14_Little Dove

Little Dove__8x8 watercolor sketch for BIRDSEED PROJECT

 

I posted this just before I "formalized" my little project to provide bird seed to my mom's nursing home. So I have made this the 14th bird posting (officially) with the promise to only post NEW WORKS from now on!

Over the next few weeks I will focus on "wildlife" and "farms" due to upcoming show works I need to produce, but there will still be a scattering of little bird paintings! Read about the project HERE and tell your bird loving friends! If you do a search on my blog you can see all of them at once. Search "birdseed" ...

I know holidays can be tough for many, as we remember days and years and "by gones"...Tomorrow starts a NEW DAY, a NEW YEAR, that I hope will bring encouragement to all of you, my friends. May this little dove remain a symbol of peace...

God Bless you, and HAPPY NEW YEAR!



#13 - Little Blue Dove

Little Blue Dove_#13 for Birdseed Project__8x8 watercolor pencil__$250 includes shipping 

The Birdseed Project ... "A Wing and a Prayer"

 

For several years I have been feeding the birds at my mom's nursing home. She and my dad always fed birds at home, so I have tried to keep the tradition. Her room and "family room" windows have a view of a small yard which can be enjoyed by residents and guests, so I have put out bird feeders, and a bird bath.

Recently, other residents have told me that they love the birds! They ask me to sprinkle seed here and there so they can see the birds better. 

To afford more seed for the hungry birds and these precious older people, I decided to do a short-term project. I have photographed birds all over America, and now I am painting some small bird studies.10-20% of the sales price is "seed money". I hope these small art works will fund the filling of the feeders a little bit at a time.

If it catches on, perhaps I can link with a bona fide charity, and donations can be made, but for now, I will post an occasional bird painting that I hope you will like. Tell your bird-loving friends!...if you would like more info or price and cost numbers, please e-mail me

To see all the paintings, click on my blog, and type in a search for "bird seed".

http://www.vvaughan.blogspot.com

Boat_Gone By

By Gone__8x10 oil on linen panel__$350 unframed

Several weeks ago I took a quickie trip to Rockport, TX with a friend, Terri Wells, who is a great watercolorist...We spent a few hours at my favorite boatyard on Cove Harbor, and I did this little oil sketch...8x10.

This boat is a little break from my Bird Seed Project, as I gather the latest works and photograph them to post. But, there ARE birds in this painting! ...The nursing home has a good "stash"  of seed for now, but I have many more little bird studies to post! Keep a look-out and tell your bird loving friends about my project!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

#12 Scissor Tail

Scissor Tail Flycatcher__8x8 watercolor pencil sketch__$250 includes shipping

# 12 for the Bird Seed Project

Early summer brings these scissor tails to my part of Texas....I have many memories of seeing them at the horse stables when I was a little girl, and they loved the telephone wires at our farm. Last summer I kept my camera nearby ON PURPOSE to try to get good pictures of this bird SPECIFICALLY...It was then that I found out that they are hard to shoot, because they are very wary and fly away!. Tonight I was browsing some bird photography sites, and noticed that the other photographers had pictures similar to mine: far away and sitting on a wire....

Merry CHRISTmas!

****

Ask Santa for the adventure of a lifetime!

A Painting Holiday in New Zealand March 3-9, 2015

#11 - Ibis Drip

Ibis Drip__8x8 watercolor sketch__$250  includes shipping
# 11 for my bird seed project

On a recent trip to the coast there were plenty of these pretty white ibis..."ibises"? In flight, you can see their black-tipped wings. They are not as shy as the scarlet ibises, and I wonder why?...Part of this purchase will benefit some sweet elderly citizens at the nursing home where my mom lives....they LOVE to watch the birds, and the birds LOVE to over-eat! ...a 20 pound bag is $8, and fills the feeders twice, lasting just about 3 days. We spread out the feedings so the bag lasts about a week... :)
With cold weather coming tonight, I will step up the feeding a little bit...my CHRISTmas present to the birds!
Merry!!!
 

****

 

Ask Santa for the adventure of a lifetime!

A Painting Holiday in New Zealand March 3-9, 2015

10 - Blue Jay Song and Dance

Blue Jay Song and Dance__8x8 watercolor sketch__$250

#10 to benefit the Bird Seed Project

at least 10% of the price buys seed for the elderly...

 

Blue Jays must have a wide range because they are all over my area of central Texas. And, my artist friend, Kelly Dodge has befriended many of them at her place in CANADA!

(click to see Kelly's blue jay in flight...wait for it to scroll by).

I have sold a number of these little bird posts, and now have a little "nest egg" to supply birdseed to the nursing home where my mom lives. The residents just LOVE watching the birds at the feeders outside. If the "nest egg" gets big enough, I will put a few more feeders out for Christmas!

 

****

 

Ask Santa for the adventure of a lifetime!

A Painting Holiday in New Zealand March 3-9, 2015

#9_Whooping Crane Liftoff

Whooping Crane Liftoff__6 x 8 oil on linen panel__$190 includes shipping

Birdseed Project #9

 

Here is a rare whooping crane from the eastern flock that spends a little winter time on the Donnelley Wildlife Refufge near CHarleston, South Carolina....I photographed them there last winter, and hope to do it again in February...Please tell your birding friends about my little project...I will post more birds over the next month or so...

 

_______________________

AND...

How about ART for Christmas?

See my new fine art prints

 http://vvaughan.blogspot.com/2012/10/son-of-sun.html 

or ask Santa for the adventure of a lifetime

A Painting Holiday in New Zealand March 3-9, 2015

8__Gigi's Girl

Gigi's Girl__8x6 oil __$190 includes shipping

#8 for my Bird Seed Project

 

My grandpa Pedro rescued a cardinal and called him Gigi...Gigi was a brilliant red bird who lived in a cage in grandpa's house. In the morning Gigi would sing his distinctive cardinal song, which sounds SO LOUD inside that it seemed to come from loud speakers. ...In the day, grandpa Pedro would bring the cage outside, open the door and watch Gigi fly into the trees where he continued singing all morning....later, Gigi would come back to the cage and sleep inside the house all over again

This little cardinal bird just might be Gigi's girlfriend!

_________________________

AND...

How about ART for Christmas?

See my new fine art prints

 http://vvaughan.blogspot.com/2012/10/son-of-sun.html 

 

or ask Santa for the adventure of a lifetime

A Painting Holiday in New Zealand March 3-9, 2015

7-Pelican PairPair

Pelican Pair ___8x8 watercolor sketch___$250 unframed. Includes Shipping

#7 in my Bird Seed Project

 

I hope you know about this special project I am doing to keep birdseed in the nursing home bird feeders! Today was the FIRST DAY that I filled the feeders with seed provided by this project...actually, I provided the big bag of seed today, and I brought my camera there to shoot the first visitors, but I forgot to snap the pictures!...ah well...I will do it soon, if someone REMINDS ME!

 So far I have posted original oil paintings, but I also am doing watercolor pencil sketches of the birds....This pair was flying by when I painted in Rockport, TX last month...Rockport is beside the Aransas Wildlife Refuge, where THOUSANDS of birds spend the winter. It's one of my favorite places this time of yer when the big flocks return.

_________________________

AND...

How about ART for Christmas?

See my new fine art prints

 http://vvaughan.blogspot.com/2012/10/son-of-sun.html 

 

or ask Santa for the adventure of a lifetime

A Painting Holiday in New Zealand March 3-9, 2015

#6- Egret Fisherman

Egret Fisherman__6x8 oil__$190 includes shipping

Birdseed Project #6

 

These Great Egrets stroll the marshy edges and have their meals! Of course I don't need to buy seed for them!  At LEAST 10 % of this purchase price will go into the bird seed fund, and I hope it starts the ball rolling on approaching some local businesses to also donate seed. I find that there are many funds "for the children"...but not many for the greatest generation...Here is a little story about Dan:

Dan visits his wife Jan every day. She lives in my mom's nursing home. Dan has spotted me filling the bird feeders and several times he asked me to scatter some seed on the ground for the birds who prefer to feed there...I did this a few times, then realized that my mom, in her wheelchair cannot see the low-birds. Dan knew this and started handing me a $5 bill every few weeks "to cover some seed for the low-birds"...

THIS is the story that sparked my seed project, and inviting YOU to join!

_________________________

AND...

How about ART for Christmas?

See my new fine art prints

 http://vvaughan.blogspot.com/2012/10/son-of-sun.html 

 

or ask Santa for the adventure of a lifetime

A Painting Holiday in New Zealand March 3-9, 2015

#5_Turkey Trio

Birdseed Project #5

Turkey Trio___6x8 oil ___$190 includes shipping

Here is a young turkey with a few pals gobbling in the background. Wild turkeys are all over my area of central Texas....these actually FLEW away after I photographed them...not a graceful sight!  :)

I have received the first "seed money" for my little bird seed project...something I am doing during these cold weeks, to keep the feeders full at my mom's nursing home! During these weeks where I will post bird paintings and sketches, I am putting over 10% into a fund to supply feed for the birds...the old people LOVE to watch the birds!...Later in the week I will Actually purchase the first bags of seed...I will post pictures then and give a few more details about this place...several of you have asked how you might give...I will get info on that, too ....Any more ideas for a name for my project? I have gotten some great ideas!

Merry CHRISTmas! 

_________________________

AND...

How about ART for Christmas?

See my new fine art prints

 http://vvaughan.blogspot.com/2012/10/son-of-sun.html 

 

or ask Santa for the adventure of a lifetime

A Painting Holiday in New Zealand March 3-9, 2015

#4_Young Whoop

Young Whoop___6x6 oil for the "Birdseed Project"___$190 includes shipping

On Dec. 3, I kicked off a special project to benefit a nursing home and its backyard birds!!

This is #4 in the series...

WHOOP!

If you are from Texas, you know how beloved the endangered whooping cranes are. When I was a little girl, there were only a few dozen left in the whole world. I never thought I would see one in the wild, but they are making a comeback! For the past several years, I have been blessed to see whooping cranes from both the eastern flock AND the central flyway. This is a young whooper I saw in Texas...

The other WHOOP happens at Texas A&M University! Just mention "A&M" and if  there is an "Aggie" within earshot, you will hear a loud "WHOOP"...and with the announcement of the next Heisman Trophy winner, there might be a LOT of "whoop" in Texas!

_________________________

AND...

How about ART for Christmas?

See my new fine art prints

 http://vvaughan.blogspot.com/2012/10/son-of-sun.html 

 

or ask Santa for the adventure of a lifetime

A Painting Holiday in New Zealand March 3-9, 2015

#3-Mocking Berries

Mocking Berries__6x6 oil for the nursing home birdseed project__$190 includes shipping

SOLD

See my new fine art print for Christmas http://vvaughan.blogspot.com/2012/10/son-of-sun.html 

or ask Santa for the adventure of a lifetime

A Painting Holiday in New Zealand March 3-9, 2015

#2 Bird_Mockingbird Sage_6x6

 

Mocking the Purple Sage__6x6 oil__$190 includes shipping

Here is #2 for my Bird Seed Project mentioned yesterday!

I barely hit "send" and the little bird sold...dear Anna and Allen from the

 Bone Creek Museum of Agrarian Art were with me when I shot many pictures of mocking birds...they were passing through central Texas on museum biz when I nabbed them and dragged them off to San Antonio. While at the San Jose Mission, we were followed and serenaded by several mockers, and I shared this project idea with them...Knowing Anna, she was waiting by her computer for the first little painting...MORE TO COME!

_________________________________________________________________________

Consider a fine art print for Christmas! http://vvaughan.blogspot.com/2012/10/son-of-sun.html 

or ask Santa for the adventure of a lifetime

A Painting Holiday in New Zealand March 3-9, 2015

#1-Bug for Breakfast

Bug for Breakfast__Texas Mockingbird___8x6 oil on linen__$190...includes shipping
SOLD

Today I begin to share a little project very near to my heart! For the past few months...to occupy my grumbling self while fuming over my lost hard drive, I began to paint little birds!...In all my travels, I have scores of great photos of all kinds of birds. Birds seem to be a constant from place to place. I have enjoyed them in the mountains and marshes, in the desert and coastal areas...but the birds that I am doing this project for are birds that bring LIFE and amusement to the friends I have made at my mom's nursing home!... I will tell more about this as I move through the "Bird Show" over the next month or so...but FIRST I want you to know that at least 10% of the price for each one sold will be used to buy seed for the feeders at the nursing home....these little birds have become spoiled and, well, they are morphing into pigs!...Maybe I will paint the "pig-birds" one day...but for now, please tell your friends to look in, and consider purchasing a little gem...The first one, here, is our beloved Texas Mocking Bird enjoying a bug for breakfast... 

I need suggestions to name this project!

_________________________________________________________________________

AND...

Consider a fine art print for Christmas! http://vvaughan.blogspot.com/2012/10/son-of-sun.html 

or ask Santa for the adventure of a lifetime

A Painting Holiday in New Zealand March 3-9, 2015

Twilight Transit

Twilight Transit__16x20__available at Act I Gallery, Taos, NM

Boy do I have a lot of art to share!  ...and other stuff of life! 

Where to begin??

For now, I will share some art, and hope you enjoy!

A few weeks ago I did this painting as a demo for some great artists of the

Hill Country PACT.  

Below is the start of the demo...above is the finish. If you were there, tell  me what you think!

Since it a twilight scene, I am sending it to Act I Gallery inTaos, for the winter exhibit called "Twilight". 

Since this photo, I have added the "morning star", Venus, as it looked a few months ago during the rare Venus Transit. So that explains the title!

Tomorrow's post begins a little series I have begun. It is special to my heart, and will benefit some lovely elderly people I know! Please check in tomorrow!

Merry CHRISTmas, Joey!! 

Birdseed Project

#6 Egret Fisherman__for the Birdseed Project__6x8 oil __$190 includes shipping

 

The Birdseed Project ... "More Than Many Sparrows"

 

For several years I have been feeding the birds at my mom's nursing home. She and my dad always fed birds at home, so I have tried to keep the tradition. Her room and "family room" windows have a view of a small yard which can be enjoyed by residents and guests, so I have put out bird feeders, and a bird bath.

Recently, other residents have told me that they love the birds! They ask me to sprinkle seed here and there so they can see the birds better. 

To afford more seed for the hungry birds and these precious older people, I decided to do a short-term project. I have photographed birds all over America, and now I am painting some small bird studies.10-20% of the sales price is "seed money". I hope these small art works will fund the filling of the feeders a little bit at a time.

It has caught on, and I have linked with a bona fide charity! Now, TAX-DEDUCTIBLE donations can be made without having to purchase a painting!
Threefold Cord Ministries are "Friends of the Forgotten". They will accept ANY donation you would like to make, and will send 90% of the moneys to the Birdseed Project. They will use 10% to administer the details. IMPORTANT NOTE: DO NOT PUT ANYTHING IN THE SUBJECT LINE of your payment...Make checks payable to Threefold Cord Ministries, and on the ENVELOPE you may reference "BIRDSEED". Then they will send funds to me. Or click their link and ASK!!! These are AWESOME people, and good friends of mine. If you have a loved one who is in the "Last Season" of life, I urge you to get their book:
 "Finding Life in the Last Season"....You will be encouraged!
ALSO, I am working on the BOOK! It will be out in a few months...more to come!
For now, I will post an occasional bird painting that I hope you will like. Tell your bird-loving friends!...if you would like more info or price and cost numbers, please e-mail me

To see all the paintings, click on my blog, and type in a search for "bird seed".

http://www.vvaughan.blogspot.com