Acrylic on Board 5x7 SOLD
A Blue Jay named "Blink" for his quick movements. He is rarely still,
grabbing a peanut on the fly. It seemed fitting to add in a flurry of
blue paint marks to represent his frenetic activity.
If you ask most people what color an english sparrow is they will probably say brown. But for a handful of seeds, and a telephoto lens you can discover many colors in their feathers if you have the right light. This painting was based on a photograph I took in the early morning hours.
These little birds are smarter than you think. They quickly learn your schedule for putting out seeds if you feed them on a regular basis. They even learn to remind you by flying to the feeder as soon as they see you come out of the house,or even if they see you through the window.
In the land between seasons of Fall and Summer an English sparrow picks
through the fallen leaves, and the last remaining flowers of a chamomile
plant. Both hoping to make it through the harsh Winter ahead, the plant
drops it's seeds for rebirth, and the sparrow hunts for seeds to
survive to build it's nest in the Spring.
Bird photography has been a hobby of mine for over 20 years. Capturing
just the right light, and the sharpest image is the ultimate goal, but
the real benefit is the time spent just watching nature. My most
accessible subjects are the little sparrows that visit my garden. Even
though they are not the flashiest of birds, or the most exotic, if you
really look at them they are quite beautiful. I have learned much about
their daily patterns, as well as the changing light of the seasons. I
think paintings work out best when you are most familiar with the
subject.
You may think Big Red got his name because of his coloring. Wrong. It
was because when he was young and inexperienced he stepped on a piece of
Big Red gum on the ground. It took two weeks for it to work it's way
off, and he almost got stuck to a tree branch. He never quite lived down
that episode, and would like to kindly ask you not to spit your gum out
on the sidewalk.
Charlene is a beauty queen from a movie scene. But she worries too much. Will there be enough fish in the ocean for her supper? Will mice try to get in from the garage? She is scared of mice. Will her paws get dirty if she sits on the floor? Will the fireplace burn out in the middle of the night waking her from the cold? Will the windows fog up so she can't watch the birds in the garden? So many tragedies to contemplate, best to find her catnip toy.
Rusty is not a house cat...he is royalty. He would like you to notice the crown marking on his forehead. He would prefer you call him King, or King R. Worship him, you may only pet him on alternate Tuesdays. Thank you that is all.