Sword Fern Studios

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United States
Portland, OR
Sword Fern Studios

🎨 Artist Michelle F Mitchell
Helping you bring the magic of the forest into your space. Creating nature inspired art featuring fungi, flora, & fauna.

Original paintings, fine art prints, stickers, & more!
🛒 https://swordfernstudios.company.site *Commissions are currently closed. Please email [email protected] to inquire or get on the waitlist. Located in Portland, Oregon.

03/30/2026

I just renewed a bunch of listings on my Etsy, including this handsome western toad illustration sticker! It's been really quiet over on Etsy lately. Share this with a friend that might like it or go give the sticker like on Etsy. Every time you like my items on Etsy it helps visibility in my shop.

PS. Happy spring friends!

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1684626290/western-toad-sticker-whimsical

03/11/2026

Just a couple more days to see “Imagine” show at Nanny Goat Gallery. My painting Spring Gold is a whimsical floral scene, serene and calming. 🌼✨

I was having such a hard time with my mental health when I made this. All I could think of was hanging on for the next day- I really try to start each day off fresh. That mantra is kind of how I get through winters. 🤷🏼‍♀️ The recent S.A.D. season started early for whatever reason *waves arms at everything*. It’s finally starting to get better now, thankfully. Having these projects helps, even when I move slower than I’d like.

I had been wanting to paint this scene for a while, the thought of it makes me smile!
Despite other conditions being unfavorable, it’s incredible what can pop up during winter with a little sunshine! The Crocidium multicaule flower is nicknamed Spring Gold, and that name is so fitting. These tiny daisies bring the drama with their cheery color coupled with the low winter sun and often rocky or burned surroundings. Like dependable little troopers, always showing up. Resiliency is important in these trying times. Trying to be like this flower and keep coming back against the odds, building resilience is key.

03/03/2026

Happy world wildlife day! I appreciate all our wild creatures large and smol. Here are 10 of my paintings and illustrations featuring wildlife along with lots of important plant and fungi.

Many of the species I feature are threatened due to habitat loss and climate change, but we have a choice; to keep doing business as usual, or implement changes to help conserve our incredible diversity of life before it is too late. Which only speeds up our destruction as a species as well. Seems like a no brainer to me.

03/01/2026

Ready to start seeing these meadow friends again over the next several months. How about you? 🥹

Scroll for some funky behind the scenes images. Occasionally I’ll use painters tape to block in a small critter or two. Plus it’s interesting to see a deconstructed version of a painting. Looking forward to sharing more of the beautiful complexities of our natural world with y’all. 🖤

In other news: Still over here, vacillating between heartbreak and feral f*cking rage. Our house has been full of sickness nearly all of February. Thankfully we’re finally starting to feel better. Still have lingering symptoms so taking things slow but I need some garden time and nature walks to reset the ol’ nervous system. 🫣

I also vowed to do at least one volunteer work party a month. I had to skip February due to sickness but I’ll be back at it in March! Hit me up if you’d like to volunteer a couple hours cleaning up ivy or planting natives in the PDX metro area, there are several orgs to peruse for dates.

Painting these little scenes makes my brain feel slightly calmer. I hope you enjoy them!

02/25/2026

You may have heard the good news, that Leach is funded through June! I'm hoping the city of Portland sees this outpouring of support for Leach Botanical Garden and decides to bring back the grants they've recently cut, which led to this whole issue.

There are a lot of good things we cant afford to lose, this is certainly one of them! From community events to field trips and even land stewardship.

02/24/2026

Grass widow watercolor painting.

I’ve been too sick to go see them. I bet they’re getting going out there though!

The last pic is the print in a vintage hand carved frame my mom found at an estate sale out in the country. Isn’t it beautiful?!

02/20/2026

My piece Spring Gold for 🌼 Imagine 🌼 a utopia themed group show.

Acrylic on canvas 8″x 10″/ 9″x 11″ framed

Times like these can feel really dark and overwhelming. I wanted to focus on the dance of shadow and light. To recall the good that we do have, like finding an everyday utopia, to center our perspective.

From the cold, barren landscape in the shadows grows a beautiful flower (Crocidium multicaule.) A precursor to the coming spring and return of the light. A symbol for the good times that still lie ahead of us. The dance of shadow and light continues 🌀 The light is never gone for good.

The opening reception is tonight Feb 20th from 6 - 9pm, 215 N. Water St. Petaluma, CA, along with two other fabulous solos. The lineup is incredible and I’m very honored to have a piece in their first opening of the year!

02/19/2026

Some moody shots of The Crow and the Pitcher (plus mushrooms!) My take on one of Aesop’s Fables 🍄‍🟫🥰

This piece was created for the Fables Of Time show a couple of months ago with Poetic Tiger Gallery. I’m about to update my portfolio site so I’m going through recent work, I saw this painting and figured this corvid cutie needed a reshare 🐦‍⬛

The Crow and the Pitcher
9 x 12 inches
Acrylic on birch

02/16/2026

Please consider signing this petition so the city knows how much Leach Botanical Garden means to us.

If you’ve never been, now is a great time to go visit or donate to help them keep doing their incredible work of operating an affordable, accessible botanical garden, and stewarding 5+ acres of the Johnson creek watershed.

I can’t imagine why they wouldn’t fund this, they’ve already invested so much into it. The operation is a partnership between Portland public parks and a non profit. We just need to push them toward that yes by letting them know that we want it to stick around!

Save Leach Botanical Garden by securing funding before June 2026 - https://c.org/pCSxkmpCHc

02/13/2026

I want to live in this magical forest scene. 🥰

My acrylic painting of a cute yellowfoot mushroom in a bed of moss, with a moody forest background is up for grabs in an auction! My friends dog, Olive the corgi, needs CCL surgery so she can resume the zoom.
🐕🐾💨

I’ve donated this painting to the auction for Olive, which is live right now on Instagram!

Go to and scroll through all the beautiful pieces up for grabs to bid on your favorites for good cause. It runs from the 13th-15th and includes handmade jewelry, ceramics, art, fiber goods. You can also find a link to a gofundme on oreandstonecreations profile.

The Winter Chanterelle
Acrylic on canvas, framed
9.5" × 11.5"

02/08/2026

It’s Superb Owl Sunday! Here’s Northern Pygmy Owl colored pencil study. These precious little round boi’s are actually ferocious hunters considering their small stature. Kind of like me 🤷🏼‍♀️

I was actually dreaming about owls last night! It’s very rare that I remember dreaming at all so it’s odd.

Maybe it was my cold medicine induced slumber? Maybe it’s Maybelline. 🤔

Address

Portland, OR

Telephone

+15038194009

Website

https://etsy.me/3L0RdcG, https://swordfernstudios.company.site/?lang=en&from_admin&vertical=art, https://www.michellefmi

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