The Travail Agent
@thetravailagent.bsky.social
Academic (Illustration Professor). I try and keep native plants alive in Southern California and do a lot of drawing too.
Tree Aeonium after a rainy night. #succulent
March 7, 2025 at 4:37 PM
Tree Aeonium after a rainy night. #succulent
The very common Arroyo Lupine making an appearance. Prolific re-seeders. They pop up everywhere in my yard. #nativeplants #nativecaliforniaplants
March 1, 2025 at 5:05 PM
The very common Arroyo Lupine making an appearance. Prolific re-seeders. They pop up everywhere in my yard. #nativeplants #nativecaliforniaplants
Layia platyglossa (tidy tips for us commonfolk) are my favorite wildflower and this is the first one in the wildflower patch. #californianativeplants #nativeplants
February 26, 2025 at 5:02 PM
Layia platyglossa (tidy tips for us commonfolk) are my favorite wildflower and this is the first one in the wildflower patch. #californianativeplants #nativeplants
Blue bells, baby blue eyes, garden helper taking an unauthorized break. #nativeplants #californianatuveplants #wildflowers
February 22, 2025 at 8:59 PM
Blue bells, baby blue eyes, garden helper taking an unauthorized break. #nativeplants #californianatuveplants #wildflowers
A page from my current comic project about my relatives leaving Wales for the U.S. These giants are returning from battle dragging their clubs which formed the Valleys in south Wales. 🏴 #illustration #comicart
February 22, 2025 at 8:05 PM
A page from my current comic project about my relatives leaving Wales for the U.S. These giants are returning from battle dragging their clubs which formed the Valleys in south Wales. 🏴 #illustration #comicart
#sketchbook drawing of the beautiful view from the Star Inn, Manhilad, Wales. Heaven to sit there with a pint and a pencil on a sunny day. #landscapedrawing #Wales #drawing
February 6, 2025 at 6:16 PM
#sketchbook drawing of the beautiful view from the Star Inn, Manhilad, Wales. Heaven to sit there with a pint and a pencil on a sunny day. #landscapedrawing #Wales #drawing
First wild flower of the year - California bluebell (Phacelia campanularia) a member of the borage family. I read it likes the Mojave Desert but seems to be happy here in zone 10b - Southern California. #nativeplants #nativecaliforniaplants
February 4, 2025 at 6:11 PM
First wild flower of the year - California bluebell (Phacelia campanularia) a member of the borage family. I read it likes the Mojave Desert but seems to be happy here in zone 10b - Southern California. #nativeplants #nativecaliforniaplants
Purple nightshade -solanum xanti. Will grow to about 3 feet and is poisonous but beautiful. Needs certain bees to land on it and vibrate at specific frequencies to release pollen (amazing). Read here: www.researchgate.net/publication/...
February 2, 2025 at 12:09 AM
Purple nightshade -solanum xanti. Will grow to about 3 feet and is poisonous but beautiful. Needs certain bees to land on it and vibrate at specific frequencies to release pollen (amazing). Read here: www.researchgate.net/publication/...
One of the mallows in the Niguel Botanical Preserve here in southern Orange County. I didn’t even know this place existed until a month ago! #nativeplants #nativecaliforniaplants
January 25, 2025 at 6:05 PM
One of the mallows in the Niguel Botanical Preserve here in southern Orange County. I didn’t even know this place existed until a month ago! #nativeplants #nativecaliforniaplants
The very large roots of a fallen redwood in Rockefeller Grove in Humboldt County. #californiaredwood #humboldtcounty
January 16, 2025 at 3:25 AM
The very large roots of a fallen redwood in Rockefeller Grove in Humboldt County. #californiaredwood #humboldtcounty
McMinnville manzanita blooming in Southern California. Interesting to see what natives bloom at different times of year here in zone 10b. #nativecaliforniaplants #nativeplants #manzanita
January 14, 2025 at 10:44 PM
McMinnville manzanita blooming in Southern California. Interesting to see what natives bloom at different times of year here in zone 10b. #nativecaliforniaplants #nativeplants #manzanita
A drawing of Echo Park in my sketchbook and the new sketchbook my talented daughter (studying metals at CSULB) made me for Christmas. So cool! #sketchbook #drawing
January 5, 2025 at 12:03 AM
A drawing of Echo Park in my sketchbook and the new sketchbook my talented daughter (studying metals at CSULB) made me for Christmas. So cool! #sketchbook #drawing
Sketchbook page. Laguna Beach , CA. I lovely stretch of coastline with good freediving as the whole city is a marine life protected area. #sketchbook #drawing #pleinaire
December 15, 2024 at 5:19 PM
Sketchbook page. Laguna Beach , CA. I lovely stretch of coastline with good freediving as the whole city is a marine life protected area. #sketchbook #drawing #pleinaire
Sneak preview of some pencils for a graphic novel about my great great grandfather who was a coal miner in Wales before moving to the U.S…aaand my lazy studio assistant that should be fired for sleeping on the job. #graphicnovel #drawing
December 12, 2024 at 8:16 PM
Sneak preview of some pencils for a graphic novel about my great great grandfather who was a coal miner in Wales before moving to the U.S…aaand my lazy studio assistant that should be fired for sleeping on the job. #graphicnovel #drawing
#Sketchbook drawing of St. Govan’s chapel. What a beautiful place. Nobody around, blue sky and nothing but the sound of waves. #Wales #drawing #landscapedrawing
December 6, 2024 at 11:32 PM
#Sketchbook drawing of St. Govan’s chapel. What a beautiful place. Nobody around, blue sky and nothing but the sound of waves. #Wales #drawing #landscapedrawing
Drawing trees in the park in Cardiff, Wales. I was there on sabbatical and wish my ancestors hadn’t left! #wales #landscapedrawing #drawing #sketchbook
December 4, 2024 at 10:05 PM
Drawing trees in the park in Cardiff, Wales. I was there on sabbatical and wish my ancestors hadn’t left! #wales #landscapedrawing #drawing #sketchbook
Fun time drawing down at the trails in San Onofre. Beautiful day. #landscape #landscapedrawing #drawing #sanonofrestatepark
December 1, 2024 at 11:38 PM
Fun time drawing down at the trails in San Onofre. Beautiful day. #landscape #landscapedrawing #drawing #sanonofrestatepark
A bit gruesome but this mantis nabbed a honey bee while I was out fiddling around. I avoid all pesticides and the insects seem to take care of themselves. Sorry for the shaky camera! #prayingmantis #bee
November 26, 2024 at 12:26 AM
A bit gruesome but this mantis nabbed a honey bee while I was out fiddling around. I avoid all pesticides and the insects seem to take care of themselves. Sorry for the shaky camera! #prayingmantis #bee
One of the monarchs returned for a snack from this plumeria I have in a pot in the back. Looks like a healthy one! Plumeria are not native to California but I’m not a purist obviously. #monarch #butterfly
November 19, 2024 at 8:16 PM
One of the monarchs returned for a snack from this plumeria I have in a pot in the back. Looks like a healthy one! Plumeria are not native to California but I’m not a purist obviously. #monarch #butterfly
Honey bee taking a nap after a long morning working. #westernhoneybee #bee
November 18, 2024 at 10:25 PM
Honey bee taking a nap after a long morning working. #westernhoneybee #bee
Monarch caterpillar munching on a small patch of milkweed in my front garden. They strip the stems bare but the plants seem to recover just fine. Pretty cool! #nativeplants #californianativeplants #monarchbutterfly
November 18, 2024 at 2:47 AM
Monarch caterpillar munching on a small patch of milkweed in my front garden. They strip the stems bare but the plants seem to recover just fine. Pretty cool! #nativeplants #californianativeplants #monarchbutterfly
Native Sweat Bee on a blanket flower. Since getting rid of my honey bee hive I see more solitary bees and bumblebees than before. #nativebees #nativeplants #bees
November 17, 2024 at 3:01 PM
Native Sweat Bee on a blanket flower. Since getting rid of my honey bee hive I see more solitary bees and bumblebees than before. #nativebees #nativeplants #bees
Drawing giant sycamore and oak trees in Arroyo Seco, Orange County. Neat place to see native CA plants going strong. #nativeplants #landscapedrawing #drawing
November 13, 2024 at 11:29 PM
Drawing giant sycamore and oak trees in Arroyo Seco, Orange County. Neat place to see native CA plants going strong. #nativeplants #landscapedrawing #drawing
White sage I just barely planted a couple weeks ago (still needs mulch). I am in love with California Native plants. I know nobody will see this but I don’t care! Look at this thing! Can’t wait until it takes off in a year or two. #californianativeplant
November 13, 2024 at 6:45 PM
White sage I just barely planted a couple weeks ago (still needs mulch). I am in love with California Native plants. I know nobody will see this but I don’t care! Look at this thing! Can’t wait until it takes off in a year or two. #californianativeplant