Tara Fly

A small watercolor study of trees and forest surrounding a green tinted lake, inspired by the artist's home in Sutton, West Virginia. Photo taken in natural lighting.

A photo taken in a dimly lit room of a small watercolor study, depicting trees and forest surrounding a green tinted lake. The painting was inspired by the artist's home in Sutton, West Virginia.

A photo of a plein air watercolor painting in progress, surrounded by artist brushes and a paint palette, resting on a wooden picnic table. In the background, trees and a lake, which provide the subject matter of the painting.

A photo of trees and forest, surrounding green tinted Sutton lake, located in central West Virginia.

A new 4"x6" #watercolor #art study inspired by my view from a picnic table overlooking Sutton Lake. 🎨🏕️

Yes, its imperfections tickle my brain when observing details closely, but it looks great from 15 feet across the room - and that has become my litmus test for letting it be. So... moving on. 🤣🤣🤣

Post a photo of you from last February. No cheating!

I picked two from my visit to #ShenandoahNationalPark - one day, I could see for miles, and the next day, as Sylvia Plath wrote, "the hills step off into whiteness."

Trump claimed that DOGE has uncovered billions in “fraud, waste, and abuse.” However, no evidence has been provided, and all public fraud claims from both Elon Musk and Trump have been debunked as false.

A watercolor study by artist Tara Fly, depicting the Elk River flowing through forested West Virginia mountains.

A new watercolor study, inspired by my view of the Elk River from atop Sutton dam... minus the town. Sorry, Sutton! Maybe this is how it looked before the settlers arrived in 1792. 😅

#WestVirginiaArt #WVArtist #NatureArt #WatercolorStudy

Heavy water flowing, resembling ocean waves, at Sutton Dam, West Virginia.

Heavy water flowing, resembling ocean waves, at Sutton Dam, West Virginia.

Heavy water flowing, resembling ocean waves, at Sutton Dam, West Virginia.

Heavy water flowing at Sutton Dam, West Virginia.

Sutton Dam, West Virginia.

The water looks inviting today. #SuttonWV #SuttonDam #ChasingRainbows 🌈🌊

Watercolor painting study of a forest of pine trees in dappled afternoon lighting. By West Virginia based artist, Tara Fly.

A watercolor painting of a sunlit forest of pine trees, being held by the artist's hand, against a backdrop of a window overlooking snow.

After weeks of snow, and waking to sub-zero temperatures today, my mind wanders back to an Autumn Walk in Dunmore, WV. My newest 4"x6" watercolor study.

Stay strong. For us, this is more than just a job-it’s a calling. Together, we will stand to protect our parks, environment, and wildlife. Four years… we remain hopeful that the attack on our public lands will be less brutal this time.

4"x6" watercolor study painting of Seneca Rocks, West Virginia. An exposed rock formation in the Monongahela National Forest, depicted in early morning light.

A watercolor study of Seneca Rocks, WV, as I saw it at 7:21am on Thursday, July 27th, 2023.

Oddly specific, I know. 🤣

#watercolor #painting #westvirginia #wvartist #natureart

A beginner's watercolor painting study of a stream joining a river in the West Virginia mountains at daybreak.

Yesterday's watercolor study.

Because I'm still new to the medium, the values are off, so I will start again from scratch. I may use a different reference photo. I have hundreds - in every season, lighting, and weather condition.

Someday, I will capture the feelings I get whenever I am there.

A full moon at night, the Wolf Moon of January 2025, enveloped by dark swirly clouds.

I may have howled, you're looking mighty fine, Wolf Moon. 🐺🌕❤️

I would call up that witch, and demand she get her ass over to my house ASAP to turn them back into my pet. 🤣

Watercolor painting study of a sunrise, by artist Tara Fly. 4" by 6".

Watercolor painting study of a sunrise and trees, by artist Tara Fly. 4" by 6".

Watercolors intimidate me. They are less forgiving than my trusty acrylics.

Fortunately, I had a wonderful art teacher, Ray Snouffer, who taught me to think, to plan, to take risks, to roll with the punches, and to adapt. They are lessons I use every day.

This one is for you, Ray. 🎨

Winter Sunrise over sleepy town of Sutton, West Virginia.

I love waking up at the perfect moment to witness the transient beauty of a sunrise.

I broke the rule by refusing to make resolutions. I change at my own pace.

Shouldn't we strive for continual improvement? The best time to do better is today.

A plush alligator is chomping down on the head of a plush hammerhead shark. Both are labeled as Valentine's plush toys, and are displayed in the Valentine's Seasonal department at Walmart.

Nothing SCREAMS LOVE like a plush alligator chomping on the head of a plush hammerhead shark, in the Valentine's Day aisle at Walmart. 💘

#valentinesday #shark #alligator #lovebites

I thought you should know that in 2024 New Jersey, Minnesota, Illinois, California, and Maryland have all enacted legislation that bans book bans & censorship in both, school and public libraries, and protects librarians.

Omg you guys I'm so excited for "am I sick again or just exhausted or broke or just very cold or hungry or awash in the existential terror of knitting together the end of this year with the beginning of the next one and slowly realizing they're both part of the same design" week. So stoked.

It's nuts that Paula Abdul spent an entire song describing small differences between her and her lover in Opposites Attract, but the fact she's an actual human female and he's a cartoon cat never gets mentioned

Moody winter forest lake partially covered in snow and ice, surrounded by bare limbed trees and evergreen pines.

Moody winter forest lake partially covered in snow and ice, surrounded by bare limbed trees and evergreen pines, reflected in the water.

Moody winter forest lake partially covered in snow and ice, surrounded by bare limbed trees and a few evergreen pines.

Moody winter forest lake partially covered in snow and ice, surrounded by bare limbed trees and evergreens.

"The sky is a hazy shade of winter..." 🎶 #moody #winter #forestlake

Sorry we’re not riding at dawn. We’re having coffee and catastrophizing the day at dawn. Then we’re doing Wordle. Then we’re doing 35 minutes of doomscrolling, then we’re taking the longest hottest shower, then we’re sitting on the edge of the bed staring at nothing for a while, THEN maybe we ride.

Yes! I also appreciate that she felt I was a safe space to land and rest for a spell.

I imagine it smells like Old Spice's RaptorStrike - the most manly fruit flavored candy scent ever produced - and certainly how attacking velociraptors actually smelled, should anybody have the misfortune to smell one.

From Reddit:

It's on my to-be-read pile as well.

My Side of the Mountain, by Jean Craighead George.

If you see this, post something monochromatic. 🖤

"Arsenic and Old Lace", acrylic on canvas. 2018.

The Mists of Avalon, by Marion Zimmer Bradley.