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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Outdoors blog

Zoologist turned artist paints the real deal

"Life's Circle" acryllic on canvas by artist Melissa Cole. (Courtesy photo)
"Life's Circle" acryllic on canvas by artist Melissa Cole. (Courtesy photo)

FISHING -- A friend, who loves fishing and the outdoors, was asked by the company what he wanted for a retirement gift, he thought long an hard about the choice for such a momentous occasion.

His decision:   An acrylic painting by Spokane artist (and zoologist) Melissa Cole, who specializes in fish and other creatures from the water.

Check out Cole's online gallery.

Cole graduated from Oregon State University with a degree in Zoology. She has spent time working in the Peace Corps in the Dominican Republic in environmental education, as a dive guide in St. Croix, US Virgin Islands, and as a naturalist guide in Baja, Mexico. She has written more than 30 children's natural history books and travels with her husband, Brandon, a wildlife photographer specializing in marine life.



Rich Landers
Rich Landers joined The Spokesman-Review in 1977. He is the Outdoors editor for the Sports Department writing and photographing stories about hiking, hunting, fishing, boating, conservation, nature and wildlife and related topics.

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