Golden Mantled Ground Squirrel:

Jan is doing this painting of Golden Mantled Ground Squirrel for the AMERICAN ART IN MINIATURE exhibition that she was invited to participate at Gilcrease Museum. Please see schedule for more details.

Jan has been photographing and gathering reference materials for 25 years. Sometimes ideas come from old experiences as in this case. Jan photographed this ground squirrel in Montana probably 15 years or so ago. She came across her reference photos while looking through her files and decided to do it for the Gilcrease exhibit.

Natural History Notes:
Ground Squirrels are closely related to chipmunks, but they do not have striping on their faces and are usually larger than chipmunks. Their habits and habitats are very similar. They are found in moist coniferous or mixed forests in many states in the west.

You aren't supposed to feed wild animals, but when they are this cute it's difficult not to! Course being this close makes it difficult to get good photos with a big lens!

Jan utilizes road kills to photograph and sketch details that are difficult to get from live animals. This sketch is actually of a red squirrel which has many similar physical characteristics of a ground squirrel.

Here is the drawing done to size and some of the reference photos Jan's using.

The front rock is masked off with masking fluid and cellophane and the background dark pine tree area is complete.

This is the technique Jan uses to create the organic under texture of rocks by using crunched up cellophane.

In this photo the rock is done, the flowers have been started, and the drawing for the squirrel has been transferred.

The flowers are completed and now and Jan has "drawn" out the underhair coat with off white paint.

The brown unifying wash over the squirrel has been done.

Here is the finished painting "NATURE'S MOMENT". It is 9 x 12" . Jan grew up in Colorado where she saw these little guys frequently. She liked the idea of adding the columbine for some color and contrast, but it is also the Colorado state flower and one of her favorites. This painting will be for sale at the Gilcrease "American Art in Miniature".