Field Notes: Creatures & Legends

There are things in this world that don’t always fit neatly into explanation. Stories passed down, shapes seen in the treeline, names whispered in old places… and sometimes, just sometimes, a feeling that there is more going on in the world than what we can easily measure.

Welcome to my field notes.

This is where I gather creatures, legends, and strange little threads of folklore that have followed me throughout my life and inevitably found their way into my art.

Think of this space as a sketchbook for the imagination; it’s part storytelling, part observation, part wonder.

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What you’ll find here

This page is a collection of my personal explorations into legendary beings and folklore-inspired creatures. Some of these may come from myth, some from cultural stories, some from modern “cryptid” sightings, and some… simply from imagination that refuses to sit still.

Here, I organize them into loose categories as I study and paint them:

• Cryptids | Hidden creatures said to exist in the natural world.
• Mythic Beasts | Legendary creatures from ancient stories and cultural myth.
• The Fae & Hidden Folk | Nature-connected beings from folklore and otherworldly tales.
• Shapeshifters | Beings defined by transformation between forms or identities.
• Elemental Beings | Manifestations of natural forces like earth, water, air, and fire.

These categories are not meant to lock things down too tightly. Think of them more like field sketches than strict classifications.

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Why I keep these field notes

Some people collect stamps. Some people collect stones or pressed flowers.

I collect stories.

I’ve always been drawn to the idea that the world is layered, visible and invisible, ordinary and extraordinary, existing side by side. As an artist, these stories often become inspiration for my watercolor ACEO pieces and other works.

Sometimes a creature becomes a painting.
Sometimes a painting becomes a question.
And sometimes a question becomes a story I can’t stop thinking about.

This is where I keep track of all of it.

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A note on perspective

I approach these field notes through a biblical worldview, which naturally shapes how I see wonder and story. For me, exploring creatures and legends is not about worship or fascination with the unknown, but about noticing design, imagination, and the deeper layers of creation.

These stories often stir awe rather than answers, and I find that they frequently deepen my appreciation for the creativity and complexity of the world and the One who made it.

So while I treat these entries as folklore, symbolism, and artistic inspiration, I hold them loosely, always returning to a place of gratitude and wonder toward the Creator.

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Field Notes (Blog + Entries)

Below you’ll find individual field entries like pages pulled from a journal.

Each one may include:

• sketches or artwork
• notes on origin or folklore
• personal reflections
• symbolic meaning or artistic interpretation

This section will grow over time, so feel free to wander through it slowly. There’s no single order here, just discoveries waiting to be found.

These pages aren’t here to convince you of anything.

They’re here to notice.

To wonder.

And to leave a little space for mystery again.

After all… field notes have a way of becoming art.

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