I have encountered Eastern Box Turtles thousands of times over the years, but each one still feels like a small and wonderful discovery. Their patterned shells, deliberate movements, and quiet familiarity make them among the most recognizable reptiles of eastern North American woodlands.

In Blackberry Season, a male box turtle pauses to feed among ripe blackberries. I used colored pencil to capture the warm patterning of the shell and skin, the deep purple fruit, and the dense green vegetation surrounding the animal. The seasonal setting presents the turtle not simply as a portrait, but as part of the landscape in which it lives.

My years studying box turtles also taught me how closely individuals are connected to familiar home areas and how vulnerable they can be to roads, habitat fragmentation, and relocation. This drawing reflects both the pleasure of encountering these animals and the importance of allowing them to remain part of the places they have occupied for generations.