Artist Profile

Lucy Arnold

Novato, CA

The profusion of color, pattern and design in nature captivates me. A trip to the heart of the Amazon Jungle, with its incredible variety of life, inspired me to explore new, fascinating avenues of realistic watercolor.

With a background in biology, I thoroughly enjoy the preliminary research as well as the challenge of composing and creating each natural history painting. I depict real species, as I can't imagine life forms more wonderful, beautiful or bizarre than those actually found here on Earth. Beetles, bugs, sea slugs, spiders, fish, birds, moths, caterpillars and butterflies have all found their way into my art.

I also paint cosmic abstractions and create surreal digital art, which must surely engage completely different parts of my brain and creativity. My passion for color is the one thing that connects all my art, in every body of work.

Lucy has created art since childhood, and has always been intrigued with nature.
She received a degree with Honors in Biology from UCSC, then began a needlepoint design company. Lucy has exhibited fine art in CA since 1995, and her work is held by collectors in over 20 US states and in several other countries. Her award-winning paintings, ranging from scientific realism to complete abstraction, have been published as book covers and illustrations, stickers, cards, prints, and calendars. She is a Signature Member of Marin Society of Artists and artist member of Marin MOCA, CA Watercolor Association and Golden Gate-Marin Artists. She illustrated a hardcover picture book (and companion coloring book), Alphabet Dreams, and her second picture book, Druk and Mita, with Inevitable Ink Publishing. She is currently Art Editor and National Publications Chair of the National League of American Pen Women, Inc.