The desert museum
Posted: February 8, 2024 Filed under: Uncategorized 32 CommentsOne of the stops on our pre-workshop Tucson visit was the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. It’s a little different than the Tucson Botanical Gardens because besides a wide selection of plants, you’ll also find lots of animals in desert habitats. I’m not really a fan of zoos and I don’t like to see caged animals but at this museum the enclosures are quite large and most of the animals were hiding from the afternoon sun, which somehow made it less painful for me. As with yesterday’s stray dog drawings, I used a water-soluble pen to draw these, and achieved a bit of tone by wetting my ink lines. If you like using water-soluble pens, I’ll be showcasing some of my favourites in the February issue of my newsletter The Wheelbarrow, which comes out next week. If you’re not a subscriber, you can sign up here.
Thanks SO MUCH to everyone who responded to yesterday’s panicky post when I thought I had lost my follower database. Clearly that was not the case, since I received hundreds of replies. I’m making my way through all of my thank you replies but I haven’t finished yet. If I haven’t gotten to yours yet, it will be soon!
Love the desert museum
And the story about the heron
Thanks
Thanks for reading, Jere!
The Desert Museum is one of my favorite places to visit and take classes. One of the things about the animals is that a lot of them came injured and could not be re-released into the wild so they are adopted by the museum and cared for until their end. The museum has great roaming spaces for them so it helps to alleviate the cage stress quite a bit. Next time you are here, you should visit the Boyce Thompson Arboretum. It’s breathtaking!
Thanks for the info. I had a feeling that might be the case but I couldn’t find much info about the animals except for the heron (story in my sketch). As for the Arboretum, I will definitely take note of that. Thanks so much for that info.
I remember going there years ago and seeing the Javelinas! It’s a great spot.
It is a great spot, but we didn’t need to go that far to see the Javelinas. One morning when Spyro opened the curtains in our room there were about a dozen snuffling around outside our window. Such strange creatures.
What a story about the poor heron. Thank you Shari. We share your views about zoos
Joan, it was a good story about the heron. Thanks for reading it.
I responded to yesterday’s post with a ‘like’ without a comment but, just to say… I LOVED seeing your dog sketches, Shari! Just as I do today’s beautiful Great Blue Heron and friends. I also agree about zoos but at least the enclosures were large and the animals in their natural habitats. Always look forward to The Wheelbarrow 🙂
Thanks so much De. There’s a Wheelbarrow coming out this week.
Still there! 😀
And I’m happy you are, Bunny!!
relax !!! i don’t need your reply … we just want you to have more time doing what you’re so good at and we enjoy 🤣🖌️🎨
Soni, you’re the best, but I still had to reply to you. Thanks for this.
Dear Shari,
Several years ago & before the hurricane I purchased “Behind the Palms’ but never used it.
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div>I haven’t painted for a long time. My husband had been sick for several years then died
Carolyn, I am so sorry to read this.
Whenever you are ready, the courses are waiting for you.
If you have trouble logging, just drop me a line: info@shariblaukopf.com
Dear Shari,
I love your sketchbook posts and your tutorials. I have learned so much from you.
Kris
Kris, many thanks!
Looking forward to the next issue. Frank B
It’s coming this week Frank!
Great sketches of some new friends at the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum. I never have a water-soluble pen in my collection (except for a brown one) and I should remedy that. Thanks for the reminder of what it can do!
Joan, in the next issue of The Wheelbarrow I’ll show you some of my watersoluble pens.
I’ll be watching for that. Thanks!
I love the Desert Museum- have been there a coup
It’s a wonderful place!
Oh, my goodness, that poor heron! What a lovely painting of him, though. PS I feel the same about zoos.
I think the heron was very lucky to have ended up there. Such a beautiful bird to draw!
Love your water soluble pens drawings Shari!
Thanks Carly!
Did you notice the illustrated map of the plan? I did that!!
I actually got to stay there to collect information for the project. Such a beautiful place!!!
I wish I had known that. Now I will have to go back to see it!!
I have the same reaction to caged animals. The natural habitats they have now at zoos are such an improvement from the zoos when I was young.I’m glad I read the comment above about injured animals being cared for. I Love your heron. drawing. Moving birds are hard to draw.