49 - Scarlet Ibis Birdseye View

Scarlet Ibis Birdseye View___$150

#49 in the Birdseed Project

As I get ready to take works to the Rockport Art Festival early next month, I did a few little tropical birds last week at the Chocolate Sketch Class!

Join us on Saturday for the last sketch class this month... I plan to demonstrate a small one with my "palette droppings" and Robin has something fun planned with sketching. Joel's, once again, is providing the coffee and tempting us with Austin's best truffles!

Please click the Birdseed Project link and consider a small donation to help provide seed to nursing homes. Better yet, ASK ME how to do a Birdseed Project at a nursing home near you!!!

43- Hawk Greens

 Hawk Greens__8x6 oil on panel__$350

#43 in the Birdseed Project

 

Yesterday's post was this same red-tailed hawk. Click to read the story and to see a BETTER IMAGE than what you saw yesterday.

Hawks are my younger son's favorite birds, and to watch them in the fields hunting is a thrill! Below is a recent video (sped up!) of me painting a hawk!

Take a look!

 

 

42 - Red Shouldered Hawk

 

Red Shouldered Hawk__8 x 6 oil on linen panel__$350

#42 in the Birdseed Project

Please read about this important project at the link above, and consider donating!

I painted this from a photo I took of this magnificent bird out in the wild!...Yes, the busy Austin intersection of Parmer Lane and McNiel Road is a VERY wild place! That's where I saw this hawk as I drove by during rush hour! I circled back and went through the intersection again, pulling onto the shoulder and parking RIGHT NEXT to the fence wire where he perched.

Usually hawks are wary and will fly away if you park too close. This one was used to traffic and stayed long enough for me to get a BUNCH of pictures. I watched him (her?) searching the small field area for mice (or something), and flying from fence post to tree and back. He (she) actually outlasted me, and was still there after my memory card filled up and I had to drive away.

41- Snowy Robin

Snowy Robin__tiny oil on canvas 3.5 x 3.5__$150 includes a little easel

#41 in my Birdseed Project

 

This is a tiny warm-up painting I did in the snow over the weekend in Nebraska. There were Robins EVERYWHERE there, ALL fluffed up in the cold. My friend, Allen said that he saw one that looked confused as if to say "where is SPRING?"

That might be a better title for this little canvas...winter seems to be hanging on tight in the Great Plains!

Please consider this painting, or a little donation to the Birdseed Project!

Your purchase will provide seed for bird feeders at a nursing home, and light to a lonely place.

NOW, you can even send a few tax deductible dollars, without having to buy art!

Contact Friends of the Forgotten and mention BIRDSEED!

40- Coots are Cute

Coots are Cute___4x6 oil study on canvas

#40 in the Birdseed Project

 

I have been in Nebraska this week, painting, and participating in plenty of things with the Bone Creek Museum of Agrarian Art!

I'll talk about it this week after I get home tomorrow.

This is my warm up sketch on the first day!

 



39 Arizona Roadrunner

 Roadrunner__ in Arizona__10x10 watercolor pencil__$250 unframed

#39 in my Birdseed Project

 

YESTERDAY'S POST was put up hastily, because I needed to post before midnight and it was 11:58!

So I didn't identify the bird: a beautiful golden orange and black bird that I saw in Arizona. THE FIRST ONE to respond to my call for "help" was the greatest bird artist I know,
 Adele Earnshaw. www.adeleearnshaw.blogspot.com She is an active blogger and frequently paints birds...GO SEE!!!!...Adele is a real pal and lives in New Zealand, after many years in Arizona. New Zealand is her homeland and she achieved her dream to move there for good! (well, for HER OWN GOOD....I say it's BAD for the rest of us!!) In March 2015 I will teach a workshop in New Zealand, and Adele will be our host....CAN'T WAIT!

Tomorrow I will share my heart about a few recent struggles I have had, and why I have been a spotty blogger....so many of you care and ask....I just want to get my thoughts together before "sharing"  :)

#38 in the Birdseed Project - Hooded Oriole

 

NAME THIS BIRD__ in Arizona__6 x 86 oil__$250 unframed

#38 in my Birdseed Project

 

This one from Arizona is the Hooded Oriole. I saw him on a hike near Tucson with artist frind, Lydia Dillon-Sutton...She does the BEST BATIK art!

Here is the video of my Quick Draw at the recent Cowgirl Up event in Wickenburg, Arizona's Desert Caballeros Museum. 

Turn up your speakers!

37- House Finch

House Finch in Arizona__6 x 6 oil__$190 unframed

#37 in my Birdseed Project

 

This little bird brightens the trees in northern Arizona! Sorry the photo is blurry! I will replace it as soon as I remember...it was a rainy day and this photo is bad!

HEY! Did you see my Quick Draw Video? Here it is below! Thank you MIKE'S ROAD TRIP for sending the actual player !!! THE MUSIC IS SO COOL!!! Y'all tell me what you think! Be sure to watch to the end to see the world's best auctioneer, Carson Thomas. He made it a really fun event!

Then go LIKE MIKE on facebook! ...

 

 

ENJOY the time lapse video created by Mike's Road Trip. I told him that all my friends would watch this and LIKE HIM on facebook....PLEASE do that!!!

This painting is not available, and it is not part of my Birdseed Project. But the video is a blast!!! Watch it twice and turn up the music!

 

http://www.mikesroadtrip.com/cowgirl-up-quick-draw/

 

https://www.facebook.com/MikesRoadTrip

36- Saguaro Hawk

 

Saguaro Hawk

12 x 9 oil___$550

#36 in the Birdseed Project

 

Hi Friends...I appreciate the notes of concern about my "absence"...again...First I will talk about today's ART! It's fun when I remember to take a picture of "step 1"...see below! You artists can look at these two pictures and almost "see" how I paint! I always look at step 1 and ask myself, "why did I go past that point?"...meaning, I usually like my "start" better than my "finish"  :)  Would love to hear from my artist friends about what you think, or if you have a question about how I got from "step 1" to "step 10" ...notice I did not bore you with pics of the middle steps :)

 

I came home from South Carolina to find a VERY SICK mom. She spent 2 weeks in hospital with pneumonia, and some other serious issues. At 89, her prognosis was not good...but, as "Mama Pedro", this was just a little blip in her routine! Of course, I was holding my breath...only exhaling to PRAY, but she seems on the road to recovery and is back at her nursing home!...I am back to feeding her birds, and asking y'all to pass the word about my birdseed project!  In fact PLEASE CLICK the link to read the latest news!!!

 God Bless Mom...and you ALL, too!

 

Saguaro Hawk---State 1

the "start"

35 - Great in White

Great in __10 x 10 watercolor pencil__framed $450
#35 in the Birdseed Project
I am home after a week in South Carolina, Southeastern Wildlife Exposition, and a few days at ACE Basin....Saw no Whooping Cranes this year, but plenty of these great white egret. They are so big and elegant and in HUGE numbers at ACE Basin.
I spent most of my time there shooting pictures and trying out a new camera set-up...We saw  these egrets, some little snowy egrets, blue herons, tricolors, little blue herons. Also my favorite, the Kingfisher, bald eagles, otters, a few alligators and the endangered American Wood Stork...I can't wait to paint these for the birdseed project!
 

34-Heron Knife Demo

Heron Knife Demo
12x9 oil on canvas
#34 in the Birdseed Project

33 - Skimmer

 

Skimmer___10 x 10 watercolor__framed for SEWE
#33 in the Birdseed Project
Skimmers spend winter in Rockport Texas. They nest in big groups on the beachy area near the Rockport Center for the Arts...I guess I will find out if anyone in Charleston, SC is familiar with these wonderful birds! I will be there at the Southeastern Wildlife Exposition over the weekend!! See you there!

32-Soft in White

Soft in White___10x10 watercolor, framed__$350
#32 in the Birdseed Project
Here is another part of my Birdseed Project. It constitutes about 1 pound of the 241 pounds of art I shipped to Charleston, SC for the Southeastern Wildlife Exposition!
Hope to see you there!!!

31 - LOL

LOL__6x6 oil on canvas panel for SEWE
#31 in the Birdseed Project
Another little laughing gull painting that I shipped to the Southeastern Wildlife Exposition. The show opens Thursday night in Charleston, SC...These three gulls are laughing out loud...LOL...kind of silly, but it is a small little canvas I wanted to have some fun with...see you at SEWE!

30- A Good Laugh

A Good Laugh

#30 in the Birdseed Project

 It feels great to have shipped all my artwork off to Charleston for next weekend's Southeastern Wildlife Exposition.

WHEW!

I extremely do not like framing, packing, cataloging, and shipping artwork...I only like DOING artwork. But, yesterday I had to ship 241 pounds of paintings...not fun.

I titled the one above A Good Laugh, because I NEED a good laugh, and this breed of seagull is called a "laughing gull"...PLEASE tell all your friends near Charleston to COME MEET ME at the art show! If they (or you!) buy a little bird work from me, I will apply over 10% to the Birdseed Project

...and I will tell how to make a tax deductible donation!

Have a great laugh this weekend! See you at SEWE!



29- Mom's Heron

Mom's Heron

#29 in the Birdseed Project

Here is one that is NOT available...

A few days ago, I visited my mom at the nursing home and it was a GORGEOUS day, so we sat out by the bird feeders in the gazebo...her favorite place. I brought along my new favorite toys, watercolor pencils, and a photo of a heron I took in South Carolina last year...Well I was actually showing off for mom, and scribbled this out in my lap UPSIDE DOWN, so she could see it happen...she was so entertained that she couldn't stop "gushing" about it, so I let her keep it on her wall...I actually think I overworked it, but it was so fun watching her enjoy the cheap entertainment...brought back a lot of memories! I used to draw at the kitchen table a lot, and she enjoyed watching me way back then...Have you ever wondered where the phrase came from:

"As exciting as watching paint dry!" ??



28 - Little Gulls

Little Gulls___6x6 oil study for SEWE

#28 in the Birdseed Project

SEWE is the Southeastern Wildlife Exposition, held this time every year in Charleston, South Carolina. It is a great venue for all kinds of wildlife art. This year my theme is, of course, BIRDS! I have all my bird paintings packed up for the show!

The one above was so fun to paint, I followed up this little study with a larger 12 x 12 work...I will post that one tomorrow!

27 - Pelican Place

Pelican Place__8x6 oil on linen panel__for SEWE

#27 in the Birdseed Project: More Than Many Sparrows

 

I dedicate this one to my Father-in-law, RV.

He lovingly pointed out to me that even though these little bird works have been created to benefit a birdseed fund for a nursing home, MOST of the birds I have painted lately do not eat seed! I told RV that I would like this project to inspire volunteers to ALSO feed birds at other nursing homes. NOW I also hope that JUST MAYBE some smart person might create a bird feeder that dispenses little fish instead of seed!

That would be PERFECT!

 __________________
Tonight is the opening of "Twilight" at Act I Gallery in Taos, NM
I wish I could be there and enjoy the great gallery artists and patrons. Below is "my wall" there for this show! Please go by and see the show if you are nearby...it will be up for a while!
Read about it in Southwest Art Magazine...and see some of my paintings here

 

26-Little Tri Color Heron

Little Tricolor Heron__8x6 oil on linen panel

#26 in my Bird Seed Project

I place my title at the mercy of my real birding friends....If I had planned ahead, I would have asked Adele, Joe or Lynn to ID this bird for me! I painted it from a photo I took last year at the wildlife refuge in South Carolina....My choices were a Little Blue Heron or a Tri-Color Heron...Because of the white on this one, I am thinking it is a YOUNG Little Blue Heron...help?

Of course, if you tell me it is something all together different, I will simply claim that I painted it poorly!...So, I am covered.

25-Egret Eye

Egret Eye__6x8 oil on linen panel__$190 at SEWE

 

#25 in the Birdseed Project

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!

I painted this little Great Egret while visiting  mom the other day...she always enjoyed watching me draw as a little kid, and STILL gets into it! She was the perfect mom to a kid who did WAY TOO MANY THINGS at a time...she never coached me, or gave advice about my stuff...she just watched and enjoyed, and told me how I was the greatest at EVERYTHING, ALL THE TIME! hahaha

Today is my mom's 89th birthday! We celebrated at her nursing home with some shrimp for lunch and she got her hair done! I topped it off by filling her bird feeders. See my favorite feeder, below. If anyone knows where I can get a feeder like this LET ME KNOW! (it is a metal plate that sticks in the ground and has branches with little birds on it...see?) I got it at Hobby Lobby and wish I had bought more!

Who can identify the 4 birds feeding?

The one at very top is the "decoy" :)