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Migrating Sanderling: acrylic painting
Read more: Migrating Sanderling: acrylic paintingA couple of weeks ago, when walking on the beach, I came across a group of sanderlings migrating south. One was exceptionally cute, and this painting is the result. As usual, I painted this with a limited palette of Tit. white, ultramarine blue, yellow ochre, burnt ochre, burnt sienna and a touch of payne’s gray.…
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A Year of Birds: February
Read more: A Year of Birds: FebruarySince I am new to living in north Michigan near Lake Huron, I was surprised to discover that the bald eagle not only stays all winter long, but juveniles can often be seen hanging out near Misery Bay and other frozen marshes next to the now frozen lakeshore. They will at times hunt together along…
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A Year of Birds: January
Read more: A Year of Birds: JanuaryWhile I often share my paintings here, I have rarely shared my personal reference photos. I will be posting some of my favorite bird photos over the next few months, organized month-by-month, as well as some thoughts on each month. First is January. When it is January in north Michigan, a blanket of snow several…
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Sandhill Cranes: Oil Painting
Read more: Sandhill Cranes: Oil PaintingA few weeks ago, I saw some sandhill cranes feeding in the evening light at Misery Bay. I took a bunch of photos, and decided to take a more impressionistic approach to these beautiful birds. I used a limited palette for this oil painting: tit. white; ultramarine blue, cerulean blue, Burnt Umber, burnt sienna, yellow…
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Mute Swans on the River
Read more: Mute Swans on the RiverI love the beauty of swans, and when I saw these two on a nearby river, I couldn’t resist painting them. I hope you enjoy their elegant grace as much as I do! As usual, my palette was limited: titanium white, burnt umber, cadmium yellow, ultramarine blue and cerulean blue. The swans can be seen…
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Geese taking off in late afternoon: acrylic painting
Read more: Geese taking off in late afternoon: acrylic paintingI love the birds around Lake Huron, and last week I saw this beautiful sight that I decided to paint: Canadian Geese beginning to fly just before sunset. I used the following colors for this painting: ultramarine blue, cerulean blue; cadmium red medium; titanium white; burnt umber and Lamp Black.
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Nuthatch in Early Spring: acrylic painting
Read more: Nuthatch in Early Spring: acrylic paintingI enjoy watching nuthatches creeping upside down and sideways around trees, and decided to paint this one that I saw in the early Michigan spring a few weeks ago just after it had snowed. I used a very limited palette for this painting: ultramarine blue, titanium white, burnt umber, burnt sienna and yellow ochre.
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Juncos Under the Pines: Acrylic Painting
Read more: Juncos Under the Pines: Acrylic PaintingJuncos are small birds that are ground feeders. I often see them under the pines here in North Michigan, and decided to paint a pair of males searching for food in early spring. I used a very limited palette for this painting: ultramarine blue, burnt umber, burnt sienna, yellow ochre, sap green and titanium white.…
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American Goldfinch: Colored Pencil
Read more: American Goldfinch: Colored PencilI have been observing finches and taking photos of them the past few weeks. I love finches because they add a spot of bright sunshine yellow to the edge of the woods or any other spot they visit.
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Chickadees on a Winter Day
Read more: Chickadees on a Winter DayDuring the winter months in north Michigan, some of the most frequent birds visiting feeders will be chickadees. They stay on through the snow and sub-zero temperatures, and to me they are a symbol of hardiness and resilience. I used a limited palette for this painting: ultramarine blue, titanium white, burnt umber, burnt sienna and…
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Hope for the New Year
Read more: Hope for the New YearI don’t often post reference photos that I take for my paintings (he will probably show up on a tree limb when I paint him), but this little chickadee is so cute, I decided to put him up. But I also want to share a word of encouragement as well as 2021 starts. I realize…
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Juvenile Blue Heron Painting
Read more: Juvenile Blue Heron PaintingA few weeks ago, I was at a restaurant in north Michigan when my friends and I sighted a young blue heron outside our window. One friend (Julie Bond) took a photo, which I used as the basis for this painting of a juvenile blue heron. I went with a limited palette, and used a…