These handmade natural gemstone earrings are made with bamboo shaped green aventurine and 14K gold filled components. $25.

This set is made with turquoise and mother of pearl beads with sterling silver findings. The bracelet is 7 inches long at $30, necklace is 17 inches long at $50, and earrings are $25. Buy the set and get free shipping.

I never get tired of this view, or of drawing it. Because every time I see it, it is different just as every time I draw it, it is different, in subtle but important ways. Sometimes the difference is just in me. Subtle but important. 3x8 ink and pencil drawing of Lime Kiln Point Lighthouse with Orcas. $45. (SOLD)

Ever since a college trip to Europe that included a jaunt to Venice, I've been in love with the color and architecture of this fascinating 'floating' city. This drawing measures 3x4 inches and is set in a vintage gold 5x7 frame.

What is your favorite flower? Mine is the California Poppy because it grew in my grandmother's garden, mixed in with the carrots and radishes. I love that these bright orange flowers grow in clusters on the side of the road of my new home, San Juan Island. They make it feel like home. $25.

I had the idea of marketing some of my miniature lighthouse drawings as Bookshelf Lighthouses, little works of art that could be placed on a shelf in front of or beside your favorite books. Some people like the idea, I've sold several at the San Juan Coffee Roasting Company. I plan to expand the subject matter to include more than just lighthouses and to approach some book stores with them.

Here is a 3 inch drawing of New Dungeness lighthouse at Dungeness Spit near Sequim (pronounced scwim, not sea-cwe-um) on the north edge of the Olympic Peninsula. This lighthouse is the second oldest in Washington state. $22. (SOLD)

I've always liked tulips. What's not to like about a flower that pops up early in spring, when we most need a little color to combat the doldrums of a long winter. And the variety of color is miraculous. My favorite is red. 4x7 inch ink and pencil drawing in 8x10 frame. $35. (SOLD)

My education is in Forestry and Botany because I love nature and trees, specifically. When I was a kid I used to imagine what it would be like to be a bird. Yes, the idea of flying is interesting, but I was captivated by the desire to look down on the tops of trees. I would sometimes dream of soaring for miles just above the forest canopy, my "wings" brushing the tender tops of ancient, stationary mammoths. After college life took some unintended turns and I didn't use my degrees as I had thought I would. I don't work as a botanist or a forester, but I use my knowledge and passion for trees just the same. It finds it's way into my drawings and writing, and fuels my creative expression. I can be driving down the road and see a flash of sunlight falling at just the right angle on new spring leaves and I can't get home fast enough to create something...anything.

My other inspiration is my daughter. Maybe I should say that she is my primary inspiration because without her I wouldn't be able to see the beauty in the leaf that glows with the life of the sun. All my life I was emotionally bound and constricted in a way that I was unable to define, let alone combat. When she was born I experienced a literal internal dam breaking that has allowed my love and creativity to be released and expressed. In the four years since her birth, I have written a novel and begun selling my drawings. Life is about two things; love and learning. Neither is ever wasted.

Cape Arago Lighthouse, just south of Coos Bay, Oregon was first erected in 1866; the second operating lighthouse in the state of Oregon. It was rebuilt in 1909. The structure shown above was constructed in 1934. It is maintained by the U.S. Coast Guard and is the only Oregon lighthouse not accessible to the public. This 2x3 inch ink and pencil drawing is available for $18.

These Trumpeter Swans were swimming in a roadside pond here on San Juan Island earlier this spring. When I stopped the car to take a picture, they ever so casually started to swim away. I felt bad that I had disturbed them, but I was glad I had the picture from which I made this 5x7 inch and pencil drawing.

Another beautiful San Juan Island barn. I go by this barn every time I drive to town and am captivated by it every time. I knew I had to draw it. Approximately 4 inches square.

San Juan Island was pioneered by farmers. The interior of the island is dotted with original homesteads and beautiful barns. Ironically, the original residents of the island did not value the rocky shoreline properties because nothing would grow on them. When hippies "discovered" the island in the 60's and 70's they were able to purchase what are now multimillion dollar water view properties for next to nothing! This 4x6 ink and pencil drawing is matted and framed to 8x10.

What says love and summer better than two blue Adirondack chairs? This drawing makes me want to sit and soak up vitamin D with someone special. This 5x7 ink and pencil drawing is framed in a fun white shabby chic distressed frame. $25 plus shipping.

Simplicity of color and line...I call this ink and pencil drawing "spring." It is in a charming 8x10 vintage green enamel metal frame with gold edging. Available.

I love grouping miniature drawings, mine or the work of others. Art is such a subjective thing. I say, if you love it buy it and it will enrich your life. Some people don't think ink and pencil drawings are "real" art or fine art. I would call what I do folk art, which is fine with me. When I look at it, it makes me happy. That's my definition of art!

It didn't take long after moving to San Juan Island to catch the local condition called "whale fever". No, it's not a version of the swine flu. Most people here are nuts for the Orca whales that live in these waters approximately April through October. It's hard not to get excited at seeing one of these huge, yet graceful, animals propel themselves out of the water right in front of you (if you're lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time).

This ink and pencil drawing is 5x7 inches, matted and framed to 8x10.

In the late 1800's a ship load of cattle wrecked near the southern tip of San Juan Island, Washington. The bovines were forced to swim ashore and populated the area. The following year the area was named Cattle Point and a lens lantern was established. Fifty years later the present octagonal shaped lighthouse structure was built. The original red tile roof has since been removed, I have so far been unable to find out why. But I found out that all Washington State lighthouses have red roofs. When asked why, one parks employee simply said, "all Washington State lighthouses have red roofs." There is something to be said for tradition.

This Cattle Point lighthouse drawing measures 2 1/2 x 3 1/2 inches in a 4x6 silver metal frame.

I love lighthouses, especially this one. North Head lighthouse in Ilwaco, Washington was lit for the first time in 1898, about fifty years after Cape Disappointment light just a few miles south. What does it say about the dangers of navigating the waters of the mouth of the Columbia River that not one, but two lighthouses were needed to keep ships safe? The Columbia River bar, where the fresh water from as far north as the Canadian Rockies meets the salt water of the Pacific Ocean, is one of the most dangerous river bars in North America. By the way, consider this paragraph a sneak peek at my soon to be published novel ;)

This 3x3 ink and pencil drawing of North Head lighthouse is framed to 5x5, available.

Arbutus menziesii or Pacific madrone is arguably one of the most beautiful trees growing in the Pacific Northwest. It's reddish-brown to orange bark peels away to reveal areas of yellow-green or magenta under bark. I have seen whole branches exhibit the color of a fine Merlot while the tree next to it sports the more common orange to mustard yellow variation of color. It's dark green leaves are thick and leathery and are evergreen, the older leaves dropping cyclically, leaving the tree essentially unchanging through the seasons. Madrone is frost intolerant and prefers rocky, well drained soils...welcome to San Juan island, perfect habitat for Pacific madrone. This ink and pencil drawing of Pacific madrone measures 5x7 and is currently matted and framed to 11x14 in. (SOLD)

This Tuscan villa with wine grapes bring the colors of Italy home. Matted and framed in a rustic green and gold 7x9 inch wood frame.

I call this ink and pencil drawing 'English Countryside'. The greens and yellows create a rich tapestry of color that will quench the eye. Drawing is 3x3 framed to 5x5 inches in a rustic bronze colored wood frame. All of my work is for sale, message me if you're interested. Thanks for looking.

Fields of Gold 6x8 ink and pencil drawing in an 8x10 intricate gilded frame.

"Sunflowers & Wine #2" in another amazing 8x10 gold leaf thrift store find frame.

I call this drawing "Sunflowers & Wine #1". I don't usually title my work, other than including a few words of description when appropriate, but I did for this one (and for S & W #2) because there are two things that are grown most in Tuscany: wine grapes and sunflowers. I'm sure they grow lots of other things too, but the colors of these two crops go together beautifully on paper. I found this amazing 8x10 rustic gold leaf frame at a fundraiser rummage sale.

This European lakeside village doesn't exist anywhere except in my imagination, but if it did I'd want to live there, or at least visit. 5x7 in a found and reused black metal frame with blue beads and leaves. $25

This drawing was done as a memorial for a much loved local hero named Ruffles. He was last seen in November of last year so it has been accepted that he has passed away at approximately sixty years of age. Two things made this animal exceptional; his unique "ruffled" dorsal fin and the fact that he lived twice as long as most adult male orcas. Orcas hold toxins and pollution in their blubber and since humans have been dumping waste into the oceans for well over 100 years, you can imagine why these animals are endangered. Typically, a female's first born calf dies because her store of blubber goes to feed the baby. The level of toxins, built up from her infancy, kills the calf. However, due to this "flushing" of toxins, subsequent calves do well and the mother's lifespan is increased. RIP Ruffles.

Here's a fun little 4x4 minature of a breaching Orca. If you are ever lucky enough to see this happen in nature, in this incredible animal's natural habitat, you will never forget it.

This 8x10 framed ink and pencil drawing is of a San Juan Orca tail fluke. Like their dorsal fins, each tail is unique, most having nicks, cuts and even gouges depending on what they have endured and encountered in their travels.

I feel like I've found my calling...making drawings of the Tuscany region of Italy. There are few other places on earth more recognizable for it's color and culture. Expect more Tuscan drawings to follow. This one is matted and framed to 8x10 in a vintage gold tone metal frame. $35

Another adult male Orca drawing. I like the simplicity of lines and color of this one. Let me know if you agree.

Every Orca has a unique dorsal fin. Like human finger prints, no two are exactly the same and can be used in identifying individual whales. A mature male's dorsal fin can easily be as tall as a grown person. This black and white ink and pencil drawing shows a characteristic "notch" that can occur while hunting or even from swimming too close to a boat propeller. It is illegal to pursue Orcas or approach within 100 ft in motorized boats as the whales are curious about people and can be killed unintentionally. $35

This original drawing is of a large male Orca whale surfacing for a breath of air. Wild Orcas have been know to interact with people in the water or in boats and even "put on shows" for them close to shore (this occurs from time to time in front of Lime Kiln Point Lighthouse when large groups of people gather to whale watch.) Their antics often include breeching or jumping almost completely out of the water before splashing back under. The trained behavior they exhibit in captivity comes to them quite naturally, however, I think I prefer to observe these beautiful and intelligent creatures in the wild. $45

If you love natural gemstones, but want a more casual look, check out these necklaces. Amethyst, smokey quartz, turquoise, even dragon's blood jasper available...plus many more than aren't pictured. Have a favorite gemstone or birth stone? Email me with requests. Pendants are on animal-friendly black cotton cords. $20 ea.

This baby Orca whale is the newest member of the resident J pod that makes the waters around the San Juan Islands home for much of the year. This 5x7 black and white ink and pen drawing is available for $35.

Sunset behind Lime Kiln Point Lighthouse, San Juan Island available in 5x7 inch frame or 8x10.

Book shelf miniatures are a fun and inexpensive way to add art to your home. Put one of these 2x3 inch lighthouses on your shelf between or in front of your books for that extra touch of detail or give as a gift for the hard to buy for book/art lover you know. Each lighthouse is a one of a kind original ink and pencil drawing so no two are exactly alike, frames vary. $20

This simply elegant grey freshwater pearl and natural purple amethyst necklace would make a perfect gift for any woman who enjoys unique jewelry. The center drop is approximately 1 1/2 inches and features a faceted briolette amethyst. $65

This dramatic necklace is made using peacock blue/black freshwater pearls and natural blue iolite, a naturally blue gemstone also known as "water sapphire." The center drop is approximately two inches long with an amazing, irregularly faceted iolite stone as the focal point. This necklace would looking stunning with a little black dress for an evening out or wear it with jeans and stand out from the crowd. $85

I apologize for the poor quality of this picture. It is quite difficult to get the lighting right so the color of the stones shows well. This is the very first necklace I ever made. Yes, it was very ambitious for a beginner, but I saw the design in my head and had to reproduce it with stones in real life. It is made of natural faceted citrine beads and freshwater pearls in a three tiered style with 14K gold filled findings. It drapes as beautifully on the neck as it does in this picture and I felt like a queen every time I put it on. It is currently on display at Island Studios on San Juan Island and for sale for $150.

COLOR...I love color. My favorite color when I was little was orange, for my favorite food. When I was a young adult it was green, for my love of trees. Now my favorite color is red, the color of love. I enjoy mixing colors unexpectedly. But don't green and blue go together? Like spring grass under a pure sky. This natural gemstone bead necklace is made with olive jade (or gem quality serpentine) and rare Peruvian opal. The clasp and spacer beads are 14K gold filled. $55 plus shipping.

Lime Kiln Point

Lime Kiln Point Lighthouse is located near the historic lime kilns in Lime Kiln Point State Park on San Juan Island. This state park is one of the few publicly owned water access locations where the public can go to view Orca whales along Haro Strait in north Puget Sound. It is not uncommon for over 100,000 visitors to enjoy this popular day park each year. If you truly love wildlife and wish to see the Orcas for yourself, I encourage you to come to Lime Kiln Point and spend the day hiking, picnicing and waiting for these beautiful mammals to make an appearance. Booking a trip with a whale watching boat service may be a quicker, and more expensive, way to see Orcas, however, in doing so the potential for disturbing and even harming these endangered whales is infinitely higher. This miniature ink and pencil drawing of Lime Kiln Point Lighthouse, in a 5x7 wood frame is available for $35 plus shipping.

Bridges

This Italian-style bridge is perfectly reflected in the tranquil river it spans. This detailed miniature ink and pencil drawing is framed in a vintage 5x7 metal frame with faux mother of pearl border. Available for $35 plus shipping.

Looking for Salmon

This sweet little miniature depicts two Orca whales swimming through Haro Strait by Lime Kiln Point Lighthouse in their eternal search for food; the elusive salmon. The drawing is 2x5 inches, framed to 3 1/2x6 inches in a vintage handmade wooden frame from Mexico. This original ink and pencil drawing is available for $40 plus shipping.

I was lucky enough to get to go to Germany for three weeks when I was in college. While there, I was amazed at the beauty and immaculate neatness of the towns. The houses of the villages are clustered together, usually around the church, and often within the old Roman wall ruins. I became captivated by the architecture of old churches and castles and, after seeing some local drawings (that I could not afford to buy) I began drawing miniatures.

I sketch my subject with pencil on acid free paper, then use black archival ink to outline. Many artists then use water color paint, but I prefer artist-grade color pencil.

This drawing is of one of the many villages built in Mid-evil times. As you can see, very little has changed in the hundreds of years that have passed. It is framed in a vintage metal frame with ivy and vine-work surrounding. It is available for purchase for $35 plus shipping.

Orcas and Lighthouses

I grew up in Washington State, but I had no idea that wild Orca whales spent part of the year not far from where I lived. These beautiful animals are endangered due to pressures from polution, overfishing and recreational boating.

Lime Kiln Point State Park is a prime (and non-impact) Orca viewing location on San Juan Island in the northern Puget Sound region from approximately April to October.

Lime Kiln Point was named for the historic nearby lime kilns that, at one time, turned the local abundant limestone into lime for commercial use. The finished lime was transported by ship from the kilns to ports around the world. Lime Kiln Point Lighthouse helped to keep these ships from running aground while they navigated the waters of Haro Strait off the west side of San Juan Island. The lighthouse still operates today, serving as a historic interpretive site and Orca research center.

This 5 X 7 inch (matted and framed to 8 X 10) folk art ink and pencil original drawing of Lime Kiln Point Lighthouse with Orcas by Susan Girard is available for purchase for $45.