Dolphin Dreams

Dolphins have always been known to symbolize joy, play, balance and harmony.

What better friend to have with you in your dreams?

Number 2 in the Dreamcatcher series..

'Dreaming with Dolphin'

9 x 12 "

Watercolor on paper

                                                  Prints available at The Sacred Gift.etsy.com

Painting a New Zealand song bird - Tui

The Tui is a beautiful bird from New Zealand who is renowned for their gorgeous blue/black iridescent plumage, their intelligence and delightful song.
 Easily recognized in the New Zealand bush by the white tufts of feathers at their throat , Tui can be heard at many times in the day calling out with their many beautiful trills, clicks, wheezes and whistles.
This protected native bird was once a delicacy food for the Maori people of New Zealand and their feathers were often used in ceremonial cloaks.
Tui are among the 'honeyeater' family, nectar is their primary diet, favorites are New Zealand flax flowers and bright yellow Kowhai blossoms.
I know I am home when I hear this beautiful bird singing to welcome the morning sun from the top of a tree fern. 

I decided to paint this one on a little feeder shelf that I could pretend was outside my Texas window, I left him some Kowhai flowers, in hopes that he might stay around a while and sing for me....

                                                'A gift for Tui'
                                                                Watercolor on paper

 prints available in  

The Sacred Gift store

Thanks for visiting,  xx Helen

Humpback Whale in watercolor...

Here he is .. now swathed in his watery watercolor layers..

  I have felt such a connection to this piece that I had resisted getting to the watercolor as I had so enjoyed my humpback friend even in the early stages as seen here.. in a previous post.

but I am so happy with the result.. painting this was such a beautiful experience ' almost a spiritual journey' .. I feel like I had celestial company alongside my brush.

This is the first in my new series titled -'Sacred Ocean'

'Humpback'

8.5 x 11 inches

Watercolor 

 Hotpress 140 lb

I hope you can get a sense of the sacred connection I was feeling for this gentle giant as he appeared on my paper...

XX Helen

PS.. so happy to have prints available in my little store The Willows Nest.. 

Commission Delivered..Azure and Saffron

I can finally show you this piece ( it was a surprise commission by a lady for her husband's birthday)  he  was delighted, (these birds have long been a collectible favorite for him)

I showed a peek in this post ..

It's a  wee Kingfisher ... :)

 ( I love that out of all the birds , these ones have touched this man so much , he has many books and works of art dedicated to the subject)

I learned so much about them while researching.. they have a protective layer which shoots across their eye when diving underwater  for fish..   I also didn't realize that their feet are a bright orange/red and they are so tiny compared to the rest of their body  :)

I think they are so precious..  

thanks for visiting...

Sending you all a magical week ahead  xxxxx Helen

Can you guess what it is?

I am working on a watercolor commission... can you guess what it is?

My client has commissioned it as a surprise for her husband..  sweet huh?

so I can't show it yet...  just a sneak peek..

happy Tuesday to you all... 

Hummingbird... dreams do come true..

I was in my tomato patch the other day when a little hummingbird came buzzing around me seeking his favorite flowers.

 Not expecting me to be there he zoomed right up to about an inch from my face. I held my breath in delight as he slammed on his brakes hovering for a while before flying over to the fence pole.

He watched me for a few minutes, as I marveled at his 'tiny perfectness' and wished one day to be able to get even closer to one.

My wish came true 2 days ago....

I was coming out of our local supermarket when I saw a tiny hummingbird sitting right in the path of all the shopping carts.. eek!!  I dove in front of a cart... and picked him up..

Oh.. so precious.. sitting quietly in my hand.. I imagine he had flown into one of the glass windows and was still dazed.

I took him away from all the concrete mayhem as he was still too weak to fly.. to release him at our hummingbird haven 2 minutes away.

We sat him outside on this little nest while he was waking up so he had something to grasp onto.

We were lucky to be able to snap a couple of quick pics while he gathered himself...

Aren't they just so amazing ?

I like to think that when I painted this in July I was 'creating my own reality'..

Dreams do come true....

Luv Helen :

IF - ' Influence' - Storm Petrel watercolor bird painting..

Illustration Friday's topic this week is 'Influence'..

I decided I would like to influence the weather patterns'.. whisper softly in Mother Nature's ear..
here in Texas it has been 103 degrees every day for months with no rain.. I sure love the sun.. but the plants, trees and little creatures need some moisture.

I have brought a Storm Petrel to Texas.. to share his rain love.. the Storm Petrel bird is a very strong omen to fisherman.. when he is hovering around.. rain and storms will follow..

'Rain Maker'

Watercolor 

9 x 12 inches

Helen Wheeler Shaw

I'll let you know how it goes'.. xx H


yay we finally did get some rain!!!!!!!

Imperfect. IF - Sea Turtle watercolor painting..

Joining in this weeks topic for the Illustration Friday' group..

               'Imperfect'  

This little sea turtle was inspired by Allison'.. a sea turtle at South Padre Turtle Rescue, Sea Turtle Inc; who after losing 3 of her flippers to a predator was able to swim again after being fitted with a special prosthesis.
I am sure being able to glide through the water again seemed 'most perfect 'to Allison, no matter how imperfect she may look.

'Perfect'

Indian ink and watercolor

9 x 12

Helen Wheeler Shaw

Fish art eye pillow give away !!

Celebrating the end of my fun fishy' week, I have a give away for all you fabulous readers to enter..

Using the watercolor fish from Wednesday's post, I printed it  onto cotton fabric and made an eye pillow filled with organic flax seeds and heavenly Texas hill country lavender.

Perfect for an afternoon snooze, helping you to relax on a long flight, relief from a headache or eye tension, use during meditation or after yoga..or throw it around just for a little aromatherapy lavender magic'.
If you shake it up a little, the flax seeds press against the lavender buds to release more delicious aroma.

To enter ..
just leave a comment below.. stating what type of sea life/creature/animal you would like to see me draw next...
that's it.. ( just remember to leave a way for me to reach you if you are the winner and don't have a blog :)

The winner will be drawn from a hat ( yes.. a real one)  On Monday the 8th August .
yay for winning stuff !!  What is more fun than resting with a nice cool fish on your face?

Good luck.. Cheers , H xx

PS . pop your fishy' friend in the freezer for a bit..ahhhh...nice...

Illustration Friday - Watercolor fish..

I'm joining in on this weeks theme - 'Obsession ' for Illustration Friday

It's all about fish for me at the moment... this little guy was inspired by yesterdays post 'Fish..paintings and metal sculptures'...    My little steampunk influenced version....

'Fish .1.'

Indian ink and watercolor

9 x 12

Helen Wheeler-Shaw

I feel he fitted in well with my fish obsession for this week..
 but wait there's more....
.. I stumbled upon a super fishy fibre artist.. more details tomorrow...
Love.. H xx