Wild Ozark™

~ Nature Artist using Ozark pigments in Kingston, Arkansas ~

Category: Nature

Sketch in Progress

I don’t always get to finish a sketch in one sitting. When I know time is short, I’ll take the camera with me and get a photo to use when I finish the sketch later.

Here’s the photo of the … Read the rest “Sketch in Progress”

9 November 2015
Symbols of Warmth and Sustenance

I brought the camera with me this foggy morning to capture some of the beauty that surrounded me in the hushed quiet of our little Wild Ozark valley.

When I came back in I sat on the porch and listened … Read the rest “Symbols of Warmth and Sustenance”

1 November 2015
Feeding critters under a gentle patter of rain

This morning I was feeding critters under a gentle patter of rain. There are times when I am tired or don’t feel like going out on my regular chore round, but for the most part I enjoy this part of … Read the rest “Feeding critters under a gentle patter of rain”

27 October 2015
Oct. 22, 2015 – Two Sweetgum Leaves for the Goodreads Giveaway

Goodreads Giveaway on October 31, 2015

I wrote a fairly long post about this sketch over at my main blog. This is one I won’t get to keep because it was done in the copy of My Nature Journal that … Read the rest “Oct. 22, 2015 – Two Sweetgum Leaves for the Goodreads Giveaway”

23 October 2015
Oct 18, 2015 – Old Rock Wall and Dead Leaves

I made a mistake on this one. This is an old rock wall and it continues in both directions for some length but in the sketch I didn’t give that appearance. What I should have done was draw some lines … Read the rest “Oct 18, 2015 – Old Rock Wall and Dead Leaves”

18 October 2015
Tangerine Sunrise, Goodreads Giveaway, Nature Sketching

When the sun rose high enough to top the trees it washed the hills in a tangerine glow. The trees are changing fast now and I really want to take pictures every day.

I have been drawing more often than … Read the rest “Tangerine Sunrise, Goodreads Giveaway, Nature Sketching”

14 October 2015
Nature Sketching Day 23- Wild Ginger

Wild ginger is one of the few remaining companions of the American ginseng habitat that are still green at this time of year.

13 October 2015
Nature Sketching Day 21- Down the dirt road in October

I’m not real good at trees and landscapes yet. I can do single items like leaves fairly well, but the larger view pushes outside my ability. Maybe with practice I’ll get better.

12 October 2015
Rain or Hallucination?

So brief it almost feels now like it was hallucination, rain fell this morning while I was out feeding the critters. The chickens were all like “what’s that wet stuff coming down from the sky?”

It’s been many weeks since … Read the rest “Rain or Hallucination?”

9 October 2015
Nature Sketching – Day 17 “Grape Fern and Fall Leaves”

It gets hard to find a subject to draw that doesn’t include dead leaves at this time of year.

I at first wanted to draw this pretty beech leaf nestled on a darker sycamore leaf, but decided against it in … Read the rest “Nature Sketching – Day 17 “Grape Fern and Fall Leaves””

7 October 2015
Nature Sketching Day 15 – American Ginseng in early October

I went out in search of beech drops for today’s sketch. I didn’t find any. On my way up the path toward the pond, though, I found something exciting.

Today’s nature sketch features American ginseng in early October. The leaves … Read the rest “Nature Sketching Day 15 – American Ginseng in early October”

6 October 2015
Beautiful Fall Misty Morning

There is a silence accompanied by a misty morning that is unlike anything else.

This morning I sat on the porch to have my morning coffee. The roosters refrained from crowing. The logging activity is either done or stopped for … Read the rest “Beautiful Fall Misty Morning”

5 October 2015
Nature Sketching Day 14

At this time of year it’s even harder than usual for me to make a quick trip to town and back. If I bring my camera with me, it’s a guaranteed impossibility.

Today I had to stop for photos … Read the rest “Nature Sketching Day 14”

5 October 2015
Nature Sketching Day 13 – Green Grass in Fall

I always like to see green grass in fall among the dead leaves.

Yesterday I missed my sketching. I missed the day before that too, but had taken a photo of the leaf so I could draw it later. But … Read the rest “Nature Sketching Day 13 – Green Grass in Fall”

3 October 2015
It’s beginning to look like fall here at Wild Ozark

Yesterday it really felt like fall, and it does again today, too. It was almost 40*F this morning.

I took a few photos yesterday, but was in a hurry to get somewhere so didn’t bring the monopod and the quality … Read the rest “It’s beginning to look like fall here at Wild Ozark”

2 October 2015
For all the little acorns

May they grow to mighty oaks

For the past several weeks one of the first morning sounds have been that of heavy equipment moving into place on the mountains to our southeast. Later, as the sun rises, it’s chainsaws. And … Read the rest “For all the little acorns”

29 September 2015
Nature Sketching Day 8

Yesterday’s Nature Journal entry was created today because a new grandbaby of mine entered the world the night before and I slept through my usual drawing/entry time.

There’s a post that corresponds to this entry at the main site. You … Read the rest “Nature Sketching Day 8”

28 September 2015
Nature Sketching Day 6 – “Lobelia Inflata”

Today I went out on foot, backpack loaded with my towel and cushion to sit on, sketch journal, and pencils to do my daily entry for the Wild Ozark Nature Journal.

Once I found my subject, this aging Lobelia inflata … Read the rest “Nature Sketching Day 6 – “Lobelia Inflata””

26 September 2015
Busy Days at Wild Ozark

I’ve been busy lately, but you wouldn’t know it from my lack of posts to the blog. New projects started (Wild Ozark Nature Journal) and a new website to go with it, new products, and new adventures. Last Friday I … Read the rest “Busy Days at Wild Ozark”

26 September 2015
Nature Sketching Day 3 – Sycamore Leaf

Each day I’ve picked what I think will be a simple subject. Today’s was a single sycamore leaf with no effort to include background, foreground or any other difficult or distracting thing.

Then as I settled in and began my … Read the rest “Nature Sketching Day 3 – Sycamore Leaf”

25 September 2015
Nature Sketching Day 2 – Asters Along the Driveway

Today’s nature sketch is of the purple asters that were growing along the driveway. Each day I try to make an entry with a pencil drawing.

25 September 2015
Is it Ginseng Root, Tree Root, or what?

Do you know what kind of roots these are?

The other day I got an email asking for some identification help.

From the photos, I do not believe it’s ginseng, but I can’t tell what it is. Some of them … Read the rest “Is it Ginseng Root, Tree Root, or what?”

23 September 2015
What Happens to Ginseng in Too Much Sun

Why is this ginseng turning yellow?

UPDATE 10/5/24 This is an old post from when I first started observing ginseng in the wild and among my wild-simulated patches, and thought I knew a lot more than I did. The ginseng
… Read the rest “What Happens to Ginseng in Too Much Sun”

19 September 2015
This Beaver is One Heck of an Optimist

This beaver must possess tremendous optimism. Either that or he’s a long-term strategist, or both!

Most farmers dislike beavers with a passion bordering hatred. The reason why that is, at least for the ones I asked, is because they’re always … Read the rest “This Beaver is One Heck of an Optimist”

25 August 2015
Spider Stick

Anyone who has ever ridden, or rather, *driven* a four-wheeler on a tree-lined path will know exactly why this four-wheeler is sporting a lovely branch of wilted leaves.

It’s a “spider stick”. And it’s the person in front, if you’re … Read the rest “Spider Stick”

19 July 2015