Small Works 2000-Present

Salamander Notes (Blue-ridge two-lined)

Salamander Notes (Blue-ridge two-lined) | 2014 | mixed media on paper

Salamander Notes (Yonahlossee)

Salamander Notes (Yonahlossee) | 2014 | mixed media on paper

Salamander Notes (Northern gray cheeked)

Salamander Notes (Northern gray cheeked) | 2014 | mixed media on paper

Down to Earth I

Down to Earth I | 2005 | 6" x 5" | mixed media on paper

Down to Earth II

Down to Earth II | 2005 | 6" x 8" | mixed media on paper

On the Wing

On the Wing | 2005 | 5" x 6" | mixed media on handmade book

Book of Hours

Book of Hours | 2006 | 6" x 5" | Showing Riker specimen box

Relic

Relic | 2005 | 8" x 6" | mixed media on paper

Bestiary Series (Chestnut-sided Warbler)

Bestiary Series (Chestnut-sided Warbler) | 5.5" x 5.5" | acrylic on paper

Bestiary Series (Hairy-tail Mole)

Bestiary Series (Hairy-tail Mole) | 5.5" x 5.5" | acrylic on paper

Bestiary Series (Nursery-web Spider)

Bestiary Series (Nursery-web Spider) | 5.5" x 5.5" | acrylic on paper

Bestiary Series (Bat)

Bestiary Series (Bat) | 5.5" x 5.5" | mixed media on paper

Bestiary Series (Fence Lizard)

Bestiary Series (Fence Lizard) | 5.5" x 5.5" | acrylic on paper

Bestiary Series (Red Salamander)

Bestiary Series (Red Salamander) | 5.5" x 5.5" | mixed media on paper

Field Book (Screech Owl)

Field Book (Screech Owl) | 2000 | 5" x 5" | mixed media on handmade book

Field Book (beetle)

Field Book (beetle) | 2000 | 5" x 5" | mixed media on handmade book

Field Book (stag beetle)

Field Book (stag beetle) | 2000 | 5" x 5" | mixed media on handmade book

Field Book #1

Field Book #1 | 2000 | 5" x 5" | mixed media on handmade book

untitled | 5" x 5" | acrylic and mixed media on birch panel

untitled | 5" x 5" | acrylic and mixed media on birch panel

Question

Question | acrylic and mixed media on birch panel

These paintings represent my different approaches to the miniature. The 5″ square work from 2004, Small Lives of the Southern Highlands, consists of 35 individual animal paintings created as part of a fund-raising exhibit for the Southern Highlands Nature Conservancy. Currently, I’m painting on handmade coil-bound books and placing them in Riker Specimen Mounts (used for insect collections). I like the way it twists the notion of specimens—is it the book? the painting? the creature in the painting? or the idea?