The amazing nature and wildlife of the Southwest provides a constant source of inspiration for me and for art. The closer you get to nature, the more you become a part of the the great spirit of life that connects us all. That connection to spirit brings deep joy. Here are just a few of those amazing spirits.

This first image is of the most beautiful lizard you may ever see and is an Eastern Collared lizard. There are many of these spectacular lizards here in Sedona and I photographed this beauty on one of the popular hiking trails.

The next image is a Greater Short Horned lizard, one that I also photographed on a hiking trail. These are incredibly adorable and docile animals. Sadly, their gentle nature has led to their decline in numbers largely due to human activity. In this picture I was moving him off the trail so he would not get hit by a fast-moving biker!

 

One of the most well-known and iconic animals you will see in Sedona is the javelina. Nope, not a pig as many people think, but a peccary! This interesting animal travels in packs and they have babies year round. Their large extended family groups will have “javies” of all shapes and sizes in the herd. Typically there will be the large old grizzly male guarding over the entire herd and putting the young males in their place. While it is illegal to feed javelinas, many people do not realize this and do, so they have largely lost their fear of humans which explains the frequent “knock knock” on our door. The javelina is an omnivore and will eat just about anything although cactus, including the prickly pear is counted as one of their favorites. These feisty furry animals are the subject of many pieces of my art.

Next is the Coopers Hawk, a songbird’s worst nightmare. Known to stalk bird feeders, this bold raptor is not easily frightened away from a good food source!

And, here is one of my ongoing favorite animals, “Homer” the Clark’s Spiny Lizard! Of course I have a little painting in progress on him!