Don't Worry, Be Hoppy

I smile every time I see this picture, so I just had to dedicate a blog to this charming frog…

Posing nicely for the camera!

This cute little guy seemed very pleased to have his picture taken. In fact, his stout body willingly hung on to the fallen leaf long enough for Mikey to take a nice array of amphibian close-ups.

Disclaimer: Mikey actually took this picture last Fall, but with all of our wacky Spring weather, the frogs are already out in full force putting on their nightly concerts. I couldn’t resist pulling this one out of the archives....

I hope you have a HOPPY day!

Beautiful Blue Heron on the Hunt

We see a lone blue heron by the pond only a few times a year, so these rare visitors stir up a lot of chaos...errr...excitement in our house!

Here’s the scene:

Downstairs - Michael is in his office/studio frantically setting up his camera. Lens caps are flying everywhere as he switches out his lens. He gingerly approaches his window and gets into shooting position.

Upstairs - I’m trying to contain three very curious dogs and keep them from barking out the windows.

Guess who has the more difficult task?!

The blue heron is a funny character. He stands very still and statuesque for several minutes…

©Life as an Artist’s Wife
Just landed!

Until he spots a snack in the pond. Then, his lanky legs stealthily tip-toe to the shore…

©Life as an Artist’s Wife
Sneaking up on dinner!

He stretches out his long neck and uses his bill as a spear to pluck the fish out of the water. Then, he flies away to the next watering hole!

Once I heard Michael roar a robust "argh!" I knew something must've spooked this blue heron away. So, the bird didn't get his fish. Michael didn't get his shot. But, I could finally let the dogs go back to defending their turf! 

Whew! That was a crazy, intense 4-1/2 minutes!

Airborne Action - Part 1

Moving right along to the next red-tailed hawk drawing, Michael decided it was time to shake things up from the classic "poses." It's time for some serious AIRBORNE ACTION!

Here is a peak at the progress…
 

Red-tailed hawk - in the early stages!

Michael chose this stellar stance because he loves the hawk's fierce determination as he rips through the air, targeting a tasty treat below. (Eww!)

How convenient that Michael recently stumbled upon a hawk's feather for some real-life inspiration...


A real red-tailed hawk feather!

He originally thought it was a turkey feather because we often have a troop of wild turkeys trottin’ through the yard. But, as Michael researched the red-tailed hawks, he realized it was actually a hawk feather! (Research…is not overrated! J)

In true "renaissance man" form, Michael has three drawings in progress right now, along with some other exciting projects. Stop back soon to see more of this drawing and some fun photos of cute critters hangin' around the woods!

Portrait of a Red-Tailed Hawk - Part 2 of 2

Portrait of a Red-Tailed Hawk - Finished!

I am so excited to share with you Michael’s finished red-tailed hawk portrait!

He put his heart and soul into this project. Tears of joy filled my eyes as he showed me the completed drawing. (I think there may have been a tear in his eye, too!)

Actually, he had many mixed emotions: relieved to be done…happy with his accomplishment…sad to “sign off”...and motivated to move on to the next drawing.

As a small child, Michael was always told he had a special gift. He took several art classes during college and dabbled with drawing throughout the years, but never had the opportunity to focus on it as he does now. I am so proud of him for stepping out of his CEO comfort zone (for now) and pursuing these lifelong dreams!

As for his next drawing...? Since he's into red-tailed hawks at the moment, I suggested he continue his momentum and draw a few more to develop a series or set. And since I'm his "art consultant and business partner" he happily agreed with me. So, Michael will be working on 2-3 more to finish out the Red-Tailed Hawk Series! 

Portrait of a Red-Tailed Hawk - Part 1 of 2

With a couple of colored-pencil drawings in the bag, Michael is feeling good…he’s gettin’ his artistic groove back!

Next up on the artist’s agenda: a detailed portrait of a red-tailed hawk. Let the research begin!

A stickler for artistic accuracy, Michael scoured the internet for pictures of these handsome hawks. And, yes, there are a gazillion red-tailed hawk images out there….but to find a non-Photoshopped image is like finding a needle in a haystack...or winning the $590 million Powerball!

Michael started this drawing in April (which was before I started this blog), but here's what I would've been posting along this portrait's journey. Take a look:

The outline is in place!

Michael started with the feathers in the lower right corner of the picture...but he just wasn't feeling the feathers yet. The "feeling good" artist quickly became a "frustrated" artist. I suggested he move on to another part of the head. The beak...it was a beckoning! 

 

A little more detail added to the beak and head.

Below is an artist happy with his progress so far! Taped to his drawing board is his photo inspiration (non-Photoshopped!), practice sketches of the feathers and other features, and little yellow sticky notes (for example, "don't get too dark, too fast!")

A happy artist!

The eye of any hawk is such a striking feature. I was super excited to see this hawk's eye come to life...

EYE love it!

The feathers are falling into place beautifully...

A closer look...

 

At his art desk, adding the final touches...


 The focused artist at his art table.

 

Check back soon to see the final drawing of this amazing portrait! 

Tip from an artist's wife who blogs about her hubby's work: Some artists aren't super excited to get their non-finished art photographed...or posted online for the world to see. But, if you flash a nice big smile and say "pleeeease" in your sweetest voice, you just might get the shot!

 

My Morning Serenade

Being married to a musician, you just never know when you’ll be treated to an impromptu concert.

This morning, my breakfast consisted of cereal with a “side” of serenade!

Mikey serenading Marti during breakfast!

 Thank you, Mikey, for starting my day off on a beautiful "note!"

Michael's First Red-Tailed Hawk Drawing

One of the many perks of living in the woods is the wide array of wildlife we see. From beautiful birds soaring high in the sky, to countless critters congregating in the creek, every day brings on environmental excitement!

One of our favorite sightings is the red-tailed hawk.

Well, leave it to Michael to take bird-watching to a whole new level! He researched all about these hawks….from color patterns…to behavior…to feather formation…he knows it all! In fact, Michael is now a red-tailed hawk expert (uncertified)!

Of course, Michael wanted to practice his colored pencil drawing techniques on this beauty. He chose the color palette, picked out a pose, and went to work! Check this guy out! 

Michael's first red-tailed hawk drawing.

The detail in the face and feathers is fantastic! Michael has a way of making it look so easy, but those feathered wings were quite the challenge! (I think he was about ready to clip those feathers by the time he was finished!) But, he worked through it and the finished drawing is beautiful!

He wanted me to have this drawing...and I am very excited to get it framed and displayed!

Stay tuned for future blog posts on his newest red-tailed hawk drawing!

Mikey…the Landscaper (It's a Muddy Job!)

As a true renaissance man, Mikey has a lot of interests, and landscaping is one of them. When we moved into this house 5 years ago, Mikey had a specific vision of how he wanted the landscaping to look around the house and the pond. He consulted his collection of “landscaping” and “gardening” how-to books, drew out the detailed plans, and executed those plans beautifully.

Last weekend was our first nice weekend this Spring to get outside and do some yard clean up. (With so many trees, plants, and flower beds, there is a lot to clean up!) Mikey worked really hard all day…and stayed impressively, perhaps peculiarly, clean. Good job, Mikey!

Then, he poked his head inside and said he had “just one more thing to do” and would be in shortly. Well, about an hour later, he walks in covered with mud…literally from the top of his head to the tips of his toes! Oh Mikey...what happened?!

 

Mikey somewhat sheepishly explaining the traumatic incident...
and I'm trying to keep a straight face while marveling at all the mud! 

Oh, yes...Mikey even got mud in his cup!

Here's what happened...Mikey took the 4-wheeler for a trip through the woods and successfully crossed over the creek.

Then, he got stuck…in thick, heavy mud! Wheels were spinning and mud was flying. Fortunately for Mikey, he had some rope, tools, and a strong tree to create a winch and hoist the 4-wheeler out of the mud! After almost an hour of combat, Mikey won the battle with the mud. Whew!

Note to self: It’s time to stock up on stain remover for the summer!

Passionate about Porsches

A successful artist is always passionate about his subject. Well, Michael is fascinated with a lot of things. (Have you seen his massive book collection?!) Everything from animals (underwater, on land, and in the air) to airplanes to anything with wheels!

Speaking of “anything with wheels,” Michael has been dreaming about Porsches lately, so what a perfect subject to practice his newly learned colored pencil techniques on! (And drawing a Porsche is much more economical than buying a Porsche!)

Mikey's first colored-pencil drawing in over 20 years!

 

Ta-da! You wouldn’t believe how many different layers and shades of color create that vibrant shade of blue. He used 5 or 6 shades of blue, violet, red, white, black…just about every color of the rainbow!

 

I think Michael's new drawing books was money well spent. If this first colored pencil drawing is an indicator of things to come…Mikey is going to produce some amazing art!

Learning the Complexity of Color

As an artist, Michael has experience with pencil drawing (I’ll post some of his amazing drawings in future posts), but he has very little experience with colored pencil drawing. That brings on a whole new level of colorful complexity! From selecting specific shades…to learning layering techniques…to picking out the perfect paper…there is a lot for an artist to consider.

But, not to worry. Michael, who loves to read and research, recently purchased some new drawing books!

Mikey's new drawing books!

Michael has been reading these books front to back, day and night. Countless pages are flagged with sticky notes and scribbled with important tips. Michael has been absorbing as much information as he possibly can about technique and subject matter. (By the way, Michael did take several art classes in college….and is now kicking himself for not paying more attention in Color Class 321!)

Well, with several hours of studying under his belt, I think Mikey is ready to put his colored pencils to the test…

Welcome to Our Blog!

Michael (the artist) and Marti (the wife)

Welcome to Michael and Marti’s blog “Life as an Artist’s Wife!”  

After building and selling two successful businesses, Michael is starting an exciting new chapter and pursuing his many artistic talents.

Michael is an award-winning artist, photographer, musician, and entrepreneur. The purpose of this blog is to “illustrate” the colorful chaos of being married to this modern day renaissance man!

As for me….I’m artistically challenged. But, with every drawing Michael creates and every photograph he snaps, there are stories to tell. As Michael’s #1 fan, I want to capture those stories and share them with you.

Michael and I live on 8-1/2 wooded acres in beautiful Wisconsin. We have both worked out of our home together for many years. We are best friends and soul mates. We love to laugh, watch movies, and spoil our three long-haired dachshunds Abbie, Bailey, and Gracie.

 

Most of all, we love God who has not only blessed Michael with these amazing artistic talents, but has blessed our lives immensely. Our hope is that the beautiful creations you’ll see in this blog will bless your life in some special way. Enjoy!