I am bulking up my kissy faces for Genesis Gallery, Wyland Waikiki and Wyland Koolina:) These two are 'Amakihi, native Hawaiian honeycreepers. Their curved beaks are perfect for nabbing tasty nectar from the Lobeliad flowers, but short enough to stab fruit and tear it apart if necessary. My little friends are spending a moment to share some sugar. Life is sweet!

Toy poodles are awesome. They are super smart, super tiny and have really poofy hair. These two are the life of the party. Just waiting to get things started. If they had a party, I would definitely be there.

When I was a child, we watched cartoons like Looney Tunes, GI Joe and Gummi Bears... My favorite was Looney Tunes, especially the black and white kitten with the big bulldog, and Bugs Bunny when he'd make the sweet angel face. You know the look, with those watermelon size eyes, dilated pupils, ears tucked back and quivering lip?

My Japanese White-Eye doesn't have the long bunny ears or the quivering lips, but his big liquid eyes surely get the job done. If you look away, you can still feel those begging eyes coaxing you back! Must...look...away...

The Quaking Aspen got its name from the way the disk-like leaves tremble with a touch of breeze. It is magical, when the leaves are golden and the wind whips through a grouping of these trees, they look as though they are ladies dancing in sequined dresses. My two Western Bluebirds are enjoying a pleasant afternoon in a Quaking Aspen up in Tahoe, taking in the sights and sounds that surround them.

Hawaiian Mamos are very fun to paint. Black all over with a hint of yellow. For these two, I paired them with bright blue Lobelia Grayana flowers and a rich persimmon background. Sadly, the Hawaiian Mamo is extinct, but I like to bring them back in my artwork, especially in my Ke Aloha series.
All the birds in the Ke Aloha series are native Hawaiian species and they create a kissing heart. For each Ke Aloha sold, I donate profits towards conservation efforts within the Hawaiian Islands to protect the surviving native species. To check out more, see:
www.abcbirds.org
www.restoremaunakea.org
www.mauiforestbirds.org

Western Tanagers are some of the brightest birds in Lake Tahoe area. They have that burst of yellow contrasted with dark wings and tail. I just love how the male looks like he got a first kiss from his lady, red-faced and blushed all over. For my little Western Tanagers, it is love at first sight, and the female tanager looks simply tickled!

My dog Uggi is part Chihuahua, so naturally I had to make one of the Chihuahuas with his coloring (tri-color black). They just look so happy! And the background color is perfect with their orange/fawn colors. Ugh! In order to let these paintings leave my studio, I have to have it set in my mind way before actually painting. I have to tell myself, "this is for Waikoloa" or "these are going to Waikiki" or "Maui is going to love this one". So long cuties! May you find your forever home quickly!

I am loving the Mountain Chickadees with their overstuffed white eyebrows and sunny dispositions. My little guys look like they are so content up in a nearby pine tree. They even found a couple of cone buddies to chat up. Yup, life is good when you find friends and a peek sunshine! 

It's my birthday and I share it with my twin brother:) so I decided to celebrate with a party favor and a tasty chocolate frosted cupcake, hooray!