top of page

Wildlife Drawn in Charcoal
with a Mental Health Connection

Brave Devotion
Looking out on the horizon, the White Lion is devoted to protecting the pride. Through this devotion, the lion overcomes fears, protects the vulnerable, and finds harmony with the natural world. Like the lion, we can summon the bravery it takes to be devoted in how we love ourselves and all living things, because even when it feels vulnerable to open our hearts, great strength comes from protecting what we love.

Forward Momentum
As a storm approaches, the Bison joins with its herd. They band together to face the storm head on. Their kindness and interconnectedness allows them the momentum to keep moving forward to get through the toughest weather.

Harbinger of Hope
After flying through many dark nights, the Raven looks up to the sky. Feeling the warmth of daylight, it reflects on all the small glimmers of light and hope that guided the way through darkness. It knows deep within that it will always carry that glimmer of hope, a sign of bright days ahead.

Space to Grieve and Live
The Raven sits alone, mourning a life-changing loss. It appears immersed in an environment that feels bright and empty and alone as though its world has been drained of life. It knows that the solemn pains of its grief will never go away, but it remembers that it can fly and will not stay forever in this lonely place. It will grow around its pain to make space for a meaningful and lovely life.

Fiercely Grounded
Emerging from its burrow, the Badger embodies resilience and determination. It doesn’t let fear hold it back from living fully in the present moment, remaining fiercely grounded, and not backing down from a challenge.

Persistent Spirit
Braving the harsh terrain and weather of the Scottish Highlands, the Highland Cow symbolizes strength, resilience, and the rugged spirit of its people. This gentle giant reminds us of the inner resilience and spirit we carry in facing life’s challenges.

Hope in the Stars
The Snow Leopard looks up at the night sky, surrounded by darkness. At first, it seems lost in the vastness of the night. But as the stars begin to shine, the leopard finds comfort and hope in their light. This piece captures the quiet moment of remembering that even in the darkest times, there is always beauty and hope to be found by looking up. Because while the night is temporary, the hope found in the stars is enduring.

Graceful Resistance
Gliding along the water’s surface, the swan resists being consumed by the dark depths through carrying a light of compassion and love. It gathers its strength before it's ready to fly, reminding us that love and compassion are the resistance we need to gather
our strength to fly.
our strength to fly.

Abundant Courage
The Bear's power has a strong presence in the animal kingdom because of its sheer size, strength, and abundant courage to face life head-on. The Bear doesn't let doubt prevent it from doing hard things, reminding us that when we move past our doubts, we too can have the courage to do hard things.

A Lucky Moment
As a symbol of luck and self-growth, the hedgehog finds some of its own luck as it comes across some beautiful mushrooms along its path. Not knowing the beauty of the treetops like the birds, the hedgehog finds the small beauties of life and stays grounded in gratitude.

Savor the Moment
A symbol of hard work and prosperity, the chipmunk busily gathers acorns along its path. But today, instead of rushing, it pauses to appreciate a calming spot nestled in the forest. And with gratitude it savors the moment.

Humble Endurance
The Tortoise symbolizes longevity and wisdom, as it can live for over 100 years. While our life spans may not be as long, we can take inspiration from how the tortoise lives. The Tortoise moves along at its own pace, not concerned with the pace of others. In this way, it stays grounded in humility and endures the tests and trials of time.

Protective Wisdom
Though small in size, the burrow owl carries a bold protective presence and sharp awareness, using its vocalizations to warn of danger. Likewise, we have our own inner protector that can use anger as a wise signal, alerting us to potential harm or unmet needs. When we approach that feeling with the owl's clarity and curiosity, it reveals what needs protection and care, and how we can respond with wisdom.

Joyful Embrace
As a very social and playful creature, the Otter never misses an opportunity to embrace the joys of life. The Otter plays and finds joy in life's challenges, reminding us that we, too, can face life's challenges and embrace joy.

Curious Observance
The Fox, known for its clever and playful nature, sits in the grass observing its surroundings. Using intelligence and creativity, it makes its own luck and does not waste time sitting in judgement. It knows that to have fun, be adaptable, and be resilient, it must approach life with curious observance.

The Wisdom of Patience
Standing in the water for long periods, the Heron uses its strength and sound judgement to be patient. It doesn't abandon hope that what it needs will come, reminding us not to abandon hope even when the waters look empty. If we can tap into the wisdom and patience, good things will come.

Resourceful Anticipation
The Squirrel plans for the future months when its resources are limited. The requires that the Squirrel be adaptable and resourceful to prepare for a more challenging time when its resources are spread thin. Like the Squirrel, planning for our future self helps us anticipate and adapt to future challenges.

Resourceful Agility
In its search for what it stored away, the squirrel sometimes forgets, so it has to rely on its agility and adaptability to survive. It understands that even with careful planning, things don’t always go as expected. Through observing how the squirrel keeps moving forward and adjusts to what comes, we can use our agility and resourcefulness to navigate the unpredictable moments of life.

Renewed in the Rain
In the first rainfall of Spring, the Robin emerges to rejoice in the regrowth that comes with the transition from winter to spring. In the same way, we can recognize that during the rainfall, new growth lies ahead, and it might be the start of something beautiful. It's a renewal in the rain.

Imparting Clarity
The Blue Jay calls out as it sits on the branch, not caring how others may judge its call because it uses its voice to communicate its presence with clarity. The Blue Jay imparts to us the importance of clarity and communication, encouraging us to speak up for our values and what's close to our hearts.

Vision of Light in the Darkness
The Owl eye is able to see through the darkest nights, and this piece conveys the importance of reflecting light back into the world when we see it, even during dark and trying times.

Focused Ambition
With its incredible speed, intelligence, and vision, the Falcon pursues its goals with tenacity. Once it has its eyes on what's most important, it rises to the challenge. In the same way, when we keep our eyes fixed on the things that are important to us, we rise to the challenge with ambition in our hearts.

A New Horizon
As the Eagle surveys its surroundings, it looks onto the horizon and discovers new adventures.

Hopeful Discovery
The Lynx looking up in wonder demonstrates themes of holding onto hope and the wonders of self-discovery.

Attunement
As the Wolf looks up in the moonlight and shares its call to connect and harmonize with nature, this action symbolizes that we can reach a state of attunement and connection with our own nature.
bottom of page
.png)
