Daddy's Christmas Angel

Saturday, April 20, 2013

R is for Raccoon - A Painting a Day

A to Z Challenge

"On the Prowl" - acrylic painting ©Mary Montague Sikes
Here we are at the end of the third week of the A to Z Challenge. For the letter "R", I've chosen raccoon.

Years ago, raccoon families would climb up our steps and peer through the glass of our living room sliding door. One time, I found three baby raccoons clawing at the door trying to get in. The mother was there as well. When I appeared, they all ran away.

I thought the family was cute until I realized the danger of rabies, and then I heard of a young boy being chased by one. Like anything in nature, we need to be respectful and cautious as well.

While doing this Painting a Day Challenge, I have discovered maybe it's a good thing not to keep going back into the work to make changes. Last night, we had a lot of storms come through, so I left my painting until this morning to post. I planned to work on it some more today. However, when I arrived in my studio, I decided not to make any changes. The Challenge is leading me to work faster.

Today's painting is 11" x 14" acrylic on stretched canvas.


16 comments:

Marian Allen said...

I've loved all your paintings, but there IS something especially fresh and spontaneous about this one that goes particularly well with the subject. Isn't it wonderful how, no matter how long we've been doing a creative process, we can always suddenly learn something new about it and our interaction with it?

Marian Allen
Fantasies, mysteries, comedies, recipes

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

Marian, thank you, for your creative thoughts on this! I love it that we are always learning!!!

Amy Sikes said...

Absolutely adorable!

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

Thanks, Amy! Do you remember the raccoons?

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Look at those big eyes! Very nice, Monti.

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

Thanks, Alex!

L. Diane Wolfe said...

He's adorable! You're doing a painting a day? That is really ambitious.

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

Thanks, Diane. A painting a day is more ambitious than I imagined it might be! However, I have the benefit of a studio filled with colorful creatures.

Rowena said...

I love raccoons, we saw some at OC park recently, your painting is lovely!

Nagzilla said...

Interesting take on the challenge! I love the artwork. I remember raccoons in our neighborhood growing up and all the adults warning us to stay away because of rabies. But they always looked so darn cute!

Hi from Nagzilla bloghopping A to Z

Angelica French said...

Mary, I am doing the A-Z Challenge also with my pen name's site, Romance Righter. Small world. What a great theme! Sharon Moore

Angelica French said...

Mary, I am doing the A-Z Challenge also with my pen name's site, Romance Righter. Small world. What a great theme! Sharon Moore

Julie Flanders said...

Oh, I bet those raccoon babies were cute!

Lady's Knight said...

very nice
The A to Z kinda pushes you out of your normal zone for sure
been drawing some of the characters for our serial fiction this month
- mucho tiempo

happy a to zing

LadysKnight

Trisha said...

Lovely painting, and what a cute face that raccoon has :)

Rhonda Albom said...

There are no racoons in New Zealand, and I haven't seen one in long time. Fantastic painting. You are so talented.