Mergansers

Barbara Schelling is a lifelong graphic designer who lives in Bigfork, Montana. Six years ago, she sat on her porch and watched a Rufous hummingbird who was extremely territorial and plain mean to all other birds and critters. This bird was dubbed Eric the Red because of his ferocious personality. She decided to paint him as Erik the Red, the Viking, and this started a new illustration tangent that was delightfully unexpected. In all the paintings, she wants to capture the details and anatomy of local birds and animals but add a quirky personality through fantastical embellishment and a brief story. Barbara is also a member of the Nakoda (Assiniboine) tribe based in Fort Belknap, MT, and is continuously learning about the cultural, personal, and historical aspects of being indigenous. Throughout all of this beauty, she has found that light and humor are in the details.