A.O.T.D. (Animal of the Day) Ring Tailed Lemurs

Well it seems like an eternity since my last post, but here we go. It's been a roller coaster last few weeks both in my work and personal life, but all is good and I'm getting back on track.

Not sure why I picked lemurs to kick things off again, but I've always been kind of mesmerized by their long, beautiful tails, that like many animals are used in communication. At the SF Zoo they have a huge, open area for all the lemurs to run around, where they're referred to as the 'leaping lemurs'. They're one of those animals that are just fun to watch, as they effortlessly jump from tree to tree high above the ground. Lemurs are on the endangered list and aside from being popular residents at zoos, they are only found on the African island of Madagascar. Now I'm getting nostalgic...I better get back to the zoo this weekend...and hopefully to Madagascar someday :)

A.O.T.D. (Animal of the Day) Penguins

In full color y'all!

A.O.T.D. (Animal of the Day) Lovebirds

I love my future bride :)

A.O.T.D. (Animal of the Day) Golden Eagle

Here's an older piece I did of a Golden Eagle from the San Francisco Zoo. Peace out!

A.O.T.D. (Animal of the Day) Bird of Paradise

If anyone's seen Planet Earth from Discovery Channel, they'll absolutely know this bird. This is the dance of the male Bird of Paradise used to attract females. It's so alien looking the way they form their feathers around their head, when this is done. Actually as I painted this, I was listening to Culture Club "I'll Tumble For Ya"...perfect for the mood ;)

A.O.T.D. (Animal of the Day) Hummingbird

Hello Photoshop filters. Haha, just one of those things as long as it's not abused you're fine.

Hummingbirds can flap their wings 15-200 times per second, and are able to fly at 60 mph. Also they are the only bird that is able to fly backwards.

A.O.T.D. (Animal of the Day) Cardinal

Cardinals are primarily known for their red color, but it's actually only the male of the species that sports this hue (assumed for mating purposes). Females are a tan/gray color. Good times!

A.O.T.D. (Animal of the Day) Parrot

Well I'm not going to spew any animal facts today, because this piece is more about relationships and importance of having a rock or rocks in your life that you can turn to and rely on. I think it's absolutely key to have and actually I'm sure most people have them in their lives whether it be a friend, family member, significant other, or a pet. I actually have many in my life, the most significant being my family and my fiancee. There's times you may be down, sad, stressed or scared and you can rely on them to help guide you through these tough periods.

A.O.T.D. (Animal of the Day) Laughing Kookaburra

It only seemed like Laughing Kookaburras would be appropriate for today since I could use a good laugh. I just imagine them sitting around entertaining each other. A symbol of Australia's birdlife, they get their names from their laughter-like call. I think I have some deep inner fascination with Australian wildlife. The continent is so full of rich and interesting animals. It's at the top of my list to visit someday. I promise I'll get there Nicole! ;)

A.O.T.D. (Animal of the Day) Ladybug

A little twist on a famous beetle, not Paul or Ringo though. Like most brightly colored animals ladybugs are colored the way they are as a warning to predators that I'm foul tasting. They secrete a bad tasting liquid from their hindquarters. Of course they're primarily red, this is just a fun variation.

A.O.T.D. (Animal of the Day) Llama

Llamas are relatives of camels living in South America, primarily Peru. They serve such multiple purposes to man. They are very reliable pack animals, leather is made from their hides, the coats are used to make rope, rugs, and fabrics. Llama meat is a popular item and finally their excrement is dried and used for fuel.

A.O.T.D. (Animal of the Day) Zebra Finch

Zebra finches are found in many parts of the world, though they're very popular in Australia. They're a pretty popular pet store bird as well.
In a recent scientific study, they were found to sing in their sleep. "The zebra finch appears to store the neuronal firing pattern of song production during the day and reads it out at night, rehearsing the song, and, perhaps, improvising variations. The match is remarkably good."
It's a suggestion to the key role sleep plays in the learning process. I guess this is something I should listen to, learn from, and get more sleep.

Ok, but where's the art?...

Haha, little inside joke from my college days. Anywho I made this image for my nephew as a birthday gift. Nothing original here, but it was good painting practice.

A.O.T.D. (Animal of the Day) African Lion

There's not much to say about lions that isn't already known by people. One thing I can show though is one of the most amazing animal confrontations caught on film. Don't worry watching it, there's a happy ending. Check it out here.

A.O.T.D. (Animal of the Day) Pelican

I always think now of Finding Nemo with these guys, and them arguing with the Seagulls. "Mine! Mine! Mine!" Pelicans are of course known for their large flexible bill. They're found throughout the world, with the Australian Pelican having the largest bill of any bird.

A.O.T.D. (Animal of the Day) Siberian Tiger

Siberian tigers are not only the largest of all tiger species, but the largest of the entire cat family as well. They're found in eastern Russia and parts of China and North Korea. There once were 8 subspecies of tigers but three became extinct all within the 20th century. Gotta watch out for these guys!

A.O.T.D. (Animal of the Day) Flatworm

With no body cavity and no specialized respiratory or circulatory systems Flatworms are left with, well, a flat shape. Also like other certain worms they're famous for their regenerative abilities. If one were cut in half for example, each segment would grow to form a new worm. Also they're hermaphroditic, possessing both male and female reproductive organs.

A.O.T.D. (Animal of the Day) Ocean Sunfish

An odd looking and fairly large animal, the ocean sunfish is the world's heaviest bony fish. They swim both upright as seen here however it also drifts on the ocean's surface soaking in the sun's ray, hence the name. They can grow up to 13ft in length and weigh as much as 5000 lbs.

I had to pleasure of seeing one of these at the Monterey Bay Aquarium about a year back. It left most people in awe and confusion wondering what it was. I loved it!

A.O.T.D. (Animal of the Day) Cheetah

I'm not going to talk much about cheetahs since I've already done much about them in earlier posts. One quick fact I will throw in is cheetahs are only member of the large cats that doesn't roar. When they fight they sort of sound like women yelling and screaming. It's actually kinda scary. They're built for running being the fastest land animal, however because of their slender frame, they're not good fighters. When they kill prey, they eat at lightening speed because if any predators come along to steal their meal, they will not fight.

Much of my animal art is heavily inspired by wildlife artist Kim Donaldson. Unfortunately he doesn't have a website, but here's a few samples. I have a book of his that's so beautiful called Africa: An Artist's Journal. I came across it amazingly in Borders' bargain section years back when I was in school for $5! I've since seen it on Amazon for $60! ZING! Anywho, amazing artist, born and raised in South Africa. He'll spend weeks at a time in the bush studying, sketching, and painting animals. I'm hoping to visit South Africa myself some day.

A.O.T.D. (Animal of the Day) Hound Dog

Welllllllll, I just watched Jailhouse Rock tonight. Laughed my ass off actually at things that weren't meant to be funny, but were. That Elvis...at least he didn't quit his day job.