Daddy's Christmas Angel

Thursday, April 18, 2013

P is for Possum - A Painting a Day

A to Z Challenge

"Possum" - acrylic painting ©Mary Montague Sikes

 

I planned to paint an opossum for "O" but discovered I wanted instead to paint the osprey because of its connection to our little town. That left me wondering what to do for "P". Why not paint a possum and pretend I'm in Australia where there are 70 species of marsupials that are native to that continent and its surrounding islands? We have more than 100 species of the opossum marsupials that live in our Western Hemisphere. Actually, when I speak of our Virginia opossums, I always refer to them as "possums".

Possums are nocturnal creatures. We have come home many a night to discover a possum hanging around literally. Several years ago, one died beneath our deck.

Do you have possums or opossums where you live?

Today's painting is 11" x 14" acrylic on stretched canvas. My studio has become an animal and bird hangout!

10 comments:

Amy Sikes said...

Wow, you made him even cuter than he was in person! :)

Notes Along the Way with Mary Montague Sikes said...

These paintings have been fun! Thanks!

Julie Flanders said...

I've always wanted to visit Australia so this pretending works for me. And I agree with Amy, your possum is cuter than the poor things are in person. I think the possums kind of got the short end of the stick when it comes to cuteness.

Notes Along the Way with Mary Montague Sikes said...

I like it that they can hang by their tails! Maybe that makes up for a lack of cuteness, Julie! Thanks for visiting and following this month!

Michael Di Gesu said...

Certainly,

I see them all over Florida and also in Chicago, but not so much in the city... in the burbs more...

He is cute!

Sandy said...

We have possums, ugly destructive creatures. Boy bet you had an order for awhile with one dying under the deck.

A-Z

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

That one is very realistic!

M Pax said...

Wow, that's amazing. You've great talent. Possum is said so often, it's hard to remember there's an O.

Marian Allen said...

We have possums around here, but they aren't cute like yours! Ours are bad bitey scary ones, with sharp chompy teeth!

The only cute American possum I ever saw was Pogo. Remember Pogo?

Marian Allen
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Su-sieee! Mac said...

Wow! You're doing a painting a day for the the AtoZ. Wow! Your paintings are beautiful.

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