Here’s the second of the Green Dragon drawings I’ve been working on. I posted the first part of it last week. This part is called the spathe (the hood) and the spadix (the long ‘tongue’) and it is the namesake of the dragon. This part of the plant is what becomes the cluster of red …
Namesake of the Dragon – Another Green Dragon Drawing Read More »
I’ve been working on a Green Dragon drawing for the cover of NANPS’s summer issue of Blazing Star. There will be another of the spathe and spadix to do next. That one will be used in the article. Here’s the photograph I worked from. I used more than one photo because I didn’t have a …
Green Dragons, anyway! They’re not really “hatching”, but they are sprouting. Even the seedling looks like a cute little dragon head… if you have a good imagination. It also looks like a cobra with flared hood peering up over the lip of the pot. The common name of this plant fascinates me as much as …
My Dragons are Hatching! Green Dragon (Arisaema dracontium) Read More »
I’ve been working on a few new Wild Ozark creations lately. This creative streak seems to have no end in sight, either, because ideas just keep coming and I keep feeling compelled to follow them through. Slugs This is the latest drawing I’ve done. The digital and print rights (for business branding, not art prints) …
Slugs and Dragons and Ginseng, Oh My! Wild Ozark Creations Read More »
There’s a particular woodland habitat at the far corner of our property that I love. The variety of plants that grow there is amazing. It’s the perfect place for American ginseng, but those plants have nearly been extirpated by diggers foraging the hillsides of our area. It’s too far from the house for me to …
A Woodland Habitat – Dragons among the Nettles and Cohosh Read More »
Dragons Hatching! Last fall I collected seeds from a large Green Dragon. I put the berries directly into pots and kept them overwinter in the ginseng nursery. The other morning I noticed they were hatching – er, sprouting! The link in the first sentence will take you to a page about the plant. It’s also …
Dragons Hatching, Clematis Blooming, and Feeding Horses in the Rain Read More »
Hi, I’m Madison Woods, the nature and wildlife artist of Wild Ozark. Click HERE to see my CV. Read on below for more general information. What kinds of things does a person want to know about me? Is that my real name? No. I began using that name as a business name, but liked it …
There’s a new work in progress sitting on my easel. By the time I’m done with this post, it’ll probably be a finished work. It’s another kestrel, and I’ve reached a reliable stage in the process. I call it the ‘Panic Stage’. update 5/2/19: It was finished in August 2018 and is the image at …
This is a fiery sunset photo taken several years ago and it prompted my idea to write this post about having too many irons in the fire. Dense dark clouds hung low on the horizon, allowing the setting sun to illuminate so brightly as a backdrop giving the appearance of wildfires raging on the distant …
Today I took a little hike after feeding the horses. I was on a mission to collect moss and lichen-covered branches. These are just some of the things the Wild Ozark Nature Farm produces. And that’s how a nature farm works. I didn’t plant seeds, or till, or do anything at all to grow these …
Ever heard of 100-word flash fiction? I’m not sure how many of you were following this blog way back when I used to call it “Madison Woods” and used to write a lot more fiction. Well, writing anything remotely resembling a complete thought, let alone a story, is difficult with only 100 words. It’s great …
Beginning in May 2017 there will be a place to go for anyone interested in seeing ginseng growing in its natural environment, and for learning about the habitat.
An older post, but still representative. Eventually I’ll update it but for now, I’ll leave it alone: This is the second year since making Wild Ozark my full-time endeavor. Over the past year, I’ve noticed a life-cycle of sorts. It’s risen organically, and next year I hope to be more efficient at taking advantage of …
Wild Ozark is honored and excited to be embarking on a long-term project in conjunction with Compton Gardens in Bentonville, Arkansas. This American Ginseng Sanctuary project is made possible, in part, by a grant from the United Plant Savers. This is still under construction but you can see it anytime of the year. Ginseng will be visible …
A Ginseng Sanctuary at the Compton Gardens in Bentonville Read More »
Devil’s Walking Stick. Strawberry Wahoo. Green Dragon. Jack-in-the-Pulpit. Fire-Pokers… All plants with strange names. Sometimes my friends and family think I make these names up. I remember coming home one day after running errands in town. I always drive really slow on the dirt road leading to Wild Ozark, and not just because the …
I’m in the process of painting the third of three different geckos for a ‘Unique Pet’ portrait commission. I’m almost finished now with the painting phase of this project. After the last little gecko is finished, I’ll frame them and mount the pigment sample rocks on the frame. Finally, the backs will be professionally finished …
I’ve loved nature my entire life, but only started painting in 2018 when I discovered the pigments held in the rocks in our creeks and even on the driveway. After that discovery, I became obsessed with creating earthy art from my handmade watercolor paints. While some parts of the United States and across the world …
Earthy Art | Featuring Foraged Earth Pigments from Northwest Arkansas Read More »
The To-Do list today started out pretty clear cut. The plan was to get an early start into town. I need more potting soil, a few groceries, and feed for the horses. That plan was nixed when I woke up and checked email and found a host of notices to alert me of the flurry …
To-Do – All the Various & Odd Things on the List for March Read More »
