contact me to commission art or teach a class
swordwhale@yahoo.com
https://www.facebook.com/swordwhale
Tune in to my Facebook page above for livestreams as I work!
support your local indie artist/writer & publishers
Grandma Swordwhale's Mermaiding Book is for anyone who loves Planet Water and merfolk.
Merfolk are any size, any shape, any color, any gender, any age.
Putting on a tail and swimming like a merrow is exercise for body, mind and spirit. If you can't swim, you can decorate your mer-grotto, do land based photoshoots, play with green screen, explore your local waters by wading with an underwater viewer (you can make one) or by kayak or by visiting an aquarium. Create your own oasis with a garden pond or fish tank.
You don't have to have lots of money to do any of it. There are inexpensive monofins and tails, or you can make your own tail. A home aquarium can be a five gallon tank and some cherry shrimp. A garden pond can be a tub with water plants that attracts frogs and birds. Decorating can be done with treasures from a thrift shop.
In this book I show you how to do all of that. And then explore a few of the wonders of my backyard in the Chesapeake Bay watershed from pond to stream to east coast barrier islands.
My mer-book is available now: $10 by PayPal to swordwhale@yahoo.com (you don't need an account to use PayPal). Include your address! We will dropship it direct to you. On request, I can send you an autographed/doodled card to go with your book.
Merfolk are any size, any shape, any color, any gender, any age.
Putting on a tail and swimming like a merrow is exercise for body, mind and spirit. If you can't swim, you can decorate your mer-grotto, do land based photoshoots, play with green screen, explore your local waters by wading with an underwater viewer (you can make one) or by kayak or by visiting an aquarium. Create your own oasis with a garden pond or fish tank.
You don't have to have lots of money to do any of it. There are inexpensive monofins and tails, or you can make your own tail. A home aquarium can be a five gallon tank and some cherry shrimp. A garden pond can be a tub with water plants that attracts frogs and birds. Decorating can be done with treasures from a thrift shop.
In this book I show you how to do all of that. And then explore a few of the wonders of my backyard in the Chesapeake Bay watershed from pond to stream to east coast barrier islands.
My mer-book is available now: $10 by PayPal to swordwhale@yahoo.com (you don't need an account to use PayPal). Include your address! We will dropship it direct to you. On request, I can send you an autographed/doodled card to go with your book.
pay through PayPal, (with or without your own account)
to swordwhale@yahoo.com
inspired by fantasy & myth, nature, the sea, superheroes and science
My primary medium is watercolor with Prismacolor Pencil and acrylic touches. I also have done nature-based murals for local parks using house paint and acrylics. I have taught basic watercolor and wildlife sketching classes for those parks too, mainly Nixon Park in Jacobus PA. I can do art classes in southcentral PA. I can ship reasonably sized pieces of art nearly anywhere.
I do a fair amount of photography I call "play with your toys"; photographing collectibles, toys and models in natural settings. It's a fun project to teach kids; take a character on your next hike or vacation and photograph them! There is a section on this website to demonstrate the fun! I can also teach a class on it!
Also: Gramma Swordwhale (or Mermom) mermaid.
I do a fair amount of photography I call "play with your toys"; photographing collectibles, toys and models in natural settings. It's a fun project to teach kids; take a character on your next hike or vacation and photograph them! There is a section on this website to demonstrate the fun! I can also teach a class on it!
Also: Gramma Swordwhale (or Mermom) mermaid.
wetland mural, Nixon County Park Jacobus PA, detail of great egret fishing
ORIGINALS
My standard mediums are
$75 for 8x10, shipped, flat. One animal, loose watercolor vignette background, or one animal in Prismacolor, paper color is background.
$30 for a vellum bristol card (9x12, folded to 4.5x6, image on front). No need for frame, this will stand on a shelf.
Larger pieces (19x25" Prismacolor) are $300, shipped in tube. I can't ship large watercolors as the large paper is too stiff to roll.
"Seaponies" are the ponies of Chincoteague Island, done as seahorses. I also do other fantasy characters and creatures; purrmaids, seadawgs, your pony as a unicorn. winged horse, hippogriff, etc. Ask about custom characters.
I generally do not do canvas works, and absolutely do not do oils. No. Nope. (too stinky and annoying).
Murals: ask for guesstimate according to size and complexity of art you want (finish charged by time involved). I bring the tools, you bring the surface and paint.
My standard mediums are
- watercolor (with Prismacolor pencil and some acrylic) on vellum bristol paper.
- Prismacolor pencil on MiTientes paper (or equivalent)
- murals (room size or smaller) in latex water based house paint and acrylic: can be painted on wall, or be portable on masonite or similar base (I do not do tall ladders and cherry pickers)
- 9x12 paper, fits in 8x10" mat opening (you can easily buy off the shelf mats and frames)(please use a mat for all paper art)
- full sheet of MiTientes paper, 19"x25"
- tiny: fits into 5x7opening mat. Requires same level of time effort and shipping so same as 8x10. Can be seen at places like Nixon County Park (or shows). Can be an original art greeting card.
- discuss custom sizes as needed
$75 for 8x10, shipped, flat. One animal, loose watercolor vignette background, or one animal in Prismacolor, paper color is background.
$30 for a vellum bristol card (9x12, folded to 4.5x6, image on front). No need for frame, this will stand on a shelf.
Larger pieces (19x25" Prismacolor) are $300, shipped in tube. I can't ship large watercolors as the large paper is too stiff to roll.
"Seaponies" are the ponies of Chincoteague Island, done as seahorses. I also do other fantasy characters and creatures; purrmaids, seadawgs, your pony as a unicorn. winged horse, hippogriff, etc. Ask about custom characters.
I generally do not do canvas works, and absolutely do not do oils. No. Nope. (too stinky and annoying).
Murals: ask for guesstimate according to size and complexity of art you want (finish charged by time involved). I bring the tools, you bring the surface and paint.
pay through PayPal, (with or without your own account)
to swordwhale@yahoo.com
PRINTS: on paper, canvas, cards, mugs, etc.
on Deviantart: www.deviantart.com/swordwhale/shop/prints
Prices vary according to size and style of print, but "Premium giclée prints on high-quality paper stock" is offered as well as canvas and photoprints, and several items like mugs and coasters.
on redbubble: https://www.redbubble.com/people/swordwhale/shop
In the southcentral PA area, you may find my cards or prints at a shop or show. For something very specific (size, paper style) contact me: swordwhale@yahoo.com or facebook message.
If you buy an original artwork, it's yours to photograph or print (for your own amusement, not for sale). I may still do and sell prints of it (unless it's like, your grandkids or something!).
For other ideas contact me! The rest of this site gives you a tour of what I can do.
samples with sizes, mediums, prices
here there be...dragons...
art, stories, crafty stuff, photography, adventures, videos
and mer-folk of all types
scroll down for pages to explore
links to social media
about the artist
check the menu at the top of the page for how-tos and adventures
(exploring Planet Water, kayaking, mushing, pirate ships, Viking ships, horses, and more)
my audience is general, but I keep it kid friendly
Artist, writer, photographer, horseman, mermaid. Nerd: science fiction, fantasy, superheroes, animation, science, fan of weird early lifeforms (paleontology) on this planet.
Have done my favorite work, environmental education art, for local parks. I have paddled in the wake of dolphins, trained actual wild mustangs, a 3 1/4 dog sled team, and live with a small pride of mini panthers. Volunteered with wildlife rehabbers: yes riding in a closed van with a barfing vulture is fun, otters can bite through 6ml dive gloves, and a four month old tiger is the largest one you want to wrestle.
Have decorated underwater Yule trees (styrofoam satin balls compress, the thread wafts off, and they hang UP), carved underwater pumpkins (bluegills spit out the pumpkin bits, but like to taste your thumb). I once spent Halloween, and one earthquake, on pirate ships (see the pirates and privateers section). I also spent one Halloween night working with a lovely young man who had a great Dracula accent.. because he was, in fact, from Transylvania.
Adventure, it's out there, you just need some imagination!
Have done my favorite work, environmental education art, for local parks. I have paddled in the wake of dolphins, trained actual wild mustangs, a 3 1/4 dog sled team, and live with a small pride of mini panthers. Volunteered with wildlife rehabbers: yes riding in a closed van with a barfing vulture is fun, otters can bite through 6ml dive gloves, and a four month old tiger is the largest one you want to wrestle.
Have decorated underwater Yule trees (styrofoam satin balls compress, the thread wafts off, and they hang UP), carved underwater pumpkins (bluegills spit out the pumpkin bits, but like to taste your thumb). I once spent Halloween, and one earthquake, on pirate ships (see the pirates and privateers section). I also spent one Halloween night working with a lovely young man who had a great Dracula accent.. because he was, in fact, from Transylvania.
Adventure, it's out there, you just need some imagination!
join the fleet on facebook
friend me at Teanna Byerts: https://www.facebook.com/swordwhale
(art, nature, cats, ponies, wild ponies, kayaking, mermaids, tutorials and livestreams)
art page and tutorials: https://www.facebook.com/swordwhalewalking/
Kayak Chesapeake Watershed on facebook:
livestreams from the kayak, photos, and whatever friends post too
https://www.facebook.com/groups/261596567988625
Gramma Swordwhale's Mermaiding Page
on facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/431637214326043
How to Train Your Cat on facebook
https://www.facebook.com/groups/288442392347360
swordwhale1 on youtube
art, kayaking, sled dogs, pirate ships and wild ponies
https://www.youtube.com/user/swordwhale1
Instagram @teannabyerts
nature, art, cats and other fun stuff
https://twitter.com/swordwhale1
BUY SWORDWHALE'S STUFF
prints and things, support your local artist
Deviantart: https://www.deviantart.com/swordwhale/shop/prints
RedBubble: https://www.redbubble.com/people/swordwhale/shop
also Zazzle: www.zazzle.com/swordwhale
prints and things, support your local artist
Deviantart: https://www.deviantart.com/swordwhale/shop/prints
RedBubble: https://www.redbubble.com/people/swordwhale/shop
also Zazzle: www.zazzle.com/swordwhale
contact me to: commission art, teach a class, buy a print or craft
swordwhale@yahoo.com
pay through PayPal, (with or without your own account)
to swordwhale@yahoo.com
swordwhale@yahoo.com
pay through PayPal, (with or without your own account)
to swordwhale@yahoo.com
In places where there are seals, there are selkie legends: seal folk who take off their skins to walk on land in human form. On the Northwest Coast of North America, there are similar legends of whale folk who take off their fins... the fin becomes a boat. The shape of a paddler in a kayak is exactly the same as a surfacing orca. A male orca's tall fin is the same size and shape as a 6ft. surfboard. Swordwhale is (in parts of Europe, whence came my ancestors) one of the many names for orca.
pages to explore
click on the pictures below or use the menu at the top to navigate
art and stories
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how to art
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