Reflections of Wildlife No. 3 — “Panther at Rest”
Original acrylic on primed wood panel by Arco • Reflections of Wildlife collection
When I paint Florida’s wildlife, I’m really painting choices. In this portrait, a Florida panther lounges on a cypress limb, wearing mirrored aviators. One lens holds a clear, turquoise river framed by palms; the other shows scraped earth and the stark shapes of development. The glasses aren’t a gimmick—they’re a mirror: two futures reflected in the eyes of an animal that survives only if we choose well.
About the artwork
- Medium: Acrylic on primed wood panel (all brushwork)
- Technique: Dozens of thin, transparent glazes for fur depth; dry-brush and liner work for whiskers; soft scumbles for bark textures; final varnish for clarity and UV resistance
- Series: Reflections of Wildlife — paintings that place threatened animals in intimate portraits with “what they see” reflected back at us
Why the Florida panther?
Florida’s state animal is also one of North America’s most imperiled big cats. Painting the panther felt like painting the hinge between wilderness and sprawl—quiet strength balanced on a branch.
Florida Panther Fast Facts (easy to read + share)
- Name: Florida panther (Puma concolor coryi), a regional population of the cougar
- Status: Federally Endangered (listed since 1967)
- Where they live: Mostly South Florida—Everglades, Big Cypress, and the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge
- How many: Roughly 120–230 adults and subadults in the wild today
- Home range: Large—males can roam 150–200 sq. miles; females often 60–80
- Diet: White-tailed deer, feral hogs, raccoons, and other small to mid-sized prey
- Biggest threats: Habitat loss and fragmentation, vehicle strikes (the leading recorded cause of death), limited genetic diversity, and disease
- Conservation wins: Wildlife underpasses along Alligator Alley reduce road kills; genetic rescue in the 1990s improved overall health of the population
Symbolism inside the shades
- Left lens (water & palms): The living heart of South Florida—wetlands, mangroves, and the clean water that sustains deer and every link in the food chain.
- Right lens (scarred ground): Roads, lots, and the edges that slice apart a cat that needs miles.
- Between them: A quiet face. Panthers are solitary and seldom seen. The calm here is not complacency—it’s resilience waiting on our decision.
What you can do
- Drive slow in panther country. Collisions are preventable.
- Support habitat corridors and land conservation groups working in South Florida.
- Share the story. The more people see the panther, the less invisible its needs become.
Collect the art
- Original: Panther at Rest — acrylic on wood panel (Reflections of Wildlife).
- Limited, signed prints: Edition and paper details on the product page.
- Open edition prints & apparel: See the Prints – Not Limited and Merch categories.