Here you’ll find a collection of animal art created by Kelly Strope, owner of Arcadia Natives Plant Nursery. These portraits are shared on Arcadia Native’s Facebook page as part of Wildlife Art Wednesdays. The posts include a bit of info about the animal and what native plants they rely on for food or shelter.
View Kelly’s online Art Gallery here:
https://www.dailypaintworks.com/Artists/kelly-strope-7586
THE WILDLIFE:
One of the most easily recognizable birds of Pennsylvania, Northern Cardinals are non-migratory. They are often the first at bird feeders in the early morning during winter. A group of these birds can be called a college, conclave, or vatican. Seeds are their primary food source, but they also eat grains, insects, fruit, buds, and even snails. Cardinals can be found from forest edges to suburban areas. Winterberry Holly, Bayberry, and Staghorn Sumac can provide food and shelter for cardinals. Goldenrod, Asters, Coneflowers, and Pokeweed can create a stunning fall display that are attractive to hungry birds as well.
THE ART:
This cardinal drawing was created with colored pencils. All artwork sales go directly toward funding my new native plant nursery business. Visit my cardinal collection in the shop featuring the popular “Cardinals Appear When Angels Are Near” theme:
FOLLOW ALONG: To see more artwork and how it is created, you can follow K. Strope Art Studio on facebook.
THE WILDLIFE:
Red Foxes can be found from forests to grasslands and deserts. Keen eyesight makes them excellent nocturnal hunters. Their diet consists of rabbits, mice, fruit, eggs, and birds. You may also find them foraging for garbage, eating carrion, or sneaking into chicken coops. When it comes to native plants that are beneficial to foxes, consider Wild Blackberrries, Wild Raspberries, Blueberries, or Oaks whose acorns can also be a source of food. Adding native grasses and a thick hedgerow of various shrubs along a woodland edge can not only provide them with a hunting ground, but gives their prey places to hide as well. Blackhaw Viburnum, Elderberry, Serviceberry, and native Blueberry can bulk up a partially shaded border. Northern Sea Oats, Bottlebrush Grass, and Little Bluestem are attractive grasses with multiple seasons of interest that benefit local wildlife (both predator and prey!).
THE ART:
This fox drawing was created with chalk pastels. All artwork sales go directly toward funding my new native plant nursery business. Purchase this large 19.5″ x 27.5″ unframed portrait here.
FOLLOW ALONG:
To see more artwork and how it is created, you can follow K. Strope Art Studio on facebook.
THE WILDLIFE:
Gray squirrels can often be seen frantically foraging for nuts in autumn. They do not hibernate and rely on their fat stores or hidden food caches to get them through the cold winter months. You can help them out by planting hard mast producing trees like Oaks, Black Walnut, and Hickory. Pine, Wild Cherry, Crabapple, and Maple are also beneficial as squirrels readily consume buds and fruit for nourishment. Consider adding native berry producing shrubs to your landscape as they can provide food and protection from predators.
THE ART:
This squirrel drawing is titled “Berry Bliss”. It was completed on 11/02/18. Created with chalk pastels on 11″x13″ Clairfontaine Pastelmat. Brands used: PanPastel, Faber Castell Pitt pastel pencils, Derwent pastel pencils. Reference photo courtesy of Ann Newman.
*This squirrel portrait is sold.
FOLLOW ALONG:
To see more artwork and how it is created, you can follow K. Strope Art Studio on facebook.
THE WILDLIFE:
Song Sparrows are one of the easier sparrows to identify. Their chest is white, streaked with brown, and a small dark spot can be seen right in the middle. They prefer open habitats like yards, fields, marshes, and forest edges. You may notice them frequenting a bird feeder during the winter months. In spring and summer the males sing a beautiful song. He may even perch nearby at eye-level while performing! You can create habitat that benefits these birds by providing both food and shelter in a mixed perennial landscape along the edge of your backyard. Grasses and seeds can feed them in winter and native shrubs not only provide cover, but also the insects and caterpillars that they seek!
THE ART:
Song of Spring
8″x10″ HP Watercolor Paper
Polychromos Colored Pencils
FOLLOW ALONG:
To see more artwork and how it is created, you can follow K. Strope Art Studio on facebook.
THE WILDLIFE:
While we normally have only one Blue Heron at our pond throughout the summer, this is the time of year a local pair stops by to fish in our pond. These giant birds reside near aquatic habitats, especially ones bordered by forests. Their breeding grounds are usually only a few miles away from where they feed. It comes as no surprise that their diet consists of frogs, fish, snakes and small mammals.
THE ART:
This Blue Heron drawing “Night Watch” was created on a very large canvas with wax-based colored pencils. I used gesso for the brightest highlights. A solvent was applied to “melt” the waxy colored pencil pigment. Then, I used a brush to “paint” with the colors I had applied. This artwork has sold, though I may consider offering prints during one of our plant sales.
FOLLOW ALONG:
To see more artwork and how it is created, you can follow K. Strope Art Studio on facebook.
Meet the Artist
Kelly M. Strope
Washington, Pa
I am a self-taught artist and have been drawing since childhood. Though I began with colored pencils nearly eighteen years ago, my favorite medium lately is soft pastels. I find drawing from nature to be the most rewarding and birds/wildlife tend to be my subject of choice. I also take on pet portrait commissions as a way to help fund my native plant nursery business!
Awards & Publications:
- “Casual Friday” is an oversized pastel piece of a black pug named Toshi. He is wearing a denim jacket and an adorable perplexed expression. This artwork won 2nd Place in the October 2019 Daily Paintworks Monthly Contest.
- “Stay Strong” featuring an orange tabby cat rendered in colored pencil was included in Ann Kullberg’s book “CP Treasures Volume IV”. It also earned 3rd Place in the April 2017 Daily Paintworks Monthly Contest as well as 1st Place in the drawing category of Catit’s 2018 International Cat Art Contest.
- “Song of Spring”, a colored pencil piece featuring a song sparrow was included in the May 2017 Color Magazine “The Pencil Box” Artist Showcase.
- “Bully Blues” (in soft pastels) was selected to be on exhibit at the Tifton Museum of Arts & Heritage for their “Paws on Love” show September 10-29, 2017. He won 1st Place in the 2D art category. This artwork also won 1st Place in the December 2017 DPW Monthly Contest.