After decades of fieldwork, I have handled and observed thousands of Green Anoles. Because they are familiar backyard animals across much of the southeastern United States, it can be easy to overlook the extraordinary detail and individuality each animal possesses.

In Eye of the Beholder, I deliberately moved close, concentrating on the luminous eye and the mosaic of green, yellow, blue, and turquoise scales surrounding it. Graphite establishes the underlying form, while layered colored pencil reveals colors and textures that often disappear when the animal is viewed from a distance.

The drawing reflects a deliberate pause to study form, texture, and color—and to recognize the unexpected beauty of a species that many people encounter without truly seeing.

Reference photograph courtesy of W. W. Lamar.