Calypso Bulbosa; the rarest of the rare

This is the calypso orchid, I have never seen. Lynn Benevento and I used to discuss the joy of the possibility to see this delicate orchid. It does not seem to grow in upstate New York. Not because it's rare there, it's just that the cutoff for this orchid is far northern New York or lower regions of Canada. I've heard some stories of people in Canada coming across these by the hundreds to thousands. Looks like I'm going to Canada. Calypso grows in peat bogs and swamps prefferably surrounded by alot of spruce and thick evergreen. I've seen some videos posted of "Hunts" for this and all the areas seem to be these rotted out peat bogs with lots of evergreen. They are very tiny and seem like they would be easy to miss without a careful eye. I always thought calypso was a ladyslipper but it belongs to the same family as arethusa (bulbosa), not cypripedium.
Enjoy;
Dan Wall

Yellow Fringed Orchid Illustration

This is the yellow fringed orchid, and I have no idea why it is called the yellow fringed orchid... It's orange. I have never seen the yellow fringed orchid but would love to. I've only seen the white and purple fringed orchids. This orchid grows in wet meadows and bogs in the northeastern United States.
I haven't worked on the oil canvas in a while but I need to, looks good so far.
'Til next time
Dan Wall

Edible arrangements to insanity

This valentines day I was hired as a temp at edible arrangements here in Manchester for help with the holiday. I ended up working really hard and meeting alot of nice people that I'd love to continue working with. Well after dipping 1,024 strawberries sunday, skewing 250 on monday and sorting about another 200 on tuesday I decided to watercolor some. Just seeing so many in that short period of time I really became familiar with the shapes and colors, as well as highlights. I think after staring at them for so long I could probably paint them blindfolded. I'm giving this to my manager tomorrow or whenever I see her as a thank you for hiring me. I might be getting a part time job there after all my hard work.
I decided fruits are a part of botany, seeing as how they are the aftermath of a blossom. A friend of mine saw this and wants a pineaplle....that could be fun. We'll see what happens. I'm still working on that one secretive canvas, but that's gonna be a process and a half.
'Til next time;
Dan Wall

Outlining something new;

So the past couple days I've been outlining a new Idea for an oil painting and I've gotta say I'm getting pretty stoked. I've also been thinking about switching from blogspot to tumblr, and setting up an etsy account to sell all of my artwork I've been posting. I'm just experiencing a severe lack of followers, and I feel like too much work goes into this blog for only me to enjoy it. I'd really like to just get out there and see what I can do with my work.

I haven't painted with oils in a couple of months, and I had alot of fun with them when I was using them so it's definately time to stop watercoloring for a decent amount of time and see how this project turns out. It's one of those things where I'm just so excited to get started!

When It's finished will probably be my next post unless any other sort of intriguing thought comes to mind. So it may be a while until anyone hears from me.

Trying to withstand the anticipation;

Dan Wall.

Mushroom screenprint

This was my last graded print in my printmaking class. Monday starts digital imaging, so I suppose I'll be posting a bunch of my wildflower photographs. I would love to someday have a gallery with a collection of my personal work and my college work. It'd be nice. Although I feel Northeastern wildflowers would dominate the wallspace. Trying to brainstorm for a watercolor to do in my spare time this weekend, but I have no ideas yet... I'm thinking since I posted the arethusa and it was an orchid I hadn't seen I should maybe paint the other blossoms I haven't seen as well.
Here's a list;
Ramshead lady slipper
showy orchis
orange fringed orchid
round leaved orchid
Nodding Trillium
...Hmmm I think thats it, funny that just about all of them are orchids.
The funny thing is I know the places to find all of these, I just never made it. Maybe journeys in Manchester will lead me down a better path.

I'm actually hoping for snow
Dan Wall

Arethusa Illustration

This is arethusa bulbosa, an orchid I have not been lucky enough to see. I know of a spot that it grows but I have yet to go see it. It's been a while since I've been able to do another illustration with school work and what not. This piece is neat because I wanted to put the orchids in a setting they fit. A primevial bog.
Enjoy;
Dan Wall

The Showy Lady Slipper's rarity...

Pictured below the showy lady slipper above is it's conservation status. The conservation status determines the aspects of a certain species rarity or abundance. I was surprised to find that the showy lady slipper fell under G4, which means "Apparently Secure". Basically this plant is being said to be one step away from abundant. Wow, I dont even want to imagine the interesting plants that fall under GH; "Apparently extinct". The conservation status does not just go off of head count of a species. It is also determined by how well a population of a species is or has reproduced, increase or decrease in a population and it's known threats such as in this case, deer. This plant is mainly rare due to habitat loss and unsuccessful cultivation. Some of these cultivations were even performed by Charles Darwin himself. It is illegal in most states to pick or even uproot (or unearth if you will) this plant. Once the emblem of prince edward island, the plant became too rare and was quickly replaced with the pink lady slipper.

Don't pick wildflowers!!!

Dan Wall.