Painting Squirrel is Internet Sensation (VIDEO)
A squirrel which was saved and nurtured back to health has taken to the canvass and has become an internet sensation.
Winkelhimer, the squirrel, mimics the artist who saved her life. "I paint dolls and jewelry and she just watches me all day long. They are very intelligent animals," Shyla Mouton, who goes by the name Artist Ugly Shyla, told KLTV.
Their paths crossed on one fateful day last May when Shyla came to the rescue of a Winkelhimer when she was only 6-weeks-old.
"I was watching her from the kitchen window crawl down the tree. Then I saw a cat attack her. I rushed out there to help her.
When she made it outside Shyla explains that “one of her front legs was messed up pretty bad. I put her in a little box on the porch to make her comfortable because I didn't think she would make it through the night," according to KARE.
After weeks of caring for the squirrel things took a turn for the better and Winkelhimer is now part of the family. "Oh, I love her. She is my little baby," said Shyla.
She is even painting abstract works of art which have already been auctioned off.
"She's a natural. She loves yellow and blue of course because she looks at my blue hair all the time," said Shyla.
Shyla explains that even with an injured leg she is still able to persevere. "She's really good at manipulating the paint brush with her good front leg and mouth. She still can't do a lot with her arm that was hurt."
According to Shyla some of her work has fetched $40 at auction which she explains goes to help other animals and people in need.
"We also rescue and take in a lot of other animals so the money goes to that and sometimes if I have friends that are sick or ill or in a bind - I'll give them some of Winkelhimer's painting money. She's a very charitable little squirrel.”