Botanical Fine Art Painting, Butterfly,Nature "PASSIONVINE & ZEBRA SWALLOWTAIL" The Art of Nature, Fine Art by Mindy Lighthipe

Heliconius charitonius is common to Central and South America but also resides in southern Florida. It begins mating right after it emerges from its chrysalis. The female lays five to fifteen eggs on the leaves of passion flower vines. The caterpillar (depicted twice the size) has a white body with long black spines and a yellow/green head. It can go from egg to butterfly in a little over three weeks and continues this life cycle year round.The Passion flower depicted here is Passiflora incarnata, a species common to the southern USA. The Passion flower is named for the Passion of Christ on the cross. In the 15th century, Spanish Christian missionaries discovered it and adopted its unique structures as symbols of the Crucifixion. The 72 radial filaments (depicted 10 times actual size) represent the Crown of Thorns; the ten petals, the ten apostles; the top three stigmata, the three nails; and the lower five anthers, the five wounds.

18"x14" Watercolor on Paper/Available

$1500  Click HERE to purchase.

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Wildlife Painting, Bird Nature, "TOUCAN RESCUE RANCH" The Art of Nature, Fine Art by Mindy Lighthipe

I have been traveling to Costa Rica for over 30 years. In my travels I search out places that are off the beaten path. I am not much for conventional tourism. It would be unusual for me to be drinking a pina colada on a white sandy beach. I prefer to find places where everyday people are doing extraordinary things.

The Toucan Rescue Ranch is one of those places. It has been a place I have returned to every year. This colored pencil drawing was done to help promote The Toucan Rescue Ranch in the rehabilitation of injured and abandoned animals of Costa Rica.

 I am leading an Artistic Adventure Tour to Costa Rica for artists and photographers in 2018. We will be visiting the Toucan Rescue Ranch to support their efforts. You will be able to see owls, toucans, sloths and more up close and personal. Want to join us? Click here for more information about the tour. 50% of the sale of this painting will go to The Toucan Rescue Ranch...... You can own it today!

11"x14" Colored Pencil on Paper/Available

$750  Click HERE to purchase.

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Wildlife Painting, Bird Nature, "African Eagle" The Art of Nature, Fine Art by Mindy Lighthipe

This is an Eagle from Africa known as the Bateleur Eagle. The bright orange red face and orange beak are a sight to behold against the dark black feathers. The word "Bateleur" means "Street performer" in French. This amazing eagle has a 250 mile hunting radius and can cover its territory in a day. 

7"x5" Watercolor on Paper/Available

$79 Click HERE to purchase.

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Botanical Fine Art Painting, Iris,Watercolor "PURPLE IRIS WITH SWALLOWTAIL BUTTERFLY" by Mindy Lighthipe

For most of my adult life I have been an avid gardener. My beginning years were in New Jersey where I had an extensive collection of bearded irises. It was always a thrill to see these tall flowers blooming in the garden and even a bigger thrill when a Swallowtail Butterfly would hover it and gather nectar.

The Original is sold, now available as a Fine Art Reproduction HERE

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Wildlife Art Insect, Nature, Butterfly "BLUE MORPHO BUTTERFLY" The Art of Nature, Fine Art by Mindy Lighthipe

The Blue Morpho Butterfly is one of the biggest butterflies found in tropical rainforest in Central and South America. It has a very erratic flight pattern as it flies up into the air only to drop suddenly as it moves amongst the trees. This jagged flight patterns helps to protect it from would be predators as they often attack at the highest point just as the butterfly drops its wings and falls below the danger zone. Moths and butterflies belong to the classification of Insects called Lepidoptera. Lepidoptera is a latin word which means "scaled wing". When magnified under a microscope the scales of the wing structure are easy to see. For this series of paintings I did the background by looking under a microscope and drew the individual wing pattern and structure in pencil while placing the colorful butterfly on the surface in watercolor.

Fine Art Reproductions in Multiple Sizes Are Available HERE

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Wildlife Art, Bat, Nature, Fine Art Watercolor Painting “Flying Fox III” The Art of Nature, Fine Art by Mindy Lighthipe

This piece is from a series of Tropical Bats I did while visiting the Lubee Bat Conservancy in Gainesville, Florida. They are called Fruit Bats and also Flying Foxes.

14"x11" Watercolor on Paper/Available

 $250

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Study with Mindy in COSTA RICA in 2020-More info HERE

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Wildlife Art, Bat, Nature “Flying Fox II” The Art of Nature, Fine Art by Mindy Lighthipe

This piece is from a series of Tropical Bats I did while visiting the Lubee Bat Conservancy in Gainesville, Florida. They are called Fruit Bats and also Flying Foxes.

14"x11" Watercolor on Paper/Available

 $250

Click HERE to purchase.

View Mindy's Class Schedule HERE

http://MindyLighthipe.com
http://MindyLighthipeFineArt.com

Purchase Mindy's NEW BOOK on Amazon HERE