“Some works featured here have already found homes, but I continue to explore these themes in new paintings”
A striking image of a fawn curled up within dense greenery, painted with stained-glass-like segmentation. The fawn’s warm orange tones and white spots contrast against a backdrop of richly patterned foliage, where intricate black-and-white designs layered over green leaves suggest both complexity and shelter. The effect is at once decorative and deeply emotive, as though the animal is part of a fragile, fractured world.
This painting is part of my Shattered series, which resembles stained glass but carries a deeper meaning related to my own sense of brokenness. The design emerged organically — the silver-inked patterned leaves appeared simply because that’s what the painting asked for, not from a deliberate plan. Though the fawn is beautiful, it carries emotions I haven’t fully defined. It is at once vulnerable, quiet, and reflective of an inner state I can’t entirely put into words
This painting has already been sold. I look forward to painting more!
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!
I’ve been so focused on painting that I let my website updates slip—thank you for bearing with me! It’s been a busy and exciting season. My work is currently on view in a gallery show at The River House in Capon Bridge through September 17, with an Artist Talk on September 5. Looking ahead, I’m preparing for an exhibit at The Bank of Romney in October.
I’ll be adding new paintings (some have already sold) and stories here soon. Thank you for your support and for sharing this journey with me!
“Golden Mouse at Midnight”
A delicate watercolor featuring a tiny golden mouse clinging to a sprig of holly. The leaves are a rich green, accented with bright red berries. The background is a dreamy wash of deep midnight blues, speckled with stars or falling snow, giving the scene a magical, wintery atmosphere. The golden shimmer of the mouse makes it feel almost otherworldly — as though it’s part of a storybook moment.
Finally, Bluey reached the top. The cap of the Death Cap was surprisingly flat and devoid of any life. Realization dawned on Bluey. The Death Cap wasn’t evil, just a misunderstood giant. It was perhaps a leftover from a wetter season. It simply towered over the garden offering shade to weary travelers, misunderstood and feared. It’s red cap serenely catching the soft, golden backdrop of twilight.
“Golden Mouse at Midnight” 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!
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!
Aurelia, a young Appalachian cottontail with fur the color of sun-baked earth, had always felt a little… different. While the other young rabbits in her warren chased each other through the meadows, she preferred the quiet solitude of the whispering pines. While they chattered excitedly about the best places to find clover, she found herself drawn to the stories whispered by the elders – stories of a magical cathedral, bathed in light and color, where animals found solace and belonging.
The story that captivated her most was the origin story, the tale of the “Shattered Midnight Mushrooms.” It told of a tiny fairy, Lumina, who, long ago, stumbled upon a moonlit clearing and, with a touch of magic, captured its beauty in the very first stained-glass window. It was said that Lumina’s creation, a scene of vibrant red mushrooms nestled amongst green moss and beneath a dark blue sky, held a special power, a whisper of the fairy’s magic that could grant wishes and mend broken hearts. This window, unlike the others, featured no creatures that you could see, just four red mushrooms illuminated by starlight and under the protection of the oldest oak.
Aurelia, with her quiet spirit and yearning for connection, clung to this story. She longed to find the “Shattered Midnight Mushrooms” window, to touch the cool glass, and to whisper her own secret wish. A wish for wholeness, for a place where she truly belonged, a place where her quiet heart wouldn’t feel so out of place.
One crisp autumn afternoon, as the leaves swirled around her like a fiery dance, Aurelia set off on a pilgrimage to the cathedral. She followed a winding path, her little paws tracing the whispers of the wind, her heart pounding with anticipation. The forest seemed to hold its breath as she journeyed, the trees leaning in, the sunlight dappling the path in shimmering patterns.
Finally, she saw it: the cathedral, its stained-glass windows ablaze with a myriad of colors. She crept inside, the air cool and still, the scent of ancient stone and forgotten magic filling her senses. She wandered through the echoing halls, her eyes wide with wonder, until she found it – the rectangular window, bathed in golden light, depicting the “Shattered Midnight Mushrooms”, four lonely mushrooms nestled against the old oak tree.
She reached out a trembling paw, dusty and sore from her journey, and touched the cool glass. The mushrooms seemed to pulse with a gentle light, and the dark blue sky shimmered with a life of its own. Aurelia closed her eyes and whispered her wish, her voice barely audible in the vast silence of the cathedral.
I wish… I wish to find where I belong. I wish to be whole.
As she spoke, a surge of warmth flowed through her, and the world around her dissolved into a whirlwind of colors. She felt herself changing, becoming lighter, more ethereal. When her vision cleared, she found herself within a circular window, her fur now a mosaic of browns and creams. The golden light bathed her, and a wreath of purple and orange flowers, woven with shimmering leaves, framed her perfectly.
She was no longer just Aurelia, the quiet cottontail who felt different. She was Aurelia, the stained-glass cottontail, a part of the cathedral’s magic, a testament to the power of wishes and the enduring spirit of Lumina’s first creation.
And then, she saw them. The Midnight Ladies, three tiny stained-glass ladybugs, their shells gleaming with crimson and black, fluttered around her, their voices like tinkling bells.
“Welcome, Aurelia,” they chirped. “Welcome to your new home.”
They led her through the cathedral, introducing her to the other animals who had found solace within the stained glass. There was the red fox, his fur a fiery blend of orange and gold, his eyes forever curious. And Jasper, the cardinal, his feathers a vibrant crimson, his song a melody of hope. And Gilead, the gentle brown bunny, his fur speckled with the colors of the dandelions he loved.
She met Nyx, the red-morph screech owl, her feathers a mosaic of red clay and burnt Sienna, her gaze sharp and protective. She met Elvis, the eastern screech owl, his blue feathers shimmering like twilight, his golden eyes full of cheerful humor, and Delilah, the graceful deer, her coat a soft blend of browns and tans, her gentle gaze radiating wisdom.
And Bill, the box turtle, his shell a masterpiece of yellow and orange, his long life etched into every line. And then the Midnight Ladies themselves their shells a symphony of colors, their songs a singing into to the beauty of the night.
And as Aurelia gazed at them all, she knew that she had truly found her place. She was home.
“Shattered Cottontail” is a Gansai (Japanese Watercolor) depicting a young brown Appalachian cottontail bunny sitting on her back haunches. She looks young and is surrounded by a wreath of flowers. Her name is Aurelia.
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.
🌲✨ 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.
In the realm of the natural world, raccoons exhibit an intriguing and very social lifestyle. These resourceful mammals, known for their distinctive masked faces and ringed tails, are highly adaptable and can thrive in diverse environments across North and Central America.
Raccoons are largely nocturnal creatures, embarking on their nightly adventures under the shroud of darkness. Social by nature, they often form small family groups, with a typical unit consisting of a mother and her offspring. These intelligent animals display strong familial bonds, and the mothers, in particular, are incredibly nurturing and protective.
One of the most endearing qualities of raccoon families is their remarkable resourcefulness. From foraging for food in urban environments to creating dens in hollow trees or burrows, these clever creatures are adept at utilizing their surroundings to ensure their survival. Raccoon offspring, or kits, learn invaluable life skills from their mothers, including foraging techniques and essential survival strategies.
In the heart of their woodland habitats, raccoon families navigate their surroundings with agility and grace, often embarking on nightly quests for sustenance and adventure. As they traverse their territories, they leave behind traces of their presence, such as distinctive paw prints and the remnants of their nocturnal activities.
While raccoons are renowned for their prowess as foragers and hunters, they also indulge in moments of playfulness and bonding. Their interactions within the family unit are marked by a sense of camaraderie and warmth, as they engage in activities that foster social cohesion and mutual support.
The captivating lives of raccoon families offer a glimpse into the harmonious balance of nature and the enduring strength of familial bonds. From their resourceful foraging to their playful interactions, these intelligent creatures navigate the natural world with grace and adaptability. Through their nightly quests and heartwarming familial connections, raccoon families paint a portrait of nature’s enduring allure and the timeless art of adaptation and survival.
“Family Portrait” is a Gansai Watercolor and ink painting made by myself in May of 2024. It features shimmering pigments in the sunset that can only be seen on the original painting. The family style painting is a slightly different style than my normal subjects. Since raccoons tend to be social creatures, I couldn’t help but include a few younger, playful, kits along with some tired parents. I had not intended for the painting to remind me of a family portrait, yet, when I look at it now, what else could it be? Look at how the kit on the right is slightly wiggly, grabbing on onto his back feet in anticipation for the whole ordeal to be over! Mom is barely holding it together as her wild child is about to explode. “Take the picture already!” she seems to be pleading with her eyes.
“Family Portrait” is on display in the gallery at Lost River Works in Wardensville, WV. Go visit the family in person. It can be purchased there or I can arrange for shipping if you’re out the area. Please allow for extra wait times, we live a slower lifestyle out here and Lost River Works is open on weekends.
Please feel free to use the form below for commissions or gallery appearances. I will answer your request as soon as possible.
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.
In this series, I wanted to capture the common black bear of West Virginia in a new light. I opted for vibrant hues of pink and blue for the bears, setting them against contrasting backgrounds to create a playful feel.
“He Said” and “She Said”: Unconventional Colors – Unconventional Couple
I know black bears are typically portrayed realistically, but I wanted to use color to evoke a sense of wonder. The pink and blue tones add a touch of playfulness to these majestic creatures. The contrasting backgrounds of each painting, orange for “He Said” and green for “She Said” add the dramatic effect that black bears are famous for.
The titles are obviously a play on a couple of bears that might tell their stories about what they do in the woods, but no-one will really know. Each of these bears insist that you believe them, their eyes implore that their tale is true!
“He Said” by Tobi Dannemiller
Subtle Realism
Despite the vibrant colors of the bears’ fur, the shimmering bronze muzzles on both bears offer a touch of realism in reference to their natural coloring.
“She Said” by Tobi Dannemiller
Gansai Paints
The Gansai vibrancy and transparency of these paints allowed for delicate layering, creating a sense of lightness and airiness that complements the whimsical style.
West Virginia Inspiration
I try to incorporate animals that live in West Virginia. Black bears are a common sight here, so featuring them in these paintings felt like a natural fit.
Conclusion
I hope my Gansai paintings of West Virginia black bears offer a new perspective on these fascinating creatures. The unconventional colors and whimsical style, combined with the subtle realism, create a unique and captivating artistic experience.
These two mini paintings are currently at Lost River General Store. Visit http://www.innatlostriver.com for location and contact information.
If you are interested in these two bears, act quickly, they will likely go fast.
Please feel free to use the form below for commissions or gallery appearances. I will answer your request as soon as possible.
Tobi Dannemiller 