This painting was donated and sold through the 2014 Fundraiser with the DFW Wildlife Coalition to raise money for the Kathy Rogers Wildlife Center.
"Survival in the Wild"
12x16 oil painting
This painting was used for the DFW Wildlife Coalition's 2012 holiday card.
This fawn was painted from one of the many photos I took when I visited all the animals in rehab at Rascal's Retreat, a wildlife sanctuary ranch run by the founder of the DFW Wildlife Coalition. It was only a few days old when it was brought in and had to be bottle fed.
Fawns are most vulnerable the first 10 days of life. Their little legs are not ready to keep up with mom so she hides them and stays nearby. Unknowingly, people find them alone and assume they are orphaned and actually kidnap them from their mothers.
The flight and flee instincts kick in after 10 days of life. But, they are often injured by ranchers cutting hay or found in a place where the ranchers just don't want to leave them. So, in this way they end up in rehab centers until they are able to be on their own in the wild.
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Gator
Acrylic 12x16
This young alligator was rescued and reintroduced back into the wild by wildlife rehabbers and co-founders of The DFW Wildlife Coalition Hotline, Prudi Koeninger and Kathy Milacek. It was one of the first calls that came through on the Hotline.
Kathy and Prudi were called to a garage where the juvenile alligator was being kept in a stock tank. They transported the youngster to the Brazos State Park near Houston where they collaborated with and arranged to meet Texas Park & Wildlife officers to safely release the alligator into a known alligator habitat. The alligator’s name was Maltese and I painted the alligator from a photo taken by Kathy Milacek after it was released.
As an artist, volunteering for the Hotline has given me more insight into the habits and behaviors of the wildlife I love to paint. Through the educational programs the coalition conducts and the many field trips to sanctuaries and refuges, I’ve had the opportunity not only to photograph but to observe the wildlife up close. Volunteering has enhanced my wildlife viewing opportunities and my artistic endeavors.
Each hotline volunteer is trained to educate callers in ways of co-existing with wildlife thereby avoiding unnecessary trapping and euthanasia. We are trained to carefully advise callers in ways of reuniting baby bunnies, squirrels and birds with their mothers and that’s very rewarding. For orphaned and injured animals, we are able to put callers in touch with licensed rehabbers who care for them until they can be released back into the wild. If you’d like more information go to www.dfwwildlife.org
To save a wild life, call the Hotline: 972-234-9453 or 972-234 WILD
Watch this website for more images of wildlife saved through the help of the DFW Wildlife Coalition. A portion of the proceeds from art work sold from the web page will benefit the work of the DFW Wildlife Coalition.
Squirrel Rest Stop - Pastel Pencil
Three Bucks, Coming Out Party - Acrylic
Sibling Playmates - rescued, rehabbed, released - Oil on canvas board 11x14
In the Fall of 2011, Prudi Koeninger, founder of DFW Wildlife Coalition invited me for a photo op for painting resource. She had rehabbed orphaned skunks from babies and they were now ready to be released into the woods at Daingerfield State Park in East Texas. They were so playful and took right to the woods exploring their new playground. There were about 21 skunks but, these two kept teasing me so, I was able to capture their beautiful tails.
Texas Road Runners 9x12 Pastel (Click on image to enlarge)
While painting en plein aire at Palo Duro Canyon this Road Runner walked up over the cliff and seemed curious about what I was doing there. I got my camera and stalked it until it disappeared in the bushes. I painted the same road runner in two different poses. It's amazing to me how wildlife will venture out while I am quietly absorbed in painting.
