Birds abroad...

 "Favourite Roost" 

(14x18", Oils on Linen, Framed)    Price:  SOLD

I had to create a bunch of paintings for two major shows within three months of each other...and I had little to no  standing inventory of paintings to do so. That would be seen as a major advantage for an artist, because SALES. However, I was burnt out and panicking. I had started this painting, Favourite Roost as a demo I was painting in situ at the Boskone (SF convention) Artshow work space in February 2018 and hadn't completed it. So, I dragged it out and finished it over a week and half during a particularly grueling time and ended up being so pleased with how it turned out. It was really soothing painting the background and vines, let alone the bird, a White Pigeon. The references came from a trip to England during a previous December when we visited the old Cinque Port of Rye in the Southeast of England. We, with our Brit friends dined at the ancient and very famous Mermaid Inn. We got a tour and I literally drooled over the history of the place and all of its antique appointments. When we exited onto Mermaid Street, the outside of the inn was encased in winter vines and home to roosting white pigeons. I took a bazillion photos and combined two of them to create this painting. It's still very much a favourite.

"Boreal Chickadee"

(6x6", Oils on Canvas, Framed)   Price: SOLD

This was just a very quick study and keeping to the winter theme. I adore my chickadees. 

 

 

"Picking Flowers"

(11x14", Oils on Linen, Framed)   Price: SOLD

Inspiration for Picking Flowers came from a series of photographs my friend and fellow artist (read famously talented) Tom Kidd took in his backyard some years back. He graciously let me borrow the photos for my burgeoning bird photo reference collection. I used three of the photos to build this concept and then had an absolute blast painting it. The background is a bit more blurred than I usually do, but I didn't want it to compete with the busy, complicated foreground. Painting the flowers and vines was so much fun. It was sooooo soothing and fun. The bird picking flowers for his nest is a House Finch. Thank you so much, Tom, for letting me play in your backyard with your birds, so to speak. 

 

 

"The Conversation"

(8x10", Oils on Linen, Framed)   Price: SOLD 

These are Australian Fairy Wrens: tiny birds of brilliant arrays of colours and feisty attitude. Possibly my fave Aussie counterparts to my beloved Chickadees here in the United States. I was getting really burnt out by this stage and was starting to really reach for inspiration and enthusiasm. Not one of my best, but I always get great enjoyment out of painting my birds. 

 

"Baby Owl"

(5x7", Oils on Canvas, Framed)   Price: SOLD 

It's a baby owl. Enough said. Seriously  though, I adored painting this little guy.

 

Sorry, I can't recall the paints I used in these paintings, but you can bet that all of my usual suspects from my palette were in play and I probably used my reliable outriders like Cadmium Orange or purples from time to time. Very teeny brushes were also used a lot for the small size and tiny details. Listening to music and audiobooks helped massively.

Meanwhile, thanks for stopping by, there'll be more soon.
Cheers,

Marianne