Illustration

Birds, Nature, Landcscapes, Photography, and More!

brianleefritz

Today is Owl Awareness Day. So if you weren't awar

Today is Owl Awareness Day.
So if you weren't aware, now you are.

The owls were already aware of you though.

And they're definitely judging you.

Munsell Sunflower Field 16x20" acrylic on canvas,

Munsell Sunflower Field
16x20" acrylic on canvas, plein air
One year ago today

Sunflowers have such dramatic poses. Like straight from a Gericault painting. So that's what brought me to this field on the side of Mason Rd on a smoky morning in early August of 2025.

Swipe for the scene that inspired this one. You can see some of the choices I made to bring the composition together. As an artist, I'm not bound to reality in any meaningful way. Which means I can move things around and remove entirely them when I need to.

Anyway, I hope you like it. This painting, along with a bunch of others I did around the same time, is hanging up now at my favorite brewery, @hearsaybrewing.

Five years ago, Grace and I visited Pictured Rocks

Five years ago, Grace and I visited Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. That trip inspired me to make this painting of Miners Falls.

24x36" acrylic on canvas

Just dropped off some work at @paintcreekcenterfor

Just dropped off some work at @paintcreekcenterforthearts! Go check it out!

My latest bike portrait. I'm going to let the owne

My latest bike portrait. I'm going to let the owner tell you about it:

"I got for you a 1947 Hawthorne balloon tire bike I pulled off a junkyard heap in mid 2020 as a COVID rehab project. Despite having a garage filled with great bike, I ride this piece of junk the most. Sturdy basket, coaster brake, straight gas pipe tubing -- what more could a man want in a bike? Wanted to memorialized this guy before I can't seat a bottom bracket in the shell or headset in the head tube from the metal being so warped over 80 years."

If this has your gears turning and thinking about a bike portrait yourself, message me and we'll get started!

Happy 325th, Detroit!

Happy 325th, Detroit!

Always stop to smell the flowers. See you tomorro

Always stop to smell the flowers.

See you tomorrow in Fenton!

Gallery show coming soon! Opening night is August

Gallery show coming soon!
Opening night is August 7th from 5-8pm
Be there!

Swipe to see the glow-up ➡️ This weekend is F

Swipe to see the glow-up ➡️

This weekend is Fenton Art Walk, which was my first show back in 2023. I did...remarkably well despite my setup.

Since then, I've learned a whole lot about displays and salesmanship and connecting with people and putting my best foot forward.

But I'm still thankful for that first opportunity to show my work to the public.

See you Saturday at Rackham park in Fenton!

Green and orange appreciation post These are the

Green and orange appreciation post

These are the colors of summer in the woods.

I went back to @ocimeaelavenderfarm the other day

I went back to @ocimeaelavenderfarm the other day to get my annual lavender field fix.

This time I went with a looser approach than usual and chose one of the giant oak trees in the courtyard as my subject.

What do you think? Does it give the impression of a lavender field on a sunny day? How does it make you feel?

14x14" acrylic on canvas, painted in about two hours.

Instagram post 17925058479146362

Instagram post 17925058479146362

Remembering that one time when a hot air balloon l

Remembering that one time when a hot air balloon landed in the back yard.

Just Howell things.

"Hot Air Balloon I" 8x10" acrylic on canvas
$100

Some personal highlights from June, and a work in

Some personal highlights from June, and a work in progress at the end.

The original paintings that found homes this past

The original paintings that found homes this past weekend.

Thank you to everyone who bought one, it means so much when you go for the originals.

I have a bunch of small works left if you'd like to see them. Some are on my website and others are available to visit in person by appointment.

Thank you Royal Oak! You're always so good to me!

Thank you Royal Oak! You're always so good to me!

Seven more homes now have original artwork in them, and that means so much to me.

But out of all of those stories, one in particular stands out for me. This adorable couple dropped by and told me all about their new space and how it needed art and color and personality on their blank walls. They fell in love with my Pileated Woodpecker on live edge walnut and I liked them so much that I threw in a medium art print to help kickstart their collection.

Just because you're young doesn't mean that your home has to suck or that you can't have nice things! It's so easy to settle for Live Laugh Love decor or that same picture of that one highland cow in the fog in black and white (you know the one). Your home is an opportunity for self expression and for telling your story.

Home is a place of rest as well as a place of inspiration. It's also a place where you can entertain and invite friends. Original artwork immediately elevates a room and brings an air of sophistication. It's also, you know, interesting and unique. Like you.

You're an original and your home should be decorated in original works!

Barn Along the Pleasant Lake Ride 8x10 acrylic on

Barn Along the Pleasant Lake Ride
8x10 acrylic on canvas, $100

I know nothing more about this barn than it's pretty and I took the picture sometime on last year's Pleasant Lake Ride in early July.

NEW RULE: You can't get mad at yourself for almost

NEW RULE: You can't get mad at yourself for almost forgetting something. Because you didn't forget it. Why does almost get to count now?

Go give yourself some grace and have a good day.

Bike Thoughts with Brian NEW RULE: You can't be

Bike Thoughts with Brian

NEW RULE: You can't be mad at yourself for almost forgetting something. That doesn't make any sense, you didn't actually forget anything. Why does "almost" only count for bad things?

Anyway, see you this weekend at Royal Oak, Memorial Park right off of Woodward Ave. I got myself a Light Dome tent and I'm excited to show it off!

And PS- watch out for cyclists on the road. They deserve to be there as much as anybody else.

Ridgeline Before the Prairie Section at the Arbore

Ridgeline Before the Prairie Section at the Arboretum

8x10 acrylic on canvas, $150

If you've spent some time at the Nichols Arboretum in Ann Arbor, you know this spot.

Grace and I used to walk here all the time after appointments when we were expecting Hazel, so it has a special place in my heart. I just love the way the sun filters through the pines.

This is part of my new series/collection/whatever of small works. I believe that the best art collections start with a single piece and it doesn't even have to be big.

So if you were thinking about grabbing one of my paintings and starting your collection, this is a great time!

Detail shot

I'm not convinced that we need individual captions for each image.

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