There’s a special kind of magic in painting wildlife, especially young wild animals taking their first steps into the world. My newest original oil painting, Cloud Walker II, Spirit of the Plains, features a young Appaloosa foal in a dreamy, cloudlike landscape. This 37 x 24 inch piece is painted in oil on a cradled Sierra Art Panel, the highest-quality surface I can find to capture fine detail, soft atmosphere, and soulful energy.

As a wildlife artist deeply inspired by the American West, I’m drawn to the connection between animals and the land. In this painting, I chose a cool, sky-toned background to evoke not just a place, but a feeling - the openness of the plains, the breath of wind, and the timeless spirit of wild horses. The young Appaloosa foal, with its long legs and dappled coat, stands delicately between worlds: earth and sky, fragility and resilience, beginning and legacy.

Cloud Walker II continues the story begun in my earlier work Cloud Walker, which also portrayed a wild horse in a similar dreamlike setting. Both pieces reflect my desire to honor not just the beauty of the animal, but its individuality and its soul. The Appaloosa has long been a symbol of strength, endurance, and grace in western and Native American horse culture, and I wanted this foal to feel both ancient and new, grounded and ethereal.

If you’re moved by this painting, or know someone who would be, please feel free to share. I’m grateful for the community that surrounds my work, and for each person who sees the wild through my brushstrokes.

Sandra

The foothills of the Sierra Nevada aren’t just where I live, they’re part of how I live. Each day begins with the quiet company of quail in the grass, the deer moving through the oaks, herds of turkeys, birds at the feeders.  This land is alive with presence, and that presence lives in my paintings.

As a wildlife artist with roots in Wisconsin, I bring reverence for wild animals to everything I create. California has its own wild rhythm. Here, I find inspiration not only in the animals, but in the light.  The way it brushes across fur, filters through dust, and disappears behind the ridges. I don’t need to search far for subjects; they arrive unannounced, like a coyote crossing the road or a mountain lion’s tracks on a trail. Living with nature means remaining open to these encounters—and translating them into paint while they’re still fresh in my memory.  In California, the wild still breathes at the edges of every day.

Sandra

Growing up in Wisconsin, I spent countless hours in the woods wandering deer trails, listening to the calls of loons echo across northern lakes, and learning to be still enough to watch wildlife emerge from the shadows. Those early experiences weren’t just part of my childhood, they were the beginning of a lifelong relationship with the natural world, one that continues to shape who I am and how I paint.

As a wildlife artist and retired biologist, I’ve devoted my life to understanding animals on their own terms. I studied black bears in remote forests, crawled into the dens of hibernating mothers, and tracked movement patterns for weeks on end. These weren’t just scientific observations, they were lessons in patience, humility, and respect.

Today, my paintings are a continuation of those moments in the wild. Rather than placing animals in detailed landscapes, I paint them emerging from misty, atmospheric backgrounds and spaces that reflect spirit and energy more than place. My focus is always the animal itself: its individuality, its inner life, its presence.

The painting shown here, Success in Green Water, captures one of those moments of connection. From behind, we see the bear immersed in the current, salmon clutched in its jaws. The details are simple, yet alive.  The splash of the stream, the wet sheen of the fur, the strength in its back. This isn’t just a portrait of a bear. It’s a glimpse into its world.

Though I now split my time between Wisconsin and the Sierra Nevada foothills of California, those early woods of home still call to me. Every brushstroke is a way of honoring the wild places I’ve known, both past and present. I paint to remember. I paint to share. And I paint to help others see what I’ve seen: the beauty, dignity, and soul of the animals who still roam our world.

If this painting speaks to you, I invite you to explore more of my work here on the website. Thank you for walking this path with me.

Sandra

Spring is in full swing here in the Sierra Nevada foothills, and it's been a season of digging in the dirt, planting the garden, and soaking up the renewal that comes with this time of year. With more time spent outdoors than in the studio lately, painting has slowed a bit, but inspiration never really stops.  There’s still snow lingering in the high country, so kayaking season hasn’t started yet, but I’m looking forward to more time painting in the coming weeks once the spring garden settles in.

Even with muddy boots and seed trays on my mind, I finished a small wildlife oil painting this month: Great Horned Owlet.  This young owl, painted in oils on a 12 x 10-inch linen Sierra Art Panel, is a study for a larger owl painting I plan to create later this year. As a California wildlife artist and former biologist, I’m always drawn to animals that carry a quiet power. The wide-eyed innocence of this owlet captures a fleeting moment of youth, still full of wild potential.

Thanks for following along with my journey as a wildlife artist inspired by nature. Whether you’re here to find a new piece of art, read about an artist’s life, or just share in a love of the natural world, I’m glad you stopped by.

Feel free to leave a comment or reach out.  I'd love to hear from you.

Until next time,
Sandra