At the center of this painting sits a carefully woven nest cradling four bright blue eggs, perched securely in the fork of a tree. Surrounding the nest are layers of lush oak leaves, painted in vibrant shades of green with depth and variation. Two small black-and-white feathers rest delicately at the nest’s edge, a tender sign of the parent birds nearby.
I chose the wood thrush because its song adds a sense of spirituality and wonder to the quiet forest. They are elusive birds, and finding a nest feels like discovering a sacred moment. The number four holds no special symbolism here, but the evenness creates a sense of balance and synchronicity within the nest. To me, this piece feels clean and accurate — a simple, perfect emblem of the weekend wanderer who treasures these fleeting glimpses of wild beauty.
“4 Little Wood Thrushes Sitting in a Tree” is on display at The Lost River General Store. Stop in or give them a call to view or purchase it!
Please feel free to use the form below for commissions or gallery appearances. I will answer your request as soon as possible.
Check out my other paintings at www.tobitokens.com or find out a little more about me at About Tobi! Visit Disclosures to find out how I establish these short stories.
Visit my Social Media for more up-to-date happenings!
Six tiny sparks of life, fireflies, their bodies pulsing with a soft, internal luminescence, have somehow drifted into the still, colored world of the stained glass.
High above, against a backdrop of deep, almost velvety blues, Ignis, a lone emerald gleam, dances a rebellious twirl, a tiny beacon against the moonlit panes. The largest of three red mushrooms, its cap a whimsical pattern of scarlet against crisp white dots, holds the reflected glow of three clustered fireflies on its textured underside, which looks like delicate, pale gills. Stella, her light a warm gold, is utterly lost in the intricate beauty of these feathery surfaces.
Beside her, Glimmer zips with a rapid blue staccato of pure excitement, his light a fleeting streak within the defined black outlines of the glass. Nearby, Luna, a gentle silver shimmer, traces the unfurling edges of a smaller mushroom nestled amongst darker green foliage, a sense of wonder in her soft glow. In the distance, a sixth firefly, Umbra, blinks with a slow, deliberate amber light, a solitary point against the deep indigo. “Life!” Ignis exclaims, his emerald spark flaring against the rich blue. “Isn’t it glorious?” “Everything here… the way the moonlight softens the edges…” Luna breathes, her silvery light catching the faint glow filtering through the lighter blue and white sections of the glass, illuminating the unfurling form before her. “It feels like a cathedral of light, just for us,” Stella murmurs, utterly captivated by the delicate texture and the defined patterns on the large, fairytale-like cap above. “Gotta soak it all in!” Glimmer buzzes, a streak of blue energy darting within the black-lined segments of the glass. “Every single spark counts!” Umbra, from his distant vantage, emits a slow, grudging pulse of amber. “All this… ‘beauty’… doesn’t change anything.” A soft rustle announces Delilah, a large white-tailed deer whose coat holds the gentle hues of browns and tans. Her gaze, landing on the fireflies, radiates a quiet kindness. “Welcome,” she says, her voice a low, calming melody. “You seem to have found joy in this… still night.” “We have!” Ignis declares, his light flashing with enthusiasm. “Life’s a blink, but oh so sweet!” Umbra gives another slow blink, his amber light a skeptical flicker. Delilah offers a slow blink, a knowing warmth in her gentle eyes. She sees their vibrant delight, their fierce embrace of each fleeting moment within this space framed by bold black lines and bathed in a diffused, moonlit glow. She understands the ingrained rhythm of their existence, the innate knowledge of their brief dance. But they don’t know. They can’t perceive the timeless stillness, the way they’ve drifted from the fresh air of the clearing into the eternal embrace of the stained glass. A quiet dilemma settles within Delilah. Does she reveal the truth, shattering their precious illusion of a finite life within this dreamlike, colorful enclosure, even for the grumpy one in the distance? Or does she let them continue in their joyful celebration, each “day” lived as if it is their last, even though their existence will now stretch into an eternal now, bathed in the perpetual moonlight of the stained glass? Delilah considers. The brighter fireflies continue their luminous ballet against the backdrop of the deep blues, the whimsical red mushrooms, and the dark, enchanted foliage, while Umbra remains a more subdued, steady point of amber in the distance. A decision forms. She will let them be. Their joy, their vibrant dance of life within this still, beautiful world, is too precious to interrupt, even the quiet defiance of the distant one. Let them live each flicker, each glow, each precious moment as they always have, even as those “moments” extend into forever within the defined panes. Let them believe their time is short, and in that belief, paint each “day” within the stained glass with a masterpiece of joy. The secret of their eternal existence remains with her, a quiet understanding held within the heart of the ancient cathedral, a gentle smile in her knowing gaze as the soft, painted moonlight illuminates their dance, and the steady amber glow in the distance.
“Shattered Midnight Fireflies” is a Gansai watercolor painting by Tobi Dannemiller. It will be on display at The The River House in Capon Bridge, WV July 2025 Go visit this Shattered Midnight Series in person.
Please feel free to use the form below for commissions or gallery appearances. I will answer your request as soon as possible.
The cathedral whispered secrets, not the rustling of leaves or the chirping of crickets, but the quiet murmurs of dreams, the silent stories woven from moonlight and magic. In a quiet corner of a stained-glass window, nestled beneath a large red mushroom dotted with perfect white spots, lay a tiny field mouse named Flicker. Two smaller mushrooms provided a cozy cushion on either side of him. His fur, a mosaic of browns and creams, shimmered with an ethereal light, reflecting the starlight filtering through the repaired seams of the window. Flicker wasn’t asleep. He was gazing upwards, his bright, curious eyes fixed on the vast expanse of the night sky, visible through a gap in the cathedral roof far above. His tiny paws fidgeted, his whiskers twitched nervously, a restless energy buzzing within him.
By day, he flitted from window to window, his restless spirit driving him to explore every corner of the cathedral. But at night, he found solace in the stars. They calmed the whirlwind of thoughts that constantly swirled within him. He loved their distant glow, how they made him feel small, yet strangely alive. He would point his tiny paw and whisper their names, names he’d overheard from passing humans, names he’d misremembered and made his own: “Surferuss,” he’d call Sirius, the brightest star in the sky. “Poldarkiss,” he’d murmur to Polaris, the North Star. “Andromediaa,” he’d squeak to the distant galaxy, imagining it as a beautiful princess trapped in the sky.
He remembered his first days in the cathedral, searching for Lumina’s magic, the magic whispered in the legends. He’d searched every window, every corner, every point of light but found nothing. He felt like he was searching for “something” his whole life. Then, one night, he looked up. “Flicker! Must you dash about like a comet?” Nyx, the red-morph screech owl, would scold, her feathers ruffling in annoyance. “Some of us are trying to concentrate!” Delilah would sweetly say in her lovely, calming voice, “What Nix means to say, is that it’s time to meditate, little mouse.”
But nothing seemed to quiet the restless hum that vibrated through his tiny frame, until he looked up. Up at the stars.
As he gazed at the tiny flickering lights, he felt a warmth spread through him, a feeling of contentment he had not experienced before. The worries, anxieties and constant restless energies that plagued him during the day seemed to melt away, replaced by a sense of peace, a quiet joy.
He wasn’t just a trembling, annoying field mouse anymore. He was a part of the cathedral, a part of its magic, a part of its story. He was a stained-glass mouse, forever gazing at the stars, forever connected to the vast universe, forever at peace. The restless energy that had always driven him now flowed into a quiet sense of purpose, a connection to something larger than himself.
And as the moon climbed higher in the sky, casting its silvery glow upon the old, forgotten cathedral, Flicker remained there, lost in the wonder of the stars.
Suddenly, a burst of joy filled him. An exciting revelation that he just had to share! He threw all of his tiny paws up in the air and yelled, “Delilah! Elvis! I’m meditating!” The echo bounced off the cathedral walls.
From the shadows, a sleepy voice responded, “Shhhhh!” and a startled, angry screech owl began to trill.
“Shattered Midnight Mouse” is a Gansai (Japanese Watercolor) painting. It is a dark painting depicting dark blue forest floor. featuring 3 red and white mushrooms. The middle mushroom is large and one smaller mushroom on each side. There are shadows of leafy plants to compliment the mushrooms. Centered in the middle is a little field mouse gazing upwards on it’s back under the mushrooms with it’s little paws on it’s belly.
Please feel free to use the form below for commissions or gallery appearances. I will answer your request as soon as possible.
Check out my other paintings at www.tobitokens.com or find out a little more about me at About Tobi! Visit Disclosures to find out how I establish these short stories.
Visit my Social Media for more up-to-date happenings!
The moon was a painter tonight, splashing silver light across the velvet canvas of the forest. A tiny fairy, no bigger than a dewdrop, named Lumina, watched from her perch on a mushroom cap, her heart filled with a quiet wonder. The scene before her was breathtaking: the red mushrooms, dotted with white, glowing softly against the dark blue moss, the smooth grey stones catching the moonlight like scattered jewels. It was a moment of perfect beauty, a fleeting glimpse of magic in the heart of the night.
Lumina longed to capture this moment, to hold onto it, to share it with the world. She had heard whispers of a magic, a way to weave light and color into something solid, something lasting. A way to create stained glass.
Driven by inspiration, she set to work. She gathered moonlight, shimmering and ethereal, and mixed it with dewdrops, each one reflecting a tiny piece of the night sky. She crushed petals of the deepest red flowers and ground them with smooth, white stones, creating pigments that echoed the colors of the mushrooms. She whispered to the wind, asking it to carry her magic, to bind the colors and the light together.
With delicate precision, she painted the scene onto a sheet of glass, her tiny brushstrokes capturing the essence of the moonlit clearing. She worked through the night, her heart filled with joy, her fingers guided by magic. She painted the red mushrooms, each one glowing with an inner light. She painted the dark blue moss, soft and velvety beneath the moonlight. She painted the smooth grey stones, catching the silver sheen of the moon.
As the first rays of dawn touched the horizon, Lumina stepped back to admire her work. The stained-glass panel shimmered with a soft, ethereal light, capturing the magic of the night, the beauty of the mushrooms, the whisper of the wind. It was perfect. She left it nestled amongst the roots of an ancient oak, a silent promise of the magic to come.
Centuries later, a wandering stonemason, weary from his travels, stumbled upon the clearing. He was drawn to the shimmering light emanating from the base of the oak. There, nestled amongst the roots, he found the stained-glass panel, a vision of beauty in the heart of the forest. He was captivated by its magic, its ethereal glow.
Inspired by the panel, he vowed to build a sanctuary around it, a place where others could share in its wonder. And so, he began to construct a small chapel, its walls echoing the colors of the stained glass, its very existence a testament to the magic it contained.
Over time, the chapel grew into a magnificent cathedral, its stained-glass windows multiplied, each one a creation of Lumina’s enduring magic, telling stories of nature, of light, of dreams. Hundreds of years passed, and the cathedral became old and crumbling, its stones weathered by time, its roof open to the sky. But Lumina’s magic remained.
Her stained-glass panels, once shattered and diligently repaired in places, continued to shimmer with their ethereal light, still whispering tales of beauty and wonder, still offering solace to weary souls, still inspiring dreams in the hearts of those who beheld them. And this very first panel, “Midnight Mushrooms,” remained, steadfast to the magic and heart that had started it all.
“Shattered Midnight Mushrooms” is a Gansai (Japanese Watercolor) Depicting a dark blue forest floor with four red fly agaric mushrooms nestled among rocks and leafy plants at the foot of an ancient oak. Unlike the others, there are no creatures in this painting but it holds a magic and life of its own. This painting bears deep secrets. And you long to find out what they are.
This painting and more from the “Shattered” series will be appearing for sale summer 2025. Prints will also be offered. Stay tuned to my social media for sale dates and locations.
Please feel free to use the form below for commissions or gallery appearances. I will answer your request as soon as possible.
Check out my other paintings at www.tobitokens.com or find out a little more about me at About Tobi! Visit Disclosures to find out how I establish these short stories.
Visit my Social Media for more up-to-date happenings!
“Shattered Screech Owl” is a Gansai (Japanese Watercolor) painting featuring a Red Morph Eastern Screech Owl against a mottled forest green background resembling a stained glass window. Her eyes are bright yellow and assertive. Like this owl means business. And she does.
Deep within the ancient forest, where the trees whispered secrets to the wind, lived a red-morph eastern screech owl. She was known as Nyx, a creature of sharp wit and even sharper talons. Unlike the other owls, who preferred the quiet solitude of the night, Nyx patrolled her territory with a fierce determination, protecting the smaller creatures from harm. She was a force to be reckoned with, her piercing yellow eyes seeing through the darkness, her calls echoing through the trees like a warning. Her territory was her pride, a lush, vibrant green haven in the heart of the ancient woods.
One sultry summer evening, as the fireflies blinked their enchanting code in the velvet darkness, Nyx was startled by a flash of russet fur. A fox! She immediately took to the air, determined to protect the field mice she knew were foraging nearby. She swooped down, talons extended, ready to give chase.
But something was wrong. The fox wasn’t running. It was…glowing? Before Nyx could make sense of it and force her wings to change course, she collided with the fox and then slid through it. It was something hard and unyielding and then something that felt like water. She was released and then tumbled to the ground, disoriented and confused.
As her vision cleared, she realized she was inside a crumbling cathedral. The air inside was still and heavy, the silence broken only by the soft rustle of her feathers and click of her talons on the stone floor. She looked around, trying to understand what had happened. Then, she saw a stained-glass window depicting a dense forest, its leaves a calming shade of dusty green. And within the window next to it, the fox, surrounded by aqua green light! The very fox she had been chasing!
Drawn by an unseen force, a strange sense of recognition, she hopped closer to the window. As she touched the cool glass, a surge of magic coursed through her body. The world around her dissolved into a whirlwind of colors, and she felt herself transforming, becoming part of the stained glass.
When her vision cleared, she found herself perched within the dense stained-glass forest, her feathers now a mosaic of clay and Sienna, her bright yellow eyes still glowing with their characteristic intensity. And all around her, the vibrant green of the stained-glass leaves. She was no longer just Nyx, the protector of the forest; she was Nyx, the guardian of the cathedral wood.
The fox, in his own the window, looked at her with an expression of…knowing? “ Welcome.” the fox’s voice seemed to echo from within the glass.
Nyx, still slightly dazed, looked around at the other animals in the stained glass. She saw the frightened mouse she had tried to save, now nestled safely amongst the moss’s under a giant mushroom. She saw a fa deer in a nighttime glade, conversing with another owl. And on a cluster of bright red mushrooms, she saw a small colony of ladybugs, their tiny shells gleaming like jewels. They all seemed peaceful, even happy.
The fox continued, “I saw you out there, swooping and diving ever so vigilant. We…we need someone to protect us, someone strong, just in case people come. Will you stay, Nyx? Will you be our guardian?”
Nyx, her protective instincts still burning bright, looked at the creatures around her, all safe and happy. And she knew what she had to do.
“I will stay,” she said, her voice ringing with a newfound resolve. “I will be your guardian. Now WHO’s that owl over there?”
And so, Nyx embraced her new role, becoming a beacon of strength and hope within the cathedral, a guardian of the green, a protector of the nave.
This and more paintings from the “Shattered” series will be offered for sale summer 2025 along with. Prints will also be offered in the future.
Please feel free to use the form below for commissions or gallery appearances. I will answer your request as soon as possible.
Check out my other paintings at www.tobitokens.com or find out a little more about me at About Tobi! Visit Disclosures to find out how I establish these short stories.
Visit my Social Media for more up-to-date happenings!
Delilah, the clever deer with wide eyes and graceful stature, and Elvis, the minuscule and cheerful screech owl with feathers tufted to resemble the bark of a tree, shared a bond as unique as any found in the whispering pinewood forest. Their friendship, a mix of Delilah’s gentle wisdom and Elvis’s playful laughter, was a constant source of joy for them.
They lived in a secluded clearing within the whispering pinewood forest, a place where they spent their days crafting fantastical tales. Delilah, with her logical mind, would weave intricate plots, while Elvis, with his boundless imagination, would add whimsical details and cheerful characters. Together, they invented stories of mischievous fairies, playful flying squirrels, and friendly sprites, all creatures that loved the night.
However, the surrounding forest inhabitants didn’t understand their friendship or their stories. They found their tales offensive and weird, their bond an oddity. Raised eyebrows and hushed whispers followed them wherever they went. Delilah, with her patient nature, tried to explain their connection, but to no avail. Elvis, though cheerful, felt a pang of sadness at the constant disapproval.
One night, Delilah’s mother told her of a place that was accepting, a place where differences were celebrated. She had heard tales of an ancient cathedral, with its shimmering stained-glass windows. At once Delilah told Evlis and they dreamed of capturing their stories in glass, a window that would reflect the beauty of their enchanted realm. They had no idea what “stained-glass” was, but it sounded like it was made with magic.
With newfound hope, they journeyed deep into the forest and through the whispering pines and ancient oak trees. Through meadows and streams towards a long lost village that once heald a towerinng stone building. Tired and hungry, they eventually glimpsed the distant glow far away.. As they approached a clearing, the massive stone cathedral’s windows shimmered with an otherworldly light, beckoning them closer. They carefully stepped inside, their eyes wide with wonder, and found themselves surrounded by a spectrum of colors. They visited each stained-glass pane and saw that they held a scenes of joy and acceptance, with animals of all kinds living in harmony. Delilah felt a sense of peace, seeing the other creatures looking so happy and playful, each in their own vibrant pane of glass. Elvis, his heart filled with delight, let out a series of joyful trills and hoos.
As the setting sun painted the cathedral in hues of gold and rose, they found a window that mirrored their many of their own fairytales. It was a night scene, with a golden crescent moon hanging above a serene blue lake called Kimsey. A flowering dogwood tree, its blossoms crafted from fragments of golden colored glass, stood beside the lake. The window’s fractured blues, greens and golds shimmered with details that seemed to beckon them closer.
“It’s beautiful,” Delilah murmured, her eyes reflecting the vibrant colors. “A place where unique pieces come together to create something extraordinary.” “This window resembles our very own imaginations, Elvis!”
“Like it was meant to be!” Elvis chirped, his tufted feathers twitching with excitement.
They had come to the cathedral seeking refuge, seeking a place where their unusual friendship would be understood. They found a strange comfort in the cathedral’s accepting silence and the window made up just for them.
As they gazed at the dogwood window, a sense of belonging washed over them. They weren’t broken, they realized, but rather unique, their bond a rare and precious thing. The cathedral, with its mosaic of stories and its ancient beauty and magic… yes, magic!, had offered them a home where they could simply be themselves.
And so, stepping inside, Delilah and Elvis found their place, not in the shadows of judgment, but in the radiant light of the stained-glass windows.
Delilah and Elvis the Owl
Every night, their silhouettes appeared in the dogwood window with the shimmering blue lake and crescent moon. Delilah’s graceful form and Elvis’s cheerful feathers the unlikely friendship in a home in the heart of a cathedral deep in a forgotten ancient pinewood forest.
Every evening under their blooming dogwood tree, they would continue to weave stories of mischievous fairies, playful flying squirrels, friendly sprites and all creatures that loved the night.
Thanks so much for enjoying my painting and story! This beautiful painting is 8×10 and features shimmering Gansai watercolor pigments.
If you are interested in the original, please contact me for price and location if you’re local. If you are interested in a print of this painting please use the contact form below and we can work together to produce the perfect size and style of print that you wish.
Please feel free to use the form below for commissions or gallery appearances. I will answer your request as soon as possible.
The sun beat down on the sun-baked earth, casting shimmering mirages across the parched meadow. Bill, an eastern box turtle with a shell as vibrant as a sunset, trudged along, his heavy shell dragging behind him. He was lost, his usual path obscured by a recent wildfire that had ravaged the landscape. Smoke still hung heavy in the air, and the ground was hot beneath his feet.
Thirst gnawed at his throat, and his legs ached. He longed for the cool, damp earth of his burrow. Just as his spirits began to flag, a flicker of light caught his eye through the smoke-filled haze. He followed the faint glow, stumbling through the blackened trees until he emerged into a clearing.
In the center stood a magnificent cathedral, its shattered windows ablaze with a kaleidoscope of colors. The air inside the cathedral, in stark contrast to the heat outside, was cool and damp. Bill, drawn by the promise of respite, cautiously pushed open a heavy wooden door that groaned in protest.
Inside, the air was thick with the scent of damp earth and old stone. Sunlight and glittering dust filtered through the stained-glass windows, casting vibrant patterns on the cool stone floor. Bill shuffled towards the center of the nave, where a small pool of water had collected beneath a long abandoned artesian fountain. He drank deeply, the cool water soothing his parched throat.
As he drank, he noticed the intricate designs of the stained glass. He had never seen anything so beautiful. “What is in this water?” He mused. He gazed up at the vibrant colors, mesmerized by the way they danced and shimmered in the light. He saw images of other animals, caught in the stained glass: birds, deer, mice… even a fox.
Suddenly, a wave of warmth washed over him, and the world around him began to spin. He felt himself shrinking, his shell becoming lighter, his legs more nimble. He looked down and saw that his skin was now a mosaic of orange and yellow, mirroring the colors of the stained glass. He had become part of the cathedral, transformed into a living work of art.
He wasn’t frightened, though. He felt a sense of peace, a connection to the other creatures trapped in the glass. He was no longer just Bill, the lost box turtle. He was Bill, the stained-glass turtle, a part of the cathedral’s magic.
He spent his days slowly exploring his new world, wandering through the stained-glass landscapes, talking to the other animals. He learned their stories, their hopes, and their dreams. He was no longer lost; he had found a new home, a new purpose. He was part of something beautiful, something magical, and he knew that he would never be truly alone again.
“Shattered Box Turtle – Bill” is a Gansai (Japanese Watercolor) painting featuring an Eastern Box Turtle named Bill. He’s orange and yellow and the background is also orange and yellow. The background could be a vibrant sunset or more likely a wildfire he just escaped. It looks like he’s floating or it could be that the surface he is standing on is very shiny but it is also orange and yellow. The painting is very vibrant and Bill is easily seen even though he matches his background. The lines on his shell resemble the lines of the stained glass look of the painting.
This and more paintings from the “Shattered” series will be offered for sale summer 2025 along with. Prints will also be offered in the future.
Please feel free to use the form below for commissions or gallery appearances. I will answer your request as soon as possible.
Check out my other paintings at www.tobitokens.com or find out a little more about me at About Tobi! Visit Disclosures find out how I establish these short stories.
Visit my Social Media for more up-to-date happenings!
🌲✨ Greetings, dear friends of the enchanted forest! ✨🌲
I’m so sorry for my long silence! I’ve been lost in a delightful world of creativity and magic. And oh, what an adventure we had this summer! My husband’s unexpected bike crash added a dash of excitement to our days (don’t worry, he’s perfectly fine!). It certainly shook up our routine in the most unexpected ways, filling our summer with surprises and new rhythms. Life has been a whirlwind of wonder and unexpected joys!
The summer and fall months have been a whirlwind of paint and imagination as I prepared for various shows and attempts to keep The Lost River General Store brimming with my latest originals and prints.
Since October, I’ve been crafting a special collection of holiday ornaments, each one a tiny portal to a whimsical world. These delightful creations feature charming snowmen, fluttering monarch butterflies, lucky ladybugs 🐞, endearing bees and dramatic, whimsical trees. You’ll also find the mysterious Bigfoot, playful gnomes, and cuddly bears, all lovingly painted on wood slices and tiny canvases.
Lastly and certainly not least… I am thrilled to announce that I have been accepted by acclamation into the artisans market at The River House in Capon Bridge, WV! My first market will be on December 7th from 10 AM to 3 PM. I can’t wait to share my magical pieces with you in person and bring a touch of the Appalachian wonder to your holiday season.
Thank you for your patience with my long awaited art updates and continued support. I plan on returning to my winter routine of painting and posting my latest works.
Sunlight streams through the needles of the old pine, dappling the forest floor in a mosaic of light and shadow. High above, perched precariously on a branch, sits my muse: a golden mouse. Its fur, the color of burnished copper, shimmers in the filtered light. But nervousness flickers in its bright eyes, its tiny whiskers twitching with apprehension.
This is the scene I’ve captured on my thick watercolor paper – a golden mouse, a West Virginian native, grappling with a delicious dilemma. The object of its desire? A plump, tightly closed pine cone, heavy with the promise of a satisfying meal. The challenge? The precarious distance between the him and his prize and the precarious exposure to any watching raptor.
Golden mice, also known as Nuttall’s cotton rats, are a fascinating part of West Virginia’s wildlife tapestry. Unlike their more common field-dwelling cousins, these little acrobats are primarily arboreal. Their nimble bodies and prehensile tails make them masters of the branches, flitting from limb to limb with impressive agility.
Here in the Mountain State, you’ll find golden mice nestled in the western half, inhabiting forested areas with sandy soils and dense undergrowth. They’re nocturnal creatures, their golden forms coming alive under the cloak of darkness. But during the day, they may venture out for a quick snack, which is exactly what my little friend seems to be attempting.
The pine cone, a symbol of resilience and nourishment, hangs just out of reach. The mouse is hunched in calculating thought as its tail acts as a fifth appendage, gripping the branch in anticipation. Its heart, no doubt, beats a frantic rhythm against its small ribs. Will it risk a such a tempting bounty, or will it have to settle for the fallen berries scattered on the forest floor?
That’s the beauty of wildlife art – capturing a fleeting moment in nature, a story told without words. In this case, it’s a story of courage, of the constant dance between risk and reward that plays out daily in the hidden corners of the forest. Whether the mouse reaches its prize or not, its determination and resourcefulness is an inspiration for any passerby lucky enough to see its struggle.
So, the next time you find yourself amidst the verdant embrace of a West Virginia forest, keep an eye out for a flash of gold high in the branches. You might just catch a glimpse of a golden mouse, engaged in its own thrilling balancing act between the big harvest and being prey.
“Golden Mouse” is a glimmering watercolor painting. It depicts shimmering sunlight as the background to the tall standing trees. It is for sale at The Lost River General Store in Lost River, WV. Let him and all the other forest creatures in my collection adorn your home!
Please feel free to use the form below for commissions or gallery appearances. I will answer your request as soon as possible.
Tobi Dannemiller 