of her work blogged previously here.

Pitchers, Creamers and Other Whimsical Objects Sculpted by Linda Hsiao

Baby owl creamer

Baby bird creamer

Baby owl creamer

Flying dodo bird pitcher

Orange toucan speckled pitcher 

Red beaked bird juicer

Starry eyed bird bowls

  

I am so excited to have stumbled across Linda Hsiao's ceramics. She sculpts a whole range of functional ceramics that are suitable to be used everyday. The owl pitchers, toucan pitchers, bird juicers and bowls, snake tumblers, garlands and figurines will bring whimsy to the any corner of the house. I absolutely love how her pieces are roughly shaped into animals and glazed with earthy tones.

Besides being a ceramist Linda is a freelance industrial designer and loves to do gardening and woodcarving. You can find the ceramics that are available for purchase in her online store - Knotwork LA.

Incredibly Surreal Wildlife Paintings by Esther Van Hulsen

 

Happy New Year everyone! I hope you all had a great break and spent quality time with your family. Let's welcome 2019 with the surreal paintings by Esther van Hulsen. Esther van Hulsen is an artist presently living in Norway. She graduated in communication design and scientific illustration from Minerva Art Academy Groningen in 2004. Ever since, she has been a full-time artist. Her paintings have animals as a primary subject matter created with watercolor, colored pencils, copic markers and acrylics. She visits zoos and museums to sketch the animal she wants to draw. 

She has illustrated many books that received awards for their illustrations and have been published in countries like Russia, China, Denmark, Norway, The Netherlands and France. Also, her work has been published in magazines like National Geographic, Fossil News and Nature Magazine. For update on her new work you can follow her on Facebook.