Lemur Painting Number Three

I don't know what it is about these wonderful primates that I'm obsessed to paint, but I'm now on my third one. Untitled at the moment, I wanted this one to be a little more dramatic; the eyes more riveting. I think I accomplished a lot in three hours yesterday.

The Wind and the Lion

The wind circles around the Mountain Lion and settles languorously on a couch in a room of sunflowers. She's a breath of fresh air. No one knows for sure how long she'll stay.
Pastels on Canson's Mi-Teintes paper, 19.5" x 25." © Laura J. Holman 2012.

"For Love of Pia" Still Work in Progress

Sometimes letting a painting sit and stare at you unfinished gives you, the artist, the chance to decide how the painting should proceed. Many times I have other paintings in my head while working on the present one. It's a bit distracting, but I'm doing everything in my power not to be too ADD when it comes to creating. I'm hoping to be done with this one before the end of the week.

"For the Love of Pia" WIP

I saw a photo of an Eastern Screech Owl recently and became immediately taken with its haunting, human type eyes. I knew I had to incorporate one into my next painting... hence the birth of "For the Love of Pia,"- an owl in love. We always think of our feelings about animals, but what about our impact on their feelings. While owls are not typically pets, I'm sure in their world, they have some sort of perception of us. What if an owl fell in love with a human? One that is as beautiful as Pia ( a name that popped into my head for the title for no particular reason. I don't even know a Pia )?
This is a work in progress. I'm not even sure how it will end up. Many times I can visualize the completed painting, and sometimes I let the painting dictate its end story to me, albeit it may take some time to finish.

Mother Universe and Daughter Earth with the Lemurs

Sometimes, certain animals come into my head and I'm just compelled to draw them. They usually are the unusual and have something unique about them. I love the look of Lemurs and their name refers to "ghost spirits" in a tribal language. They are actually owned as pets here in the U.S and their original habitat is Madagascar. This is my second Lemur painting I've created. The first one has sold. This 19" x 24" pastel painting is a complete vision in my mind. The only reference I used was a picture of a Lemur, and a plant indigenous to Madagascar to authenticate where the painting was set. From my RedBubble site I offer this description: A surreal pastel painting of Lemurs, a beautiful woman, and a child; one represents the Universe, the other, the Earth. They flow and balance together to create harmony, and to stress the dependency we have to one another and our environment. Original art by © Laura J. Holman.


This painting took me almost a year to complete. It sat staring at me from the easel, half finished, for months. Many times, I haven't a clue where a painting should go until I step back from it. Some take little time, while others seem to take forever. As with any creative endeavor, we can liken it to the process of giving birth.