Painting 100! American Tree Sparrow with Cubes :-D

Painting #100, American Tree Sparrow with Cubes

Acrylic, 18x24 canvas

Yeah!!

The canvas was big...and the lighting poor, so the photo doesn't capture the painting very well. I need to learn how to photograph large canvases because after working on this one, I know I'm going to want to keep getting larger with my art! To help see the bird, I cropped the photo for detail..

Same painting...just cropped for detail.

I love American Tree Sparrows. They are the sweetest little sparrows, always polite and cheerful, and their song...I LOVE hearing it across the snow. It's so pretty...like tiny little bells when the flock moves together. When I was trying to decide what to paint for the final painting in the challenge, it wasn't hard. I was looking through photos from the end of November and saw a photo of an American Tree Sparrow I saw at VOA Park. A twig was right in front of his face, so it never made it on the blog...but...I could paint the little fellow so we could see all of his face. I wanted to capture that sweetness that always seems to surround these little birds. Hopefully you can feel that when you look at him in the painting.

The photo of the American Tree Sparrow that was the inspiration for the painting. I saw this little guy on Nov 21, 2010 at VOA Park. Our little backyard flock still hasn't arrived at our feeders. I keep waiting. Sometimes they don't show until the middle of January, though. They seem to ride in on really cold arctic blasts...

For my favorite photos of an American Tree Sparrow in our backyard, click here.

For one of my earliest posts and info on American Tree Sparrows, click here.

Happy New Year!!!

I also wanted to thank everyone who visits my blog. I always love reading the comments you leave, and I appreciate the friendships that have followed. It's so wonderful to be part of an international birding and art community!! I hope everyone has a peaceful New Year full of love and birding and art adventures!

I also want to thank Laure Ferlita of Painted Thoughts Blog for hosting the 100 Paintings in a Year Challenge. It has been a wonderful experience! Thanks, Laure!!!

Painting #99, Robin Berry

Painting 99, Robin Berry

Acrylic, 16x20 Canvas

Do you recognize this American Robin? She showed up in this post earlier in the month. Matty loves this one. He wants to take it with him when he leaves for college (he's 15 now...let's see if he feels that way when he's 18. A Robin eating a berry might not be cool enough for a college dorm room!) This is the first time I've put acrylic on a real canvas. I liked the feel of the canvas and working on the larger size.

...same painting cropped down. I like the crop...I could see myself buying notecards of something like this.

...the painting at an earlier stage. I took out all the fuzzy orange "out-of-focus-in-the-background" berries and in the process overworked the sky. I probably should have kept it at this stage. I had actually signed it and considered it finished (and I never sign my paintings...I always forget to. I'm working on that.).

...same painting at its earliest stage. I whipped it out in about 40 minutes and then headed off to bed. I almost like it more than the finished product. It's a completely different style...a little more graphic with no detail and a bolder red breast. Which do you like better?

...painting 100 is in the works! Yeah! It's a sweet little American Tree Sparrow (and is even larger at 18x24). I hope to finish it today or tomorrow.

I posted paintings 86 - 97 on the 100 Paintings Challenge site. I will try to add them in to this post later this evening.

Merry Christmas!

Painting 98. The stockings were hung on the branches with care in the hopes that Chiggy Nicholas soon would be there!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Painting #85, A Happy Wild Turkey on Thanksgiving Day...

Oil pastel

12x16 Arches Cold Pressed 140 Lb Paper

(Same painting...just showing the part the scanner cut off.)

My scanner can only handle a 9x12 sheet of paper. I guess I either have to upgrade the scanner or start photographing these larger paintings. (I only have 15 paintings to go for the challenge!) Wild Turkeys are really funky birds to draw--crazy feathers...crazy colors...crazy patterns...a crazy form...and a floppy, speckled wing. It was fun...

Wishing everyone a wonderful Thanksgiving Day!!

Hooded Warbler in the deep woods...

Birding at Shawnee State Park in Southeastern Ohio

...continued from the earlier "Volunteering at Shawnee State Park" posts.

One morning in July when Matty and I were volunteering at Shawnee State Park, Jenny Richards, the park naturalist, met us at the lodge to go birding. We headed off on the Lampblack Nature Trail (which picks up at the lodge) to see what we could find. At only ten minutes into the hike, we heard the loud whistles of a Hooded Warbler drifting through the shadows and branches of the trees surrounding us. For the next 20 minutes we watched, listened to, stalked, and drooled over this gorgeous little bird. I don't get to see Hooded Warblers too often in Cincy, but only two hours away...in the expansive forests of Shawnee, Hooded Warblers put on quite a show on a regular basis!

Painting #84, Hooded Warbler in the deep woods, come out and sing so I can find you!

Oil Pastel

9x12 Arches Cold Pressed 140 Lb Paper

I can't remember how many of them we saw, but I think five or six were about. The birds were very curious and one came in close for the camera, but somehow I lost the memory card with the photos of him (and a lot of other amazing birds too)! I knew the only way I was going to get a post up on him was to create him from my memory, so last night I tried. Once again, the 100 Painting Challenge gave me the boost to get the job done. These little summertime warblers are so beautiful. I can never get enough of them.

Beak Bit

Look at the Hooded Warbler's huge black eye! The Hooded Warbler has the largest eye of all the woodland warblers. Since Hooded Warblers live in the dark shadows of mature forests, it is an adaptation to help them see better in the reduced light.

If you have time, drop over to Jenny's new blog for Shawnee State Park, Naturally Speaking. Right now she has a nifty photo of a Marbled Orbweaver--dressed in seasonal pumpkin orange, no less...

More Red-breasted Nuthatch paintings...

Painting 82, Red-breasted Nuthatch with confetti-warm feathers...

Pencil drawing, watercolor, oil pastel

9x12 Arches Rough 140 Lb Paper

This little Red-breasted Nuthatch started its life as a pencil drawing. Later that evening when I got home, he morphed into a watered-down watercolor where he sat all night being bored and looking boring. I couldn't take it, so last night I pulled out a new pack of oil pastels that I picked up from Michaels last weekend and an old pack...from 1978 (I couldn't believe they still worked!) and started experimenting. I haven't used oil pastels since high school, so I didn't know what would happen. As I added in layer after layer, I loved the feel. I used a smudge stick and my fingers to blend. At the end, I shaved bits of the pastel over the painting and then smashed the bits in with a downward movement of my finger for a heavier pigment release. He sort of looks like he's among falling confetti (some sort of birdie party, I guess).

Painting 83, Vigilant nuthatch, always ready to work.

Pencil drawing, watercolor, oil pastel, soft pastel

9x12 Arches Rough 140 Lb Paper

The process on this painting was similar to Painting 82, but I deviated on the background, bringing in a square-shaped soft pastel to scrape some of the oil pastel away and then leave its powdery residue behind to be smeared over the rest of the painting. I love experimenting with these different styles. It's so much fun to make up things as you go!

Yank, yank...

Painting #81, White-breasted Nuthatch along the Little Miami...Yank, Yank.

Pencil drawing with watercolor overylay

9x12 Arches Rough 140 Lb Paper

This painting started out as a pencil sketch. I drew him in the car, then filled him in with watercolor later that evening at home. If you look closely, you can see the following pencil sketch hiding beneath the color...

Pencil Sketch of a White-breasted Nuthatch

9x12 Arches Rough 140 Lb Paper

The 100 Painting Challenge is making me a faster painter. I need less time to draw and less time to paint...more animation seems to be creeping into the drawings as well. I like this guy much better than painting 76, which is also of a White-breasted Nuthatch. There's more life and expression in this fellow's face. How many times has a White-breasted Nuthatch given you this look?

Paintings of a Red-breasted Nuthatch...for the challenge

Sunday morning I went birding at Winton Woods (a Hamilton County park in Cincinnati, OH) with the Cincinnati Audubon Society. This was my first time to bird with the Audubon Society. Normally I go on the Cincinnati Birding Club trips, but Winton Woods is only 30 minutes from my house...and the walk started at 9:00 a.m. (yeah!). I also wanted to go because I had heard Red-breasted Nuthatches could be found regularly at the pine stand there, and I wanted to find out where it was. We started the morning at the Settling Pond on McKelvey Rd. where we saw lots of lovely ducks including Ring-necked Ducks, Gadwalls, Wood Ducks (a lot of them!), Coots, Black Ducks, Bonaparte Gulls (a small flock flew in flashing white against the dark grey sky....beautiful and exciting...), Green-winged Teal, Ruddy Ducks, Mallards, and Northern Shovelers. A Great Blue Heron was also there fishing among the ducks, and we watched him catch a fish, taking his time to finally swallow it down. A Belted Kingfisher could be heard in the distance, and just as we were leaving, a Swamp Sparrow and couple of Song Sparrows popped into view. The Swamp Sparrow was especially beautiful...so dark against the light tans of the cattail stalks. For a complete list of birds we found on the trip, check out the Cincinnati Bird Sightings log, here. (Did I mention it was cold? The day before I was in shorts, but Sunday morning was cold!!!)

After watching the ducks, we headed over to the pine stand on the Parcours Fitness Trail and soon enough the little Red-breasted Nuthatches made an appearance. At one point I had three in sight, but could hear others--probably at least a half dozen were following us through the pines (others in the group had 6 in sight at the same time, so there could have been even more). Their nasally calls were soothing and soft and floated in the cold air around us. Such happy little birds, they were so busy darting from branch to branch...following the branch to the end of the pine needles...never stopping for a rest. They inspired me so much I whipped out three acrylic paintings that evening when I was home (paintings 77-79 in the 100 Painting Challenge), and followed them on Monday with a watercolor (painting 80).

Painting #80, Red-breasted Nuthatch at Winton Woods

9x12 Arches Rough 140 Lb Paper, Watercolor

I used a very light pencil sketch on this painting so the water colors could be vibrant and not weighed down by graphite showing through. I took my time with the water color, so it doesn't show the activity, speed and agility of these little birds as they zip through the branches. Although, when I look at it, he does have a wily look in his eyes and appears ready to spring over to the next branch, which no doubt holds another spider to eat.

With the acrylics I tried to capture the movement of the little imps, plus convey autumn's last hurrah. The cold and overcast morning was a shocker. We had been enjoying Indian summer and had grown used to the warmer temps. The cold made the trees seem barer and reminded us what November should really feel like. Starting without a drawing underneath, I quickly painted in the birds, adding in a dark background to relay the gloom of the morning (and the end of autumn)--flashes of autumn color give a nod to the season at it tries to hold on, but we know winter is on the way...

Painting #79, A Red-breasted Nuthatch flits from branch to branch...

9x12 Acrylic Paper, Acrylic

Painting #78, ...never resting

9x12 Acrylic Paper, Acrylic

Painting #77, ...always looking for another spider to eat.

9x12 Acrylic Paper, Acrylic

If you want to read more about these little birds, head over to BirdingBlogs.com for an article Kenn Kaufmann recently posted.

One more cool thing...two other Cincinnati Nature bloggers were there:

Mike of Everybody Funny was our trip leader. I think his phishing is what brought the Red-breasted Nuthatches out. They were very curious at the sound and came in closer to see what we were all about. Mike is very creative, and his blog focuses on visual poetry, nature, and humor. It's a lot of fun, and his work often makes me think in ways I don't normally think...and that's always good!

...and Kathi of KatDoc's World was there too. I started reading KatDoc's blog a few months ago when she posted on a warble (the larval form of of botfly) living under the skin of a kitten (if you want to get grossed out, click here). Since Matty wants to be a vet, I thought I'd check it out. Kathi is a vet and potter and writes about her vet practice and other interesting things. I had never met Kathi before, but when I saw her, I immediately recognized her from her blog..."You're KatDoc!" was the first thing out of my mouth. Kathi let me borrow her Ohio Ornithological Society hat because it was so cold and I didn't have one. Thanks, Kathi!

White-breasted Nuthatch and Golden-crowned Kinglet...for the challenge.

Painting #76, White-breasted Nuthatch along the Little Miami River

9x12 Arches Rough 140 Lb Paper, Watercolor

I drew this white-breasted Nuthatch in the car as I waited for Matty at school. I finished up the drawing and added the watercolor at his tennis clinic. I used to read while I waited, but now that I'm not afraid to paint and draw in public, I'm using the time to meet the 100 painting challenge. (My booklist, however, has come to a screeching halt!)

Painting 75, Golden-crowned Kinglet along the Little Miami River

7x10 Arches Cold Pressed 140 Lb Paper, Watercolor

I also drew and painted this little female Golden-crowned Kinglet in the car as I waited for Matty at school, but I only gave myself 15 minutes to do it. I wanted to see if I could capture a fair representation quickly. It's okay, but not my favorite. I'd like to redo this one and spend more time on her. I wonder what she would look like in acrylic...

Spitting out quantity rather than quality is a little hard on the ego, but I'm getting used to it, and it's part of what I love about the challenge. Painting in volume frees you from making every painting a masterpiece. That's the way I used to paint...everything had a purpose, everything was real. The 100 Painting Challenge is practice, and it opens the mind (it really does...) and makes each painting fun.

Carolina Wren in three different styles...for the challenge

Painting #72, Carolina Wren in Carmel

9x12 Acrylic Paper, Acrylic

I love the rich, carmel tones in this painting, and it's total luck that they are there because I almost tossed this painting (and if you look layer by layer, underneath you'll find two other completed paintings). The first time it had a bright green summer background and the bird was realistic, but with all the browns and golds outside the bright green didn't feel right, so I scraped most of it off and painted it again, this time making the bird more impressionistic and bringing in darker greens, but I wasn't keen on it either and thought about tossing it, but an idea popped into my head, so I scraped the painting again and rubbed what was left on the canvas paper smooth. A blurred image of a bird barely visible in a sea of green remained. I then used autumn colors and painted by feel, adding in all the darks and caramels with just a few paint strokes. If you look closely, you can see the deep greens showing through here and there. The bird went from a realistic rendering to one with almost no detail at all.

Painting #73, Carolina Wren in Leather

9x12 Acrylic Paper, Acrylic

I can't remember what lies under this painting, but there's a lot of it...whatever it is. The first time I painted this little Carolina Wren, it was realistic. It was a perfectly good finished painting. It was night, and Matty was working on his homework in the kitchen, and I was across from him painting. I started with a paintbrush dipped in Burnt Umber and created the bird with a sketchy outline...then added in more and more detail. We both liked the painting, so I set it aside to dry. The next morning all the paints were still out on the island, and I thought it needed "a little something." So while Matty ate his breakfast, I started squeezing out paint....and smearing it in with a palette knife. That poor little bird had five or six lives with the palette knife as I slowly figured out how to use it. It's super fun, and I'll definitely use one again. By the time this little fellow emerged, I was late for work and had paint on my cheek...and neck...and hairline...and didn't know it until my friend gave me the crazy eye trying to figure out "what is that on your cheek?" In life, this painting looks like it's been carved from leather. The scan doesn't really show that, though.

Painting #74, Carolina Wren in Watercolor

9x12 Arches Rough Watercolor Paper, Watercolor

I drew and painted this little fellow over a period of three 15- to 20-minute stints sitting in my car as I waited to pick Matty up from school. I'd just crawl over to the passenger seat and pull out the ref photo and watercolor block and start sketching and painting. Water brushes come with their own water supply, so they make it easy. Can you tell I used the same photo ref for this painting and the previous painting #73? Same bird...different feel.

Painting #71, Snowy Egret with Plumes Flying

Painting 71, Snowy Egret with Plumes Flying

(Quick watercolor sketch, 9x12, Arches Rough 100% Cotton 140 lb paper)

This is one of those milestone paintings because I sketched it and painted it in public--with a lot of people around. Normally I paint by myself, but I knew I was going to have an hour's wait while my son was at a tennis clinic, so after reading Laure Ferlita's post today on all of her travel watercolor palettes, I decided it was time to haul my paints and paper with me and paint. I am a sloppy sketcher, and when I prepare for a watercolor, I normally tone down my heavy-handed sketching, but I didn't have time for that, so I just let my heavy hand go free. The pencil marks show through the paint, but that's okay. It was dark there, and I couldn't see up close very well because I didn't have my little magnifying glasses (uugh...getting older is murder on the eyes. I can't see anything up close anymore). As a result, this little egret's eyes suffered a bit and look outlined. I was going to fix it when I got home but decided to leave it because each painting in the challenge is a learning experience. I'm going to take my paints with me now when I know I'm going to have a long wait so I'll be able to keep practicing painting on the fly...in front of people!

When I paint with acrylics I don't lay a sketch down at all. I just grab the paintbrush and start painting, but watercolors aren't that forgiving so a sketch is necessary! I might try painting this guy in acrylic and see what happens. I took the photo I used as a reference for this painting when I was in Florida this spring (it's posted here). The Snowy Egret was in his breeding plumage and the wind had whipped those beautiful plumes on his head in the air. He had just caught the little silvery fish, and I was lucky enough to snap the photo just in time.

More bird paintings for the challenge...

Painting #70, Meadowlark Peeking Among Poppies

Acrylic, 6x6 canvas paper

Painting #69, Three Little Birds

Acrylic, 6"x12" canvas paper

Matty helped me name this one. He thought Bob Marley's song, "Three Little Birds" fit it perfectly:

"Rise up this mornin',
Smiled with the risin' sun,
Three little birds
Pitch by my doorstep
Singin' sweet songs
Of melodies pure and true,
Sayin', ("This is my message to you-ou-ou:")"
Boby Marley, Three Little Birds

Paintings 63 - 68, Red-headed Woodpeckers and Northern Flickers

ATCs, mixed--water color, acrylic, and colored pencil

Paintings 57 - 62, Red-bellied Woodpeckers and White-breasted Nuthatches

ATCs, mixed--water color and acrylic

Remember these? Paintings 57 - 68 are all ATCs. I sketched them back in September and painted them shortly after, but I forgot to scan them and put them in the challenge. I kept looking at my total and thinking it was really low...then I remembered the ATCs! D'uh! Now I'm completely caught up and should be able to make the challenge by the end of the year.

Halloween Ravens

Painting #52 - Common Raven Flying Over a Pumpkin

I loved painting this painting. Usually I rely on a reference photo, but this one appeared in my head and poured out of my paintbrush. I could hear the whoosh of the wings as he flew past, and saw the shadow pass over the pumpkin. This painting made me fall in love with Common Ravens even more than I already did.

Painting #53 - Night Raven Looking at the Moonbow

...again...no ref photo. Quite a big thing for me. The Golden slow-drying acrylics I'm using are so freeing. I squeeze out the paint, start playing, and images come to life. I'm really enjoying the 100 Painting Challenge. Being under the pressure to create 100 paintings in a year causes me to paint just for the sake of painting. I used to paint for a purpose (a card, a present--a reason), but with the challenge, there is no reason. You simply create all the time. The challenge continues to help me grow. Because of the challenge, I found out I love painting ravens and all the darkness that surrounds them.

Painting #54 - Nocturnal Raven

Painting #55 - Common Raven in a Patterned World

I painted this painting twice. I didn't like the first take, so I scraped it off....then decided I loved the scape marks and just added the Common Raven in with a few brush strokes.

Painting #56 - Creepy Primitive Halloween Raven

The scrapings in the previous painting inspired this one. Originally it was supposed to have the feel of a wood block carving image, but it soon turned into the feel of a carved pumpkin. I painted the background orange/red/yellow and let it dry over night....then painted over it with black the next morning....grabbed a plastic spoon and started "carving" out the image. I decided to go primitive because it's creepier, and one-shot carving with a spoon doesn't allow detail. After it dried, I painted over the moon with orange again...then went back in and re-carved over the previous carving. That helped brighten up the moon... This was a lot of fun, but very messy!! (I'm happy to report all of these paintings passed Matty's stringent creative requirements. He thought they were cool.)

...no bird in this painting, so it's not part of the challenge. I just wanted to wish you a Happy Halloween filled with lots of treats...and black cats...ravens...and ghosts...witches...and scarecrows...and...candy corn, of course!

More bird paintings...this time, impressionistic.

These were fun, and I loved doing them. Working late at night, I painted this series without an under sketch. I let the paintbrush do the work, watching the images appear as the paint went down. I'm a night owl, which is a very bad thing to be when you're a birder (unless you study owls), but it's a very good thing to be when you paint. Once the hand on the clock clicks past midnight, the soothing night spirits take over and help you along. All is quiet, no one is around, gentle night sounds slip through the window, and time slows down.

Painting #48, Goldfinch on Sunflower

Acrylic, 9"x12" acrylic paper

Painting #49, Goldfinch on Sunflower 2

Acrylic, 6"x6" canvas paper

Painting #50, Goldfinch on Sunflower 3

Acrylic, 6"x12" canvas paper

Painting #51, Goldfinch Almost on Sunflower

Acrylic, 6"x6" canvas paper

...chugging along. I'm passed the half-way point.

All summer long I worked to reverse the night-owl thing, and I succeeded for a while, but I've slipped back to my old ways. I've been a night owl my entire life. I remember when I was in the first grade my mom had to pull me out of bed, sit me at the kitchen table and give me a cup of java to help me move. (I also remember her advising me I might not want to mention the coffee bit to my teachers. Back then kids didn't drink coffee. I don't know if they do now because Matty's an early bird.) No one in my family is a night owl...they are all early birds. Where on earth did this come from? Now, because of Meniere's Disease (an inner ear disorder), I can't drink coffee. I've been caffeine free for about 6 years, so I don't have that aid to make getting up easier. 6:15 comes very early, and I'm not keen on it, but I get up anyway. (I am tired of living on 4 hours of sleep, though...and I'm going to bed early tonight!)

Stylized Bird Paintings...for the challenge

Painting stylized birds was something new for me. My brother, Bill, and my son, Matty, are both cartoonists, and they can create the coolest iconic images, Rick can too, but realism always seems to flow out of my paintbrush and capturing a stylized image is hard for me, but this time, I tried to boil things down to symbols and let loose. It was fun!

Painting #42, Green Air Currents, Energy or Love Flowing Around Little Red Bird

Acrylic on Canvas Paper, 6"x12"

I love this painting. It makes me feel good when I look at it. I can feel all the swirls of energy and love. I'd be happy wearing this little guy on a t-shirt!

Painting #43, Red Air Currents, Energy, or Love Flowing Around Little Green Bird

Acrylic on Canvas Paper, 6"x12"

...love this one too. Little Green Bird has a lot of love around him. I'd be happy with this image on a t-shirt also...

Painting #44, A Cliché Stylized Bird in Flight...BUT it’s in the moonlight, and it’s migrating, so it’s okay.

(or...Bird Lit By the Light of the Silvery Moon in October)

Acrylic on Acrylic Paper, 9"x12"

Matty called me on this one. He said, "Mom, that bird in flight has been done so much. It's overused."

"I know..." I told him, "but....that's the point, the name of the piece is 'A Cliché Stylized Bird in Flight...BUT it's in the Moonlight, and it's Migrating, so it's Okay. (or...Bird Lit By the Light of the Silvery Moon in October).' "
"That's a long title," he said, "but I like it."
"Good...I just made it up."

Painting #45, The Berries are Right Behind You, Little Bird!

Acrylic on Acrylic Paper, 9"x12"

...totally symbolic. The berries represent creativity, and I'm the bird. I feel like creativity is lurking just behind me. I have to reach back there and grab the berries...I just can't see them yet. This painting took so may stages...at the end, I painted over it in a disgusting blue-green color that almost made me hurl, but quickly I grabbed the palate knife and scraped off the nastiness. This cool Little Red Bird popped out as I scraped away...along with the bright greens and yellows.

Painting #46, Stylized LBJ (but I think it's a Savannah Sparrow) in a Blaze of Autumn Color

Acrylic on Canvas Paper, 6"x12"

Do you see that Little Brown Jobbie in the middle of the field? I'm sure it's a Savannah...in a shadow.

Painting # 47, Für Sarah und Alyssa

Three Halloween Pumpkins and Three Little Black Birds in Pointy Witch Hats

Acrylic on Canvas Paper, 6"x12"

This painting is for my nieces in Germany, Sarah and Alyssa. They like to make their own decorations to decorate their house for Halloween. This painting is an idea for them. I can tell the stylized part was fading here...it doesn't work, but the girls will like it. Hi Sarah and Alyssa!!

The 100 Bird Paintings in a Year challenge continues. I've painted a lot over the past two weeks. If I can keep it up, I'll hit 100 paintings by December 31.

Painting birds in an impressionistic style...

Matty art-directed me with these paintings. He's taking an art class right now and is helping me learn to be a bit more creative and looser in my style. He's all about creating something different and new, so he challenged me to get a little modern. In his exact words, "We all know you can paint and draw a bird, but can you make it interesting?" Okay professor....

Painting #39 Northern Cardinal in Evening Snow

I saw this bird in the dead of winter at a local park. Snowflakes were falling heavily and all was quiet except for the muffled sound of new snow consistently accumulating on old snow--a special sound you have to strain to hear, but one that refreshes and soothes. The bird was hidden deep in the center of an oversized bush, protected by branches as night was beginning to fall. The temps were wickedly frigid and this fellow was fluffed to gargantuan extremes. He was one of the most beautiful cardinals I had ever seen.

I had originally painted this guy in full form sitting on a branch, but Matty said, "Nope...get rid of the branches and show me something interesting." So...I just started painting over the branches and the bird, thickly applying paint where it felt good, remembering the darkness...and the cold...and the silent sound of falling snow. Eventually this fellow emerged, and Matty liked him. He liked the chunkiness of the brown paint and the fact the only things in focus were the bill and eyes. He said it was an interesting painting because you had to think about where the bird was and what he was doing.

Painting #40 Goldfinch in the Grass

A saw this little American Goldfinch in a meadow last year. He was surrounded by green leaves and brown grass. Autumn was just starting to creep in, and he was looking a bit scruffy as he carefully poked through teasel stalks. His molt had just begun and his beautiful breeding plumage was starting to fade into the subdued shades of winter, but as I stood in the field and watched him, thoughts of winter were no where around. It was hot that day...very hot, and it felt like summer would go on forever.

I also had already painted a branch with this one and was about to paint the teasel seed head the bird was looking at when Matty said, "Why do you want to add that in? You don't need it. It's interesting right now to see him in the intense green. There's energy. Leave him alone and get rid of the branch." I stammered, "Really? Don't I need to add details to the bird....don't I need to add shadow?" He added, "Mom, can you tell it's a goldfinch?" I shook my head yes. "Then...leave it." So I did, and I love it! I can feel the heat of the day and the sweetness of the bird. I remember everything without seeing the detail.

Painting #41 Autumn Chickadee

Chickadees are my favorite bird. I can hear their cheerful sounds outside my kitchen window all year long. It never fails, as soon as a Chickadee sound registers in my brain, happiness and joy follow! They are happy little powerhouses, and it seems they have the same effect on lots of people. Thank goodness for Chickadees (especially in grey and frigid February). I saw this fellow last year too. He was about 20 feet off the Little Miami trail washed in a blaze of autumn color. Temps were just starting to drop, and he was working hard to gather food for the winter.

Well...this painting does not carry with it Matty's seal of approval. We love the background and the soft warmth of the autumn color, but unfortunately Matty wasn't in the kitchen when I was painting this one, and I added a bit too much detail to the bird, and what on earth was I thinking when I added the "floating" branch? I could go back and paint over it and make it cool, but I'll let it stand as is and move on to the next painting. I already have painting 42 finished and have 43 and 44 in the works. I've got to keep moving if I want to finish the 100 Paintings in a Year Challenge by December 31, 2010!

Matty taught me a lot about freedom with paint in this series. He has a creative eye. Matty, thanks for helping me grow as an artist!

Painting a Winter Robin...in autumn

Painting #38 - Winter Robin

(9" x 12" - Acrylic on Canvas Paper)

"Winter Robin" is painting #38 in the 100 Paintings in a Year Challenge. It was my first attempt at painting with acrylics, and I loved it. The Plaza art store in Kenwood had canvases on sale for 70% off and acrylics on sale for 60% off, so with such a fab sale going on I decided it was time to dive in. I started with Golden's "Golden Open Acrylics." Golden Open Acrylics are creamy and dry slower than standard acrylic paints so they feel more like oils. Since I've painted with oils in the past, I decided they would be my best bet. I really liked them and had fun painting with them. I definitely went with a looser style, which was my goal.

Click here for photos of the Cheerio-eating robin that inspired this painting.