Sunny Franson      

Currently I live on a small walnut acreage where you feel connected to earth and surroundings. With degrees in wildlife biology and cultural anthropology, minors in language and music, and graduate work in ethnomusicology, I tend to see ecosystems, because that’s how nature works. This planet has so much beauty and intelligence, the scale is infinite and inspiration is a given.

Adaptation, oil, 24x18x0.5, ©sfranson, $1300

 

Like everyone I continue to evolve as a person, for me in ecology, art, and writing. Time is a precious commodity as it is for everyone, and sometimes life and its pitfalls overtake you. Then you have to choose priorities carefully. It’s vital to remain committed because after all it’s your lifetime.

See a video of some of my artwork at https://youtu.be/_GMKa3QYKwY

Chicken society is part of The Secret Lives of Chickens or Tales from the Chickenyard and Beyond.

My dad called the book  he wrote when in his late 80’s Second Age. He had hoped to see it formatted and published, and it was an honor to do that for him.

Dark Water is about healing from posttraumatic stress by Opal Rose.

Reflections: A Modest Collection of Short Stories includes stories that are complete fiction although some include ecology. 

Every experience becomes a teacher and every painting, book, or woodland pool adds to that, but most of all, they underscore the importance of humility. Best not to put your moments off. Once they’re past, they’re gone forever. ... view more »

PHOTOS

  • Late Afternoon Snack, oil, 20x16x1.5, ©sfranson, $880
  • Early Foothills, oil, 39.75x29.75x0.5, ©sfranson, $1750
  • Adaptation, oil, 24x18x0.5, ©sfranson, $1300
  • Mindfulness #2, oil, 20x16x1.5, ©sfranson, $880
  • Defense, oil, 24x20x0.5, ©sfranson, $900
  • Watchful, oil, 20x16x0.5, ©sfranson, $800 (barnwood frame) This golden eagle was very near the coast, carefully watching a meadow.
  • Two Wolves, oil, 24x20x1.5, ©sfranson, $1200 (black floater frame) They venture out where it’s safe, to drink and to be on their way. This is from imagination and wolf research.
  • To the Levee, oil, 24x20x0.5, ©sfranson, $900 (barnwood style frame) levees here look like this, and great blue herons frequent them especially during spring and fall, when invertebrates are plentiful in the fields alongside.
  • The Hollow, oil, 30x24x0.5, ©sfranson, $2000 (wide, aged, well made gold frame — it’s a large piece) Waterways nearby look like this in the fog, and there are many great white egrets living on them.
  • Study, Levee, oil, 16x12x0.5, ©sfranson, $575 (very wide, heavy linen liner frame) From a field alongside a levee, near sunset.
  • No Hunting Please, oil, 20x16x1.5, ©sfranson, $800 (barnwood floater frame) Mountain lion habitat is being crowded out.
  • Patience, oil, 14x18x0.5 (SOLD) This guy was waiting for my lunch, a banana, and its patience paid off. At the beach at Navarro Delta.
  • Near Navarro Delta, oil, 24x20x0.5, ©sfranson, $900 (lighter weight gold tone frame with off white liner) The bank to the east, on the south side of the bridge over the Navarro River, looks like this; I tried to catch the feeling of it.
  • The Mountain Pass, oil, 36x24x0.5 (SOLD) A composition taken from the back side of Yosemite on Hwy 395
  • Moonpoppies, oil, 36x24x0.5 (SOLD) inspired by poppies and coastal meadows
  • Mist, Mendocino Coast, oil, 20x16x0.5, ©sfranson, $800 (barnwood frame)
  • Mendocino Headlands, oil, 24x18x0.5, ©sfranson, $850 (rather ornate gold frame) You know where this is!
  • Meadow in Fall, oil, 12x9x0.5, ©sfranson, $325 (darker wood frame, plein air style with edging) There are places like this in Siskiyou Country (where I grew up).
  • High Desert Country- SOLD; oil, 24x20x0.5, $1440 (heavy frame with very wide linen liner) Composite of land and meadows near the headwaters of the Owhyhee River, east fork, over the pass from Elko, NV to Montain Home, ID.
  • Focus, oil, 24x20x0.5 (SOLD) Driving back from Mesa, AZ
  • Goodnatured
  • Egret in Repose, 12x24, canvas panel (SOLD) slough, back corner
  • The Fishing Corner, oil, 24x20x0.75 (SOLD) inspired by a slough nearby
  • Eagles (not available)
  • Drifting, oil, 20x16x1.5, ©sfranson, $640 (narrow, darker, plain floater frame) Ancient and wise old souls. Doesn’t everybody love sea turtles?
  • Cat in the Shade, oil, 18x14x0.5, ©sfranson, $750 (rather old fashioned, heavier, wooden frame with liner) His name was Sylvester. he was an extraordinary individual who looked after everybody he knew.
  • Bodie SOLD
  • All Alone, oil, 20x16x0.5 (SOLD) near the main entrance to the main slough nearby
  • Afternoon in Autumn, oil, 24x18x0.5 (SOLD) at a nearby waterway, which unfortunately is now closed to the public
  • Rock Garden, oil, 16x12x0.5, ©sfranson, $575 (heavy frame with very wide linen liner) A nearby state park has many rocks like this. This image is a composite using them as reference.
  • Late Summer into Early Fall, oil, 40x24x1.5 (SOLD)
  • A Walk in the Woods, 16x20x0.75
  • Moment in Time, 12x16x0.6
  • In Company of Sentinels. 16x20x0.75
  • "View", oil on canvas panel, 9x12, ©sfranson, $320 This eagle has nested in a tree that looks out over a valley. This image was near dusk.
  • "Slough in Autumn", oil on canvas board, 16x20, ©sfranson, $300 A nearby waterway on a clear day in autumn.
  • "Point of View", oil, 20x24x0.5, ©sfranson, $675. Egrets are around many corners of the waterways here.
  • "Loki", NFS
  • "Kindness", oil, 16x20x1.5, ©sfranson, $700. He was a very kind soul.
  • Hills Near Konocti", oil on canvas panel, 9x12, plein air, ©sfranson SOLD
  • "Flying Upstream", oil, 12x9x0.5, ©sfranson, $325. Up the eastern fork of Rodman Slough
  • Resilience, oil on stretched canvas, 16x20x1.5, natural wood floater frame. $880. I wondered how it would feel to be a bristle cone pine.
  • View at Dusk, oil on canvasboard, 9x12, plain air frame. $340. This guy lives not far from here, at the top of a hill.

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