Working in a 2D format, my compositions that focuses on color and texture are created in oil, acrylic and watercolor paintings and digital art.
Art Auction 2022
Through September 28: Art on Display All the art in the collection will be on display in the station lobby and common area during normal business hours, Monday – Friday, 8:30AM – 5PM.
2030 W. El Camino Avenue Sacramento CA, 95833-1866 916-929-KVIE (5843)
This will give you an opportunity to experience the art in person at your convenience and place bids.
Friday, Sept. 30 7PM - 10PM
Saturday, Oct. 1 Noon - 10PM
Sunday, Oct. 2 10AM - 8PM
Download the PBS KVIE Art Auction Handbook
"Three Mustangs", Digital painting on framed canvas, 20" x 30"
From 22-Apr-2022 To 22-May-2022
Online at at Biafarin Online Exhibition
From 22-Apr-2022 To 22-May-2022
Online at at Biafarin Online Exhibition
Opening Reception, Friday, January 1 2022
9683 Elk Grove Florin Road
Elk Grove, CA 95624
Starts Friday Jan 1, 2022
Ends Thursday Jan 27, 2022
If you are interested in purchasing this painting, please email me at paperdragonart@yahoo.com
Original paintings of large and smaller sized are avilable for purchase.
Vector images and illustrations. Beautiful, affordable reproductions!
2D custom and concept art.
Some of the originals are available for sale. If you are interested in purchasing an original painting or would like some custom work, please contact me via email.
This painting is part of a series of dragon screens that represented the keepers of the earth elements. They care for the clouds that hold the rain, the water, that transport life and fire that provides warmth and light. This is the cloud dragon, that controls the water from above.
This screen is one of three screens with elemental dragons flying across them. This one is the Fire Dragon, keeper of light and warmth, able to cleanse all things.
These is the third in a series of dragon screens. This is the water dragon, the ruler of moving bodies of water. I controls the gentile streams, the flowing rivers and the raging seas. I is the yang masculine power of generation.
This painting and the "Black Dragon 2 were experiments in using different black acrylic paints. I wanted to play with texture, light and what different black colored paints would do to the surface of a painting. I chose to only concentrate on the head of a mythic beast to simplify and use the eye as a contrast and area of focus.
This painting and the "Black Dragon" were experiments in using different black acrylic paints. I wanted to play with texture, light and what different black colored paints would do to the surface of a painting. I chose to only concentrate on the head of a mythic beast to simplify and use the eye as a contrast and area of focus.
This painting is part of a series of ginkgo leaf paintings. Leaves float on the surface of water while a dragon swims beneath.
This painting is the second in a series of ginkgo leaf paintings. Leaves float on the surface of water while a dragon swims beneath.
>This painting is the third in a series of ginkgo leaf paintings. Leaves float on the surface of water while a dragon swims beneath.
This painting is part of a series of gingko leaf sries of paintings. This painting is of golden leaves blowing in the wind.
I got an ispiration for this piece This painting is part of a series of ginkgo leaf paintings.
I got an ispiration for this piece seeing fallen leaves with frost of them. This painting is part of a series of ginkgo leaf paintings.
This painting of gingko leaves, was inspired by leaf stains that I saw on the sidewalk. The original has layers of paint, including a luniescent pigment embeded in the layers that would make it glow if it is exposed to sunlight, heat or a blacklight. This image has the glow image layered on top of the nonglow views of the same painting.
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In the spring, while pulling weeds in the garden, I noticed that the dandelion and the sow thistle looked very much alike, but grew very differently. I tried to show the difference in this painting. This painting is part of a series of common weed paintings.
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This weed is called sticky weed or "bed straw" because it was used as a filler for mattresses. All parts of the plant have tiny barbs to make it stick on clothing, fur or it's self. I had to paint them! This painting is part of a series of common weed paintings.
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In the spring, while pulling weeds in the garden, I noticed that the pattern of the pulled weeds as they lay on the adjacent concrete pathway reminded me of lace. I had to paint them! This painting is part of a series of common weed paintings.
My husband gave me a big, beautiful hanging pot if pink bouganvilla. The blooms were so tightly packed together that hardly any of the green leaves were showing. All of that pink was actually modified leaves that surround the actual little white flower. I had to paint them!
I have always been facinated with irises amd at one time I had 700 varieties of irises. This was one of them It is a medium bearded iris with an unusual dark beard.
For years I had grown and given away an array of iris plants in a variety of colors, sizes and type. This is one of just three varieties of I rises that I have left. It bloomed this spring, revealing its creamy, ruffeled, purple edged flowers.
Someone left bags of rhizomes outside the church on a bench that said, "free!". I took one of the bags and planted the rhizomes. They turned out to be beautiful, hardy ground orchids, bletilla striata, that are native to China, Japan, Vietnam, Taiwan and myanmar. I had to do a watercolor painting of one of the plants in bloom!
I got a tree from the Arcadia Arbroetum and planted it in our front yard. It grew into a beautiful tree with these large, pink flowers, but the trunk was studded with thorny spikes! Ine day I tripped and stumbled against the thorns, scratching myself. I found out then that I was allergic to it!
Japanese, myoga ginger is an odd plant. The plant itself looks like other ginger plants, but the flowers bloom from a scally looking bud that emerges from the base of the plant. This is the edible part, not the root. My plants gave me several buds that I decided to do a painting of before I would pickle them later.
With all of the lemons that we had this year, I douldn't ignor them, so I painted them. I love how they hung like golden pendants against the dark leaves!
This year we had so many lemons that I was able to give many away. This crazy tree was flowering while the ripe fruit was still on it, so I had to paint it for the second time. I loved the way that the lemons stood out against the dark leaves, studded with the light pink flowers.
This is part of the Paso Robles series, but this mission is located in the nearby town of San Miguel, CA. I painted this on site, sitting at the front of the mission where they have a low wall and giant agave cactus planted.
This is part of the Paso Robles series, painted from many photos that I had taken during the winter time when the vines were bare.
This is part of the Paso Robles series,showing the vineyards in the spring. The new growth of grass and vine really are that bright, vibrant green.
This is a painting of a house and it's outbuildings just outside of the town of Paso Robles, CA
Much of what I loved about views of the vineyards around Paso Robles, CA was the skies. They were wide open the view to the distant areas. The sky displayed the promise of the weather that is so intricatly tied to farming and the success of a good harvest. Every view of the sky tells the weather condition, wind, rain, cold, or no cloud could mean unrelenting heat.
Much of what I loved about views of the vineyards around Paso Robles, CA was the skies. They were wide open the view to the distant areas. The sky displayed the promise of the weather that is so intricatly tied to farming and the success of a good harvest. Every view of the sky tells the weather condition, wind, rain, cold, or no cloud could mean unrelenting heat.
Much of what I loved about views of the vineyards around Paso Robles, CA was the skies. They were wide open the view to the distant areas. The sky displayed the promise of the weather that is so intricatly tied to farming and the success of a good harvest. Every view of the sky tells the weather condition, wind, rain, cold, or no cloud could mean unrelenting heat.
My sister and her husband live in a house that is set on a hillside with a clear view of the hills accross the valley. We would often be amazed when the sun set and stand out side to take pictures or paint images of the sky on fire!
Fern Canyon in Prarie Creek Redwoods State Park is my absolutly favorite spot on earth! We used to go camping at Praire Creek every summer, where we would hike down to Gold Bluffs Beach where the elk lounge in the sand dunes, munching grass. The Fern Canyon was at the end of the road, but continued the trail back up to the camp grounds. This canyon was also used for a scene in Jurassic Park. I painted this scene from memory in Adobe Photoshop.
While traveling, my mother and I would often visit this mission where her friend was a nun who lived there. While they talked, I would walk around outside to take photos. The string of missions that were built along the coast of California provided a stop for travelers on the El Camino Real, The Royal Road. This view is from that road, now broken up by modern roads and new residences. A piece still exsists on the back side of this mission.
While traveling, my mother and I visited this old train yard and train museum.You can take a ride in the open coaches of a steam engine and visit the museum to learn about the trains in the 1800's. I painted this painting from memory and some photos that I had taken. I distinctly remembered this scene as my mom walked along the wooden train platform ahead of me.
I have never lived in Park City Utah, but a friend of mine does. As winter enclosed that area with snow, I imagined her and her husband enjoying a sleigh ride in the snow!
Forest fires can be devastating for humans affected by it, but there are several species of plants that depend upon fire. Forest fires also clears out underbrush, sick and dying vegetation and opens up the forest to allow light for new healthy growth.
In Chinese mythology, the dragon is associated with water, the air and clouds that control the water and weather that affects crops and the production of food. This powerful dragon also controls the wind, so it is lucky to have!
Dragons have dominion over water and sky. This dragon in the sky is about to unleash rain on to the earth to quench the parched land.
I had originally drawn the landscape in this picture from photos that my sister took while flying. later I added the wolves and the balloon as a whimsical illustration.
Castle Mountains is a protected National Monument that provides a safe home for countless plant and animal species.
This was a poster design for Creative Action Network's campaign to bring awareness of the national parks and monuments The route that the Pony Express ran is now a national monument. Sacramento, CA was the last stop for the Pony Express riders in 1860. The riders were young, no older than 18, and face dangerous conditions on their sprint, that ran 10 days or less, from St. Joseph, MO to California. It lasted only 18 months.
This is a digital drawing inspired to bring about awareness of the struggle of the wild mustang. To bring awareness to the culling process that prevents them remain free. They are a symbol of the spirit of the West and the American Indian. The wild horses are rounded up with helicopters, by the BLM and the cattle industry, then herded hundreds of miles to be transported and auctioned off to be slaughtered for pet food or a few for adoption. Horses are social and have close family groups. These roundups separate family members, mothers and babies and many succumb to the brutal drives.
This is a digital drawing inspired to bring about awareness of the struggle of the wild mustang. To bring awareness to the culling process that prevents them remain free. They are a symbol of the spirit of the West and the American Indian. The wild horses are rounded up with helicopters, by the BLM and the cattle industry, then herded hundreds of miles to be transported and auctioned off to be slaughtered for pet food or a few for adoption. Horses are social and have close family groups. These roundups separate family members, mothers and babies and many succumb to the brutal drives.
This digital painting of a pack of wild, painted, African dogs is an illustration of an endangered species As of this date, there are only 6600 individuals left. They are threatened by loss of habitat, deseases and human perscution. Loosing these beautiful animals would be a terrible loss!
The tiger is the largest cat in the world as one species, Panthera tigris, but there are 9 subspecies that live across Asia, from Russia to Indochina. Of the 9 subspecies, 3 are extinct and of the remaining 6 species, 3 are managed by zoos. In 2016, there were only 2,500 mature, breeding individuals. Tigers are critically endangered.
The Lesser Prairie Chicken is a member of the grouse family, birds that breed and feed on insects and seeds that they find on the ground. It is a medium to large bird, striped white and brown, slightly smaller and paler than its near relative the greater prairie chicken. Because of their loss of habitat due to farming, gas drilling and the increased air and ground temperatures. Their range has declined to only 17 % of it's original habitat!
This is the Whitesided Jackrabbit, native to the Southwestern U.S. Due to farming and a reduction to their habitat, they are limited to Southern New Mexico aan parts of Mexico.I illustrated a family of jackrabbits playing among some of the native wildflowers in the area.
During a visit to a beautiful Buddist temple in Hawaii, i got to watch koi fish in the pond near by. Swimming with the koi were smaller golden colored fish. The differences in size and color provided the perfect foil for the dark water and the golden ginkgo leaves.
The poppy is also called "Cup of Gold" and is a native of the US and Mexico. I love seeing entire hillsideCalifornia's state flower, but I had to draw it as it
My son had been at me for years to draw more fantasy images. I have always loved to paint fantasy pictures that tell a story with faries, trolls and dragons I loved drawing them because I could be as inventive as I wanted. I loved fairies because they can fly, are associated with all things nature and express such different parsonalities! They are the fantasy embodiment of us!
I choose to draw this sunflower fairy because sunflowers seem to embody joy and they are represent summer and having fun!
When our mother was ill, my sister folded 1000 paper cranes for her. For hundreds of years, the Japanese crane, Asian crane, or the red-crowned crane, Grus japonensis, is a symbol of longevity and immortality. According to mythology they live to be 1000 years old! The truth is that these cranes are extremely in dangered of becoming extinct. There are less than 2000 birds living in the wild, including 950 individuals that perrmanently live in Japan. These birds do not migrate, but the rest of the population that live in China and Korea do migrate.
I wanted to draw an image of the pallet wild cat from Mongolia. The kittens are so cute and they are protected in Asia where they occur. But these endangered cats are still hunted for their fur in Mongolia. They live at high elevations and do not do well in captivity and their numbers are dwindling because of the hunting and to encroaching human inhabitants as well. it is heartbreaking to know that these little cats with big personalities could be lost to us. I love Elizabeth Barrett Browning's Sonnet 43 and decided to put it together with the drawing of a pallas kitten and some images of lace to illustrate a deep expression of love. Sonnet 43: "How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. I love thee to the depth and breadth and height My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight For the ends of being and ideal grace. I love thee to the level of every day's Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light. I love thee freely, as men strive for right. I love thee purely, as they turn from praise. I love thee with the passion put to use..."
I've always loved sea snakes, the way they move in water, but not land, their body pattern and their behavior. At one time, I wanted to study them. They are a unique. Like the whales and dolphins, they are vertibrates that are completely aquatic, but have no gills, so they have to return to the surface to breath air.
I drew this black panther at the request of my son. Black panthers are actually a leopard with more coloring than the usual leopard, mostly living in the shadows of the jungle where they can blend into the shadows.
I drew this black panther at the request of my son. Black panthers are actually a leopard with more coloring than the usual leopard, mostly living in the shadows of the jungle where they can blend into the shadows.
I read an article in the Smithsonian magazine about lumiecent plants and animals in nature.bout I knew that some mushrooms glow, some insects, deep sea creatures and rubies! But in this article, I read that some animal fur also glow! What else don't we now about the living things around us. I had to do this Photoshop painting that reflected my thoughts on the possibilities!
If plants and some sea creatures can glow in the dark, then why can't they be cactus that look like translucent jellyfish that can change shap and fly? What is the story in this painting is up to the viewer to decide.
I had this idea of glowing plants and jellyfish that I had indluded in other digital paintings, "Forest Lake", and "Cactus Glow". I thought that this collection of teepees could possibly be flying jellyfish type of creatures that could be vehicals that transport other creatures. The glow in the sky is matched in the glowing teepees. But what is going on in this picture is open to interpetation by the viewer.
The pattern of stars in the night sky has been a guide and inspiration since the beginning of man. In this painting, a shaman raises the staff of promise to the symbol of mother earth who sustains all life!
The snake has been reviered and feared since the first humans had encountered them. The snake has always been the symbol of fertility, immortality and healing. Today two snakes intertwining up a winged Rod of Asclepius is the symbol for medicine!
While on a walk on a foggy spring morning, I found these skeltonized leaves on the ground. They were the remants of leaves that had fallen in the fall. I put together a few leaves together to get this image. In Photoshop, I addedan image of a weak sun, shining through the clouds. It reminded me of the persiverance of life in all of it's manifestations! I titled it, "Be Strong and Courageous, Capture The Light of Joy and Love, For It Is Promised To You!"
Surprised boy with fish wallpaper. All of my designs for CAN were created with Illustrator. For this design, I used photos of the neighbor kids that I took liberties to alter for the design and character. Proceeds support DreamCorps, a social justice accelerator founded by Van Jones that advances economic, environmental, and criminal justice solutions.
This was a book cover design in a literacy campaign to read more books through Creative Action Network. This was one of my Favorite books, so I choose to illustrate it.
This was a design to promote the Green New Deal for Creative Action Network.
This illustration was created to celebrate the home comming of a family member. All the supporting family members are depicted here escorting the them in a gyspy caravan.
This painting was commissioned to portray a gypsy dancing with her exotic clothes.
This painting was created for the family, in memory of the owner of J & J Wines who had suddenly passed.
This was a logo to identify the lace work pieces being sold on Etsy.
This concept character and environment design was done for a game that a group of friend were trying to develop. These were Ice Wolves that had fur made out of shards of ice and were translucent. They hunt in packs and were chasing the group of travelers riding on the beast that is about to cross the lake ahead of them. There is a sword in the ice that could have powers to speak to the wolves.
This was a character design for an animation series.
This concept character design was done for a Sony game. Included are its attributes and character description.
This concept character sketches for a Neopets campaign.
This was one of several drawings that I did for a group of friends that I was working with to develop a game.
This was one of several characters that a group of friends had considered using to develop a game. This was a test example of what this character could look like if it was destroyed.
This character design lineup was to show the variation of costume and color for game characters.
While working at NeoPets, I had designed and illustrated many character assets. This was one for a new campaign called, "Battledome".
I have been an artist as long as I can remember and have a love and fascination with all things in nature and it's possibilities. I love all plants and animals and I am very concerned with the extinction rate of the plant and animal species, so I started to draw as many of them as I could. I wanted to make the images available at affordable price, on a variety of goods in Redbubble and Society 6 to get people to know and care about species extinction.
I had also drawn several designs for Creative Action Network because of their call to artist to make a social statement.
I have also been having fun in creating my own creature creations, especially dragons because of their myth, lore, the possible imagary and their connection to nature in Asian mythology.
Now I have my own shop where you can purchase copies of the originals.
If you are interested in buying one of the original paintings, please contact me.
As a constant student of plant and animal physiology and behavior, there is always something new to learn when trying to understand how my real subjects evolved into their color, shapes and behaviors that I use for inspiration.
I have a Masters degree in art, have taught art to people of all ages for years and have won numerous awards and had many exhibits.
Painting and drawing images that I can get passionate about, the connection between nature and us as humans!.
Digital illustrations for commercial applications, like this dvd cover or book covers, logos, printable art and personal custom art.
Concept character and environment design.
I would love to work with you to create that you love, a painting, logo, illustration for print, images for the web, characters for a game or the environment in which they exists! I'm pretty good at creating images, on paper, canvas and 2D digital, but I can't do everything! But I might be able to create just what you need!
These are some testimonials from people who are very happy with what I have done for them!
"I wanted a label for our olive oil that would incorporate our love of aviation and our dear dalmatian. Lyla captured this charm and pure joy by creating our "flying olive" logo. You can't help but smile when you look at her artwork. She has so many amazing pieces along with informational facts. Love her style."
"We really loved the skull and rose design we put on our t-shirts! It was exactly the gothic/macabre look we were hoping for."
"The painting is spectacular, beautiful and intuitive... Not enough words to say how much I love it!"
"Do what you do so well that they will want to see it again and bring their friends."
Walt Disney
If you have questions, comments about the work that you see, drop me a line! If you want a custom painting tell me what you are interested in!