The Wild Horses of Assateague Island

I don’t particularly like to ride horses but I do find their beauty inspiring. These lovely horses live on Assateague Island, a barrier island off the coast of Maryland and Virginia.. They spend their time in a protected area and can roam whenever they want. They aren’t afraid of people and didn’t mind having their pictures taken and being sketched. What a sight…the ocean, the beach and these amazing horses!



If you wish to purchase a print made in my studio on 19 by 13 inch archival watercolor finish paper, using archival inks, and signed by me, click here.

Additional prints done to various sizes -- some even on canvas -- are available by clicking on this gallery.

Image copyright 1999 Virginia McLaren

California Quail

There was a nice walking path near my house in Healdsburg, Ca, which led up to a dirt road, a stand of manzanita bushes and very little else -- except California quail. Every time I walked there I'd encounter a flurry of adult quail and a whole bunch of fuzzy babies. They don't walk or run, they dart about in and out of the bushes, moving almost as one entity. And they have that adorable little bit of feathers on their heads. It was hard not to smile whenver I saw them and harder still not to try to draw or paint them.This was my attempt to do just that.The original is a watercolor with gouache and pen and ink used to give detail. The print is a professionally reproduced limited edition, pencil signed (with my updated name) and numbered.

If you wish to purchase a print, click here.

Image copyright 1990 Virginia McLaren.

Swans

Swans have always fascinated me. They are majestic and elegant in the water and a bit ungainly on land. I encountered these swans at a state park in West Virginia and caught them in kind of a group hug.

The original painting is a watercolor with acrylic and gouache washes.

The print features an image approximately 9 3/4 by 11 3/8 inches, made in my studio using archival inks on 13 by 19 inch watercolor finish archival paper, and pencil signed by me.

If you would like to purchase this from my Etsy site, click here.

Additional prints done to various sizes -- some even on canvas -- are available by clicking on this gallery.

Image copyright 2009 Virginia McLaren.

Sierra Foothills Farm

This small farm is found on a road leading to Yosemite.

We all think, I suppose, of huge industrial farming operations when we think of California agriculture, but small farms like this still exist.

I've always loved those golden California hills and the way the mountains could look almost purple in certain lights. On the day I stopped at this farm all those colors were just about perfect.

The original painting is a watercolor with acrylic and gouache layers. What I love about using layered painting is the depth one can achieve. All of that is felt in the print as well.

It features an image approximately 11 3/4 by 8 5/8 inches, made in my studio, using archival inks on 19 by 13 inch archival watercolor-finish paper, and pencil signed by me.

If you'd like to buy this print it can be ordered through my Etsy.com shop by clicking here.

Additional prints done to various sizes -- some even on canvas -- are available by clicking on this gallery.

Image copyright 2009 Virginia McLaren

Whitetail Buck

I have always enjoyed working in pen and ink. I strive for accuracy in all elements of a drawing. This buck was spectacular enough to stand along with just the smallest amount of additional detail.

Though they eat my landscaping, I never fail to be impressed by their grace and beauty.

The technique used here involves thousands of fine lines and dots, most of which vanish in a low resolution internet display. Once you see it on paper, the intricacy will be apparent.

This print is part of a series of limited edition wildlife, floral, and scenic lithographs numbered and signed by the artist. It features an image approximately 9 by 12 inches on a sheet of 11 by 14 inch heavy paper.

If you'd like to buy this print it can be ordered through my Etsy.com shop by clicking here.

Additional prints done to various sizes -- some even on canvas -- are available by clicking on this gallery.

Image copyright 1986 Virginia McLaren

Beach Day

The scene is a beach in Oregon, near Astoria, where I spent the day watching and photographing a group of enthusiastic kids playing in the surf, building sand castles, and just being kids. The pictures turned out well, capturing all the necessary detail and the nuances of light and mist needed to paint the scene.

The sky and the clouds and the not-quite foggy appearance of that day are exactly what I saw. If you're familiar with west coast beaches, weather patterns come and go quickly -- but on this day an almost invisible fog diffused and softened the light, bringing a faint chill to the air.

The original painting is acrylic on canvas. This print features an image approximately 12 7/8 by 9 1/2 inches, made in my studio using archival inks on 19 by 13 inch watercolor-finish archival paper, and pencil signed by me.

If you'd like to buy this print it can be ordered through my Etsy.com shop by clicking here.

Additional prints done in various sizes -- some even on canvas -- are available by clicking on this gallery.

Image copyright 2009 Virginia McLaren

Common Loon

I've seen loons on the east coast and bobbing along Bodega Bay in northern California. They are amazing birds and once you've heard that plaintive call, you'll never forget it.

These beautiful birds, thanks to their high-contrast markings, make an excellent subject for a bold, black pen and ink drawing. When framed with a relatively wide white mat the impact can be eye-popping.

Like all the pictures in this group, the thousands of tiny lines and dots that make up this composition just disappear in a low resolution internet image. When you have the real thing in hand you'll know why one of these can take as much as a month to complete.

This print is part of a series of limited edition wildlife, floral, and scenic lithographs numbered and signed by the artist. It features an image approximately 12 by 9 inches on a sheet of 14 by 11 inch heavy paper.

If you'd like to buy this print it can be ordered through my Etsy.com shop by clicking here.

Additional prints done to various sizes -- some even on canvas -- are available by clicking on this gallery.

Image copyright 1986 Virginia McLaren

Haines Barn

Haines Barn sits on a ridge near the norther border of West Virginia and Pennsylvania. I studied it every time I visited friends who lived nearby.

They have since moved away, but the pen and ink image of the barn hangs in the hallway leading to my kitchen, a reminder of all the good times and a link to my years in that part of Appalachia.

The simplicity of this old structure suggested a spare and simple approach to drawing it. I've since been told that it resembles in some ways a Japanese brush and ink style, although that was not a conscious intent.

Although the detail in it is sparse, even some of that manages to hide from view in a low resolution internet display. When matted in a manner that preserves its wide, horizontal dimension, you'll find there is quite a lot to please the eye.

This print is part of a series of limited edition wildlife, floral, and scenic lithographs numbered and signed by the artist. It features an image approximately 14 by 9 inches (including a bit of white space on each side) on a sheet of 17 1/2 by 11 1/2 heavy paper.

If you'd like to buy this print, it can be ordered through my Etsy.com shop by clicking here.

Additional prints done to various sizes -- some even on canvas -- are available by clicking on this gallery.

Image copyright 1986 Virginia McLaren