Rick Lieder

@lostmirror.bsky.social

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Paintings | Photographs ◦◦ Message for commissions ◦◦ • • • • • • • • ▸ Books from Candlewick Press ◦◦ SilentBurn.com ◦◦ ◦◦ Wildlife • BugDreams.com

Portrait drawing of jazz musician Sonny Rollins
A black-capped chickadee in flight not long before sunset on the first day of spring 2026, the Vernal Equinox.
A nuthatch in mid-flight during a snowstorm, wings fully extended, intricate patterns and subtle gradations of gray, white, and brown tones. A blurred background with snowflakes falling in an ethereal winter atmosphere.
An orange cat named Riddle perched on a stool in an art studio.
“A very non linear pursuit,” a vibrant show by Detroit artist Paul “Fifty” Johnson at the Gallery at Ideation Orange.
A nuthatch in mid-flight, wings fully extended, intricate patterns and subtle gradations of gray, white, and brown tones. A soft, blurred background with snowflakes gently falling in an ethereal and serene atmosphere.
A black-capped chickadee flying through a scattering of snowflakes. The bird is frozen in time and quiet stillness.
Two elegant great egrets perched on a nest made of thin, intertwined branches, set against a stark, clear background. The birds are back-to-back, creating a sense of symmetry and quiet balance. Their pristine white feathers are detailed and delicate, contrasting sharply with the dark, spindly branches.
A Red-Winged Blackbird mid-flight with fall leaves in the background, wings spread wide, vivid contrast between deep black feathers and bright red patches on its shoulders.
A Tufted Titmouse in mid-flight, feathers illuminated by soft, natural light in autumn. The background is blurred green, yellow, and blue tones, dreamy, almost ethereal atmosphere.
A European rabbit sitting quietly amidst a dense, dimly lit garden setting. Surrounding it are glowing fireflies, luminous, contrasting beautifully with the dark, shadowy background. A secret moment caught. The color palette is subdued, dominated by deep greens and browns, punctuated by the yellow lights of the fireflies, evoking a magical atmosphere.
Tension between a house finch couple, mid-flight against a softly blurred green background. Wings are spread wide, feathers splayed in a way that conveys motion, energy, and grace.
A grackle in mid-flight, its wings fully extended, an intense gaze and presence. Freedom, mystery, and an otherworldly noir, Halloween aura.
Pen and ink portrait of André Leon Talley, a minimalist line drawing handled like a watercolor painting. Expressive eyes and a thoughtful, cheerful expression.
A woodpecker mid-flight, wings unfurled, a flicker of red atop its crown. Behind it, spheres of light, orbs of scattered sunlight.
A blue jay in mid-flight, intense gaze, wings spread wide, striking blue feathers accentuated by delicate white and black markings.
AI Slop
Close-up image of a grackle, one wing partially extended, revealing intricate feather details and a sense of motion. The monochromatic palette evokes a powerful and mysterious atmosphere.
A close-up of a face, eyes wide open, with long, delicate eyelashes. Large teardrops positioned both under the eyes and on the cheek resemble drops of glass or crystal.
Happy 135th birthday George Herriman!
Portrait of musician and composer Joseph Daley. Legendary tuba player, trombonist, composer, educator and toast of the downtown New York loft scene.
Subtle and poetic watercolor painting of a graceful, alert cat with large, expressive ears.
Pen and ink portrait of Amy Winehouse, a minimalist line drawing with fluid strokes emphasizing the contours of her face and hair. Expressive eyes and a thoughtful, melancholic expression.
A tender moment between a white-tailed deer and its fawn set against a lush, verdant backdrop. Deep greens of the surrounding foliage create a rich, almost immersive atmosphere, making the viewer feel as though they are quietly witnessing a private scene in the forest. The play of light and shadow enhances the peaceful mood, highlighting the smooth textures of the deer's fur and the delicate spots on the fawn. The subtle inclusion of purple flowers adds a gentle pop of color, enriching the scene without overwhelming it. The contrast between the warm, earthy tones of the creatures and the cool, dense greenery adds depth and dimension, pulling the viewer into the environment.
For World Firefly Day, a lightning bug glows at dusk, flying past garden flowers in search of a mate, a tiny fireball flickering just out of reach of small fingertips.
Close-up of a cute Chickadee in mid-flight, its masked black and white face alert, with wings spread and wings glowing from . Background is blurry with blues and greens.
Pen and ink portrait of musician Sly Stone • Born 5 June 1898
Pen and ink & pastel portrait of Spanish poet and playwrite Federico García Lorca • Born 5 June 1898 “Only mystery allows us to live”
Pen and ink portrait of Marilyn Monroe on her 99th birthday. American actress, model and sex symbol. Long after her death, she remains a pop culture icon.
A brilliant blue Blue jay captured in flight, wings spread, on an overcast spring day
Pen and ink portrait of jazz trumpeter Miles Davis
A close-up of a praying mantis nymph on a flower lit by the sun.
A Tufted Titmouse in flight at sunset, its wings like a prism, breaking the light into colors.
Dreaming of bees A bumblebee on a search for pollen is a zigzagging blur, translating the language of flowers as it flies through sun-drenched aster blooms.
A rain-soaked Blue Jay leaves a trail of waterdrops on a spring morning.
A Great White Egret soars through a blue sky, lit by a golden morning sun
A close-up of a Tufted Titmouse in flight, wings spread, the yellow setting sun partially seen through trees in the green and white background.
A close-up of a White-breasted Nuthatch in flight, wings spread, twisting through the air with a sunflower seed in its beak to hide in a nearby tree. The beautiful background is green and blue and yellow.
THE MIGHTY POLLINATORS published by Candlewick Press is a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection
A close-up of a White-breasted Nuthatch in flight, twisting through the air while catching the last rays of the evening sun.
Drawings of two horses colorful with golden tones and flowing manes
Portrait of American jazz saxophonist, bandleader and composer John Coltrane.One of the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th-century music. Pen & ink, watercolor
Two Sandhill Crane colts, not quite a month old, explore their new world. Their parents watched from nearby, in a sunny, shadowy Michigan wetland. An outtake from my 2016 book HELLO, I'M HERE! It reminds me of one of the most iconic photographs in photography history, W. Eugene Smith’s 1946 image “The Walk to Paradise Garden”.
A Golden-eyed Lacewing catches the day's last sunbeams. Delicate wings weave shards of light. t
A firefly drifts gently over a leafy lawn, golden glow flickering like a tiny lantern at twilight. A quiet celebration of life and mystery.
Too fast to catch — a Red-Winged Blackbird is a flash of tail feathers against the spring sky. Dark wings vanishing, fleeting and sharp. Photographed at close range and from behind.
Close-up of a cute Chickadee in mid-flight, its masked black and white face alert, with wings spread and talons out. Background is blurry with blues and greens.
A brilliant blue Blue jay captured in flight, wings spread, on an overcast spring day
Samuel Beckett’s writing featured a blend of tragedy, black comedy, and bleak absurdity. Enormously prolific, writing plays, short stories, novels, poems, and translations. Waiting For Godot had an enormous impact on the world of theater. He earned the Nobel Prize in literature in 1969. Melvin Maddocks wrote of Beckett, “He wanders among misty bogs turned surreal, he talks to the wee folk of his own bad dreams, he files reports on introspected black visions with a kind of blarney eloquence. Like an actress cradling a doll for her stage baby, his language keens and croons about tales that are not quite there.” "When you're in the shit up to your neck, there's nothing left to do but sing."
Close-up portrait with dramatic sunset lighting of a cute Chickadee in flight with oversized round head, tiny body, black cap and white cheeks
Tufted Titmouse in flight showing sharp talons partially obscured by wings
Tufted Titmouse in flight near sunset
Grackle versus Red-winged Blackbird
Black-capped Chickadee in flight
Orchard Orbweaver spider in web, Leucauge venusta
Chickadee in flight at sunset
Blue jay in flight
Tufted Titmouse in flight