From Z to A

This is the third Grevy's zebra I've drawn and all 3 have 1 thing in common. 

It's the exact same zebra, only the names have been changed to protect the innocent ( I always name my animals while drawing them!) 

The Hitchhiker  Kathryn Hansen (c) 2015  6.25x9.75

This time however, I've created Jebediah in Polychromo colored pencil. A huge challenge as I wasn't expecting to use 12 colors in creating him! I am so new to colored pencil that my naivete regarding this medium really showed itself but I muddled through it and I'm very happy with the results!!!

Bakora, Jerry and Jebediah are all from Lewa Downs Conservancy, located in northern Kenya. Once a cattle ranch, it then became a sanctuary to protect the elusive black rhino, and then onto become a non-profit wildlife Conservancy where we saw the 3 cheetah brothers, giraffes, elephants, both white and black rhinos, ostriches and more!!

Bakora  Kathryn Hansen (c) 2012 5x5

Just Passing Through  Kathryn Hansen (c) 2014  5x8

A horse wearing Venetian blinds?

This drawing in progress is Jerry, a Grevy's zebra we saw in Lewa Downs in Kenya. A Grevy's zebra is distinguishable by it's Mickey-mouse ears and narrower stripes that are absent in their belly and butt areas! They are also loners, but are not so uppity that they won't hang with the Common zebra!

I became a bit obsessed while there with all the different types of invasive birds that clung to the animals. 

So I've placed a warbler named Ben on Jerry's tail just for some added interest...he's probably not the most remarkable bird in Kenya, but he does carry a good tune!

i equate what happened last friday in connecticut to 9/11...emotionally that is. it's been hard not to get caught up in all the different aspects of this inconceivable situation...it really is just heartbreaking. my girls have been getting lots of hugs from me lately as i am sooo grateful i've never had to personally deal with losing a child.

that's why i have been pretty quiet here, but mostly quiet on facebook. sometimes it's just hard to get back into the swing of daily life after such a tragedy.

i am just going to share two completed drawings here that i finished a few weeks ago and then i am going to remain silent until after christmas...maybe by then i will feel ready to jump back into things. right now it's just time for me to be with my girls and family, to quietly grieve, meditate, send energy and pray for peace in our world.