TERRA KIND STUDIO CO. BLOG
Finding Awe in the Everyday Ordinary, Yet Extraordinary.
Living a creative life. Discovering the beauty and wonder of nature right outside my door. Stories about art, nature, and science. Come on in and be inspired.
The Milky Way
The neighbors tore out the warm, earthy pavers and replaced them with cold concrete — a driveway transformation that diminished their property’s curbside appeal. Why? They must have had their reasons. After the dust settled and the concrete hardened, my eye catches a...
The Shop Is Open. Here’s Why It Took So Long.
Shown above are three samples of fine art watercolor prints, made with the environment in mind. They’re widening 35W. The creep of highway lanes means less habitat for wildlife. Driving* through narrow passages with concrete barriers, I hear the low grind of equipment...
This Beetle Cleans Bones for Museums & Solves Murders
While I was working on this particular beetle, I kept thinking of Maurice Sendak's "Where the Wild Things Are." A furry bear of an insect with claws — and would you look at those antennae? Meet Dermestes maculatus, best known as the Hide Beetle, a member of the family...
The Beetle That’s Undoing a 130-Year-Old Mistake
Today, I give you an ecological hero story about a little beetle that gives us biocontrol over a very invasive plant, the Leafy Spurge. When I saw the video reel by @saintpaulnaturalresources about releasing the Leafy Spurge Beetle (Aphthona lacertosa) at Pig’s Eye...
What Is It About Stink Bugs?
I always fall for the bad boys — even the stinky ones. When I first spotted a Brown Marmorated Stink Bug clinging to our window screen, I thought I was looking at an alluring tiny dinosaur, armed with thick patterned plates (a heraldic shield shape) — it was their...
Benign Boxelder Bug
You know you are looking at a female Boxelder tree (Acer negundo) (considered the ugly duckling in the maple tree family) by the swarming Boxelder bugs (Boisea trivittata) up her trunk. I think of this as a spiritual pilgrimage in the insect world. That’s as far as...
Ladies of State
When was the last time you watched a ladybug crawl up to your finger? As she reaches the tip, she opens her spotted shell to unfurl her wings and fly away while you, mesmerized by this small miracle, make a wish. These are more childhood memories than everyday...
How This Artist Structures Her Week
Studio Time, Business, and Staying Sane For 25 years, I ran a freelance art director / graphic design business. There were clients to keep happy and projects with deadlines. Every weekday, I knew what to prioritize, what needed to be done for clients, but also what...
Just Dancing in The Dark
It’s tempting to call this piece Turn Off Your Damn Porch Lights So I Can Find Me a Lover. This is a major issue for fireflies in Minnesota (and elsewhere) trying to find a mate. Night light pollution. When I was a little girl, my brother and I would run out to the...
bring nature indoors
From My Studio to Your Home
Wandering through favorite local spaces, traveling to islands, and hunting for beauty in unexpected places, my watercolors and drawings bring the peace of nature to every room in your home.
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Behind the Scenes
Natural objects, references, and drawings, studies that sometimes lead to progress, discoveries, and new directions. As an artist, I have a deep curiosity about our relationship with the natural world and how this is shifting. Out of curiosity comes the research, observation, and material that can turn into insightful (hopefully), inspiring posts for you to explore. Feel free to leave a comment.
ABOUT
Terra Kind Studio showcases the creative work of visual artist and designer Kristin Maija Peterson. Growing up among prairies, lakes, rivers, and oak savannas along with her project work with environmental organizations have collectively influenced her creative path. Kristin works in watercolor, graphite, color pencil, oil pastels, and pen and ink, interpreting in detail the beautiful chaos she finds in native wild spaces and its inhabitants who call these spaces home. Kristin sees all living creatures as kin and is always kind to spiders.
Contact
e: hello@terrakindstudio.com
p: 651 318 7100
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Be Kind to Everything That Lives.
