Yesterday I worked on a Giraffe and a Chameleon, and will keep working on the two separate paintings today. I also drew up some Mexican Food for http://jellybeanstock.com/ and will probably draw up some more today. Granny demands output at all times.

The painting I'm sharing today is titled "Grizzly Bear" Pushed to the Brink. This is a bear from the San Francisco Zoo, and he would stand up and wave so that people would throw him treats. Back in the days of my youth, when it was still ok to feed the bears, I would bring a bag of apples to the Zoo, and throw him and his companion apples. I finished this painting last week. It is 15" x 20'' done in gouache on Strathmore Illustration Board.

I drew it up in 1987, and it's been in a portfolio waiting to be finished for years. I'm sure the bear is happy to be let out into the moonlight once again.

"Grizzly Bear Pushed to the Brink " Copyright Anne E. Shoemaker House of Chabrier 2008

The other paintings I've been working on are Cassowaries and Emu's. Our neighbor around the corner has some Emus (they lay dark Green Eggs), and my friend Lee has a Emu living with their goats. For some reason I love these strange birds, and I love to paint them. Their feathers look like hair, curly, punk rock, frazzled, and fluffy. They move in a jaunty rocking side to side motion, and their faces have very intense expressions. The Cassowary is one I photographed at The San Diego Wild Animal Park, and was completed except for the background. Now he is done, and in his frame. I am getting these paintings finished to my great satisfaction.

Cassowary Portrait - 20" X 30" Gouache on Strathmore Illustration Board Copyright: Anne E. Shoemaker House of Chabrier 2008

Emu Portrait - 20" X 30" Gouache on Strathmore Illustration Board Copyright: Anne E. Shoemaker House of Chabrier 2008

I am going to go to work now, and finish some paintings that have been lingering too long with out those final brush strokes. I also have to go draw on Adobe Illustrator ( a program I just love) for http://www.jellybeanstock.com/ Keep painting out there fellow artists, and write when you get work.