The quiet whispering of nature

February 22 - Feb. 28/2013 Illustration Friday's topic is: "Whisper" Suggested by Diana Toledano

While hiking a number of years ago, up a winding trail leading up to the base of Mount Rundle, stands a tree quietly standing for all to see.

I stopped, took a picture recording the peaceful and serene gift of nature. From this photo  I painted the acrylic scenic below.

Serene, an acrylic painting, painted by Sandra Santa Lucia, 1983

"All of nature begins to whisper its secrets to us through its sounds. Sounds that were previously incomprehensible to our soul now become the meaningful language of nature." 

Quote by Rudolf Steiner 

Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/whisper.html#VdXJKdfLMKxdDKrz.99 

Mountain goats - dressed in a WOOLLY white double coat

This week's  Illustation Friday's topic for February 15 - Thursday, February 21st is — "Wool" as suggested by Claudea A. Larrauri

Mountain Goat pen and ink line illustration by Sandra Santa Lucia

Facts about this animal: Both male and female mountain goats have beards, short tails, and long black horns, 15-28 cm in length, which contain yearly growth rings. They are protected from the elements by their WOOLLY white double coats. The fine, dense wool of their undercoats is covered by an outer layer of longer, hollow hairs. In warmer seasons, mountain goats molt by rubbing against rocks and trees, with the adult billies (males) shedding their extra wool first and the pregnant nannies (females) shedding last. In the winter, their coats help them to withstand temperatures as low as -50 Fahrenheit (-46 Celsius) and winds of up to 100 mph (161 km/h). 
A billy stands about 1 meter at the shoulder and weighs about 90 kg. It has longer horns and a longer beard than the nanny. Adult males typically weigh between 45 and 100 kg, while females are usually 10-30% lighter. The mountain goat's feet are well-suited for climbing steep, rocky slopes, sometimes with pitches of 60 degrees or more, with inner pads that provide traction and cloven hooves that can spread apart as needed. Dewclaws on the back of their feet also help to keep them from slipping. 

 This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Mountain Goat". 
Did you know? that by inhabiting this extreme and remote habitat mountain goats limit competition from other ungulates and predation risk? 
Factsheet: Class: MAMMALIA; Order: ARTIODACTYLA; Suborder: RUMINANTIA; Family: BOVIDAE; Name: (Scientific) Oreamnos americanus; Name (English): Mountain goat; Name (French): Chèvre de Montagne; Name (German): Schneeziege, Bergziege; Name (Spanish): Cabra de la montaña, Cabra de las Rocosas. http://www.waza.org/en/zoo/pick-a-picture/oreamnos-americanus

…on stormy winter day Snoopy ran the race

February 8 - 14/13 Illustration Friday's topic of the week is "storm" as submitted by Karen B Jones

" Snoppy would only run pulling the sled if she was chase Dorts…" 

from Wagging Tales book illustration a ink drawing by sandra santa lucia/published 2009

This "storm" illustration is from Wagging Tales by Dorts Stafford, a delightful book about one of Banff's families through the stories of many four-legged friends. This particular illustration of mine portrays Dorts Stafford and Snoopy in the Banff Winter Dog Race down Banff Avenue. The sled which Snoopy pulled was built by Barrie, Dort's young son. 

Lost…have you seen this man?

Back in August of '97 The Banff Crag & Canyon newspaper wrote a news story relating to a LOST hiker. "A 70-year-old hiker who was missing overnight was rescued when he stumbled upon a warden posting his description in a parking lot at Kootenay National Park".… the story was perfect material for a cartoon!

Pen and Ink cartoon by Sandra Santa Lucia published in the Banff Crag & Canyon newspaper Aug. 6/1997.

July 13 - 19 Illustration Friday's topic of the week is "lost" as submitted by Antonio Bernal

Newspaper media will never "suspend" it's honesty, objectivity and fairness.

Responsibility to it's readers is always first and foremost—their readers deserve no less.

Pen and Ink Cartoon  published in the Banff Crag and Canyon newspaper  in 1995 by Sandra Santa Lucia.

Back in 1995 I created the cartoon above for The Crag newspaper and thought it fitting for this week's July 6 - 12  Illustration Friday's  word of the week. The word being "Suspend".

Submitted by Allyn Howard at: http://www.allynhoward.com/Artwork_by_Allyn.html 

It is no secret

…the bears are up and they are hungry.

In the Banff National Park the Bears wake sometime in April and they are very very hungry. 

published pen and ink cartoon by Sandra Santa Lucia, April 14, 1993 for the Banff Crag and Canyon newspaper

Back in 1993 I illustrated the cartoon above for The Banff Crag and Canyon newspaper. Having a little fun depicting a bear munching away on a popular warden's lunch this cartoon warned readers of the dangers of  Feeding the Bears.

Illustration Friday's word of the week for June 15 to 21 is "secret"

If only Uggy, a capable performer, had been a nominee for an Oscar…

he could have danced with Little Lizzie one cute little dog!
Unfortunately Uggy, the wonderful furry four-legged performer from The Artist was not a nominee to the 2012 Oscars. Had he, he would  have swung and twirled little Lizzie Barker delighting a world-wide audience.

Pencil drawing of Uggy, The Artist's four-legged lovable dog swings with little Lizzie Barker at the Oscars! by Sandra Santa Lucia/2/26/12

For more information about animals not receiving an Oscar check out  The Calgary Herald  
Illustration Friday's February 25 - March 1 word of the week is capable suggested by Fiona Meakin of Love Love Drawing.