Author Archives: sjackson@40bworks.com

Birds, Cats and the African Bush

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When Tom Ward and Michael Bonds invited me to join the show “Animal House” at the Aspen Chapel, images flooded my head! The following day, I noticed our neighbor’s Siamese cat outside in my garden, toying with a small bird. I decided to dedicate my art to birds that have fallen to domestic cats. I painted tanagers and hummingbirds, ptarmigans and emus.

Ptarmigans in Spring Snow

Teaser
Birds on a Bucket
Nectar
T-Lazy Emus
Hummer

Owlets

I’d also recently been back to South Africa to visit family and a game reserve. I wanted to reference my visit (and the cat theme) by painting lions. That didn’t quite work; however, I’ve included African bush elephants, and a tracker holding a buffalo skull.

Tracker

African Bush Elephants

The Animal House Art Show runs from February through March, 2025!

Backcountry Meditations

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Just as warm summer day skies seemed almost too blue, a soothing monsoon set it, extending this season’s bountiful blooms.

Linkins Lake – Independence Pass

Secret Tarns – up the Frying Pan

Pass-top Tarn – Hunter-Fryingpan Wilderness

Locals Favorite – Savage Lakes

Faraway Falls
Comfy Camp

Not quite backcountry – but becoming one with nature…

Southwest Utah Impressions

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Jesse and I spent 18 days of “WOW” amidst the colorful towering rock landscapes of southwest Utah. We backpacked, hiked, car-camped, and enjoyed a few nights with showers in small towns. The following is a selection of images from my diary of the trip.

Jesse enjoyed the views from an alcove at Red Cliffs.

Our early campsite was at Pyramid Ridge Campground. We enjoyed our fresh flowers.

La Verkin -Pencil
La Verkin – Pencil
La Verkin – Rooibos Tea!
Watchman CG, Zion
Watchman CG, Zion

Our first backpack was along La Verkin Creek, in northwest Zion. I forgot my watercolor paints, but explored with pencil, and even rendered rock formations with Rooibos tea! Later, at Watchman Campground in Zion National Park, I was happy to have my 12-color half-pan Winsor Newton travel watercolor set in-hand again.

Red Canyon-Sketch
Red Canyon-Watercolor
I enjoyed painting at Red Canyon with its distinctive rock formation and colors.
Mesa Views, Kanab

I returned home with many dramatic impressions of rock, including having seen petroglyphs (art pecked into rock) that we visited along the way.