Animals as Muses: Five Works in Our Gallery Right Now
Updated By VanArtHub Curatorial TeamShare
Animals in art have a longer unbroken record than almost any other subject, and our own animal collection is proof the pull has not weakened. This is a curation post, plain and simple: five original animal works that are actually available in the gallery as of August 2026, described the way we would describe them to you in person. No stock phrases, no works that sold last spring. Just what is on the wall now and why each one earns its place.
Why painters keep coming back to animals
When Albrecht Durer painted his Young Hare in 1502, in watercolour and gouache, he set a standard the subject never escaped: the Albertina's presentation of the work calls it a paragon of observational art, fur rendered so carefully that the workshop window reportedly reflects in the animal's eye. Two centuries later Maria Sibylla Merian went further and put creatures in context. The Rijksmuseum credits her as one of the first artists to draw insects and the very first to show the plants they lived on, in her 1705 Metamorphosis with its 60 hand-coloured plates.
The lesson from both, and the standard we hold our own works to, is that great animal art is an act of attention. The artist has to look at the actual creature longer and harder than the rest of us ever do, and the painting stores that attention. Our animals in art guide traces this history properly; what follows is the present tense.
Five works, five ways of looking
A note on the lineup: right now, the animal collection belongs to the birds, and to one artist. All five works below are by Phaedra, working in coloured pencil on artboard, most of them dated 2025. We could have padded the list with weaker variety. We would rather show you a strong, honest run of work from a single hand.
Symphony of the Wild: the statement wall
Symphony of the Wild is the big one, roughly 150 by 120 cm. Blue and red macaws share a dense jungle canopy with golden-orange birds, some perched on moss-covered branches, some caught mid-flight with wings fanned, and a pale blue sky breaking through the upper leaves. It is the piece we point to when someone asks whether coloured pencil can carry a large wall. It can. The saturation and the sheer population of the scene give it the presence of a much louder medium.
Majestic Gaze: the full-length portrait
Majestic Gaze is a full-body study of a falcon, 11.8 by 15.7 inches, head turned watchfully, yellow talons gripping a dark perch, the feather patterning worked in blacks, whites, and greys with warm brown accents against a bare white background. The empty ground is the decision that makes it: nothing competes with the bird.
Silent Guardian: the close view
Silent Guardian moves in tight on a bird of prey, same 11.8 by 15.7 inch format, cropped to the head and shoulders. The palette stays nearly monochrome, greys and blacks with small notes of yellow at the beak and eye. Where Majestic Gaze is about posture, this one is about the stare. Hung at eye level in an office or study, it reads as calm authority.
Azure Whisper: the colour hit
Azure Whisper is a toucan on a branch, and it is the loudest small work in the collection: a great curved orange bill with dark markings and water droplets, deep blue and black body plumage, an orange throat, red tail feathers showing beneath. If a room needs one concentrated dose of colour, this is a more interesting answer than another abstract.
Golden Serenade: the gentle one
Golden Serenade is a yellow canary on a dark branch dotted with small gold, red-centred flowers. It is the most accessible of the five in both mood and price, and the one we would hand to a first-time buyer or give as a gift. Cheerful is a hard quality to paint without going soft, and this one manages it.
| Work | Subject | Size | Medium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Symphony of the Wild | Macaws in jungle canopy | 59.1 x 47.2 in | Coloured pencil on artboard |
| Majestic Gaze | Falcon, full body | 11.8 x 15.7 in | Coloured pencil on artboard |
| Silent Guardian | Bird of prey, close view | 11.8 x 15.7 in | Coloured pencil on artboard |
| Azure Whisper | Toucan on a branch | 11.8 x 15.7 in | Coloured pencil on artboard |
| Golden Serenade | Canary among flowers | 11.8 x 15.7 in | Coloured pencil on artboard |
At the time of writing, the five works run from $271 to $800 in Canadian dollars. Each is a one-of-a-kind original: when one sells, it is gone, and this list shortens.
Living with bird art
Bird works place easily because they carry life without carrying weight. The four smaller pieces suit close-viewing spots: above a desk, in a hallway, beside a bookshelf, or grouped in pairs. Symphony of the Wild wants a real wall, a living room or an entry, where its detail can pull people across the room and then keep them at arm's length finding new birds.
One more point worth making. Animal subjects are the natural centre of a collection built around respect for living things; they celebrate the creature rather than using it. That thinking runs through our whole vegan art hub, including the honest caveat that we make no claims about the materials in any painting unless the artist confirms them. The full set of current animal works, beyond these five, lives in the animal paintings collection.
Key Takeaways
- All five featured works were verified available in the gallery in August 2026; each is a one-of-a-kind original by Phaedra in coloured pencil on artboard.
- The lineup covers the practical range: one statement piece at roughly 150 by 120 cm and four close-viewing works at 11.8 by 15.7 inches.
- At the time of writing, prices run from $271 to $800 in Canadian dollars.
- Animal art rewards attention: from Durer's 1502 Young Hare onward, the best of it stores long, careful observation of a real creature.
- Every work ships free and insured with a Certificate of Authenticity and a 14-day trial.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are these five animal paintings still available?
They were verified available in August 2026, when this post was written. Every piece is a one-of-a-kind original, so any of them can sell at any time and will not be restocked. The product links above always show the current status, and the animal paintings collection shows everything available now.
Who is the artist behind these works?
All five are by Phaedra, one of the artists we represent, working in coloured pencil on artboard, with most of these pieces dated 2025. Working through one artist's run of work is a feature here, not a limitation: the five pieces share a discipline of observation while covering very different moods and scales.
Is coloured pencil a serious medium for wall art?
Yes, and Symphony of the Wild is our standing evidence: a work of roughly 150 by 120 cm that holds a wall as firmly as any painting. Coloured pencil allows extremely fine feather and leaf detail. Our honest advice is to frame works on artboard under glass to protect the surface.
What sizes are these works?
Four of the five measure 11.8 by 15.7 inches, a close-viewing size suited to desks, hallways, and groupings. Symphony of the Wild is the exception at 59.1 by 47.2 inches, roughly 150 by 120 cm, which is genuine statement-wall territory for a living room, office, or entry.
How much does original animal art cost here?
The five works in this post run from $271 to $800 in Canadian dollars at the time of writing. Across the wider gallery, originals start at about $531. Size is one price factor alongside medium and the artist's market, and it is rarely the only one.
Which of these works suits a first-time buyer?
Golden Serenade, in our opinion. It is the most approachable in price and the easiest to place, and a cheerful subject painted with real skill never embarrasses anyone. Azure Whisper is the pick if the room needs one strong dose of colour instead.
Do animal paintings work in children's rooms?
Very well, and better than printed decor, because an original gives a child one real, particular creature to grow up looking at. The smaller bird works suit the scale of a child's room. We would frame under glass and hang securely, as with any original.
What does one-of-a-kind actually mean here?
It means the physical work is the only one in existence. We sell no prints, no reproductions, and no editions of these pieces. When a work sells, its page stays in our archive as a record, but the painting itself is gone. Each original ships with a signed Certificate of Authenticity.
Can I return an animal painting if it does not suit my room?
Yes. Every work comes with a 14-day trial: hang it, live with it, and if it is not right, return it within 14 days for a full refund with return shipping paid by us. Shipping both ways is fully insured, free, and takes 3 to 7 business days in Canada, 5 to 10 to the USA.
Sources
- Albertina via Google Arts & Culture, "Zoom Into Albrecht Durer's 'Hase'"
- Rijksmuseum, "10 things to know about Maria Sibylla Merian's insects of Suriname"
Data sourced August 2026. If you spot something out of date, let us know and we will update the guide.
About VanArtHub
VanArtHub is a Vancouver gallery selling original, signed paintings direct from the artist, each with a Certificate of Authenticity, free fully insured shipping to Canada and the USA, and a 14-day trial. Nothing here is a print, and nothing exists twice. See what is currently available in the animal paintings collection.
