Tag Archives: bird

A Year of Birds: January 2022

I will be posting photos taken throughout the year in this online journal. This is a bitter, very cold winter even for northern Michigan. I am feeding the Chickadees and Jays daily, and they seem grateful. The chickadees have become quite tame, and will let me near. I am hoping to teach them to feedContinue reading “A Year of Birds: January 2022”

First Signs of Spring: Acrylic Painting

Last weekend, I went birding with a good friend. It was a warm day for North Michigan (as in, the first day above 10 degrees F in weeks). I told her, “I doubt we’ll see any egrets or herons yet, it’s too cold.” Well, in one of the marshes that has just started thawing, IContinue reading “First Signs of Spring: Acrylic Painting”

Nuthatch in the Tree: Acrylic painting

Last week, I heard the most amazing laughter coming from the trees. I searched, and found the source: a little nuthatch, chuckling away. This painting was done to highlight how agile these birds are. This was painted using my typical palette of ultramarine blue, titanium white, burnt umber, burnt sienna and yellow ochre.

Egret in the Marsh: Acrylic painting

I love egrets, and created this painting of one based on observations done this past fall. This was done with my typical palette: ultramarine, yellow ochre, burnt sienna, titanium white, burnt umber. I also added a bit of cerulean.

A Year of Birds: September

The sandpipers are now in their fall plumage, with the spots starting to disappear on their breasts. I feel a bit sad seeing those, realizing that soon they will migrate. The Canadian Geese are gathering into larger groups, and can be seen “practicing” flying together, honking away, then landing, in preparation for their fall migration.Continue reading “A Year of Birds: September”

Yellow-Rumped Warbler: Acrylic Painting

About five weeks ago, I was hiking near Presque-Isle Michigan, and saw this beautiful little bird on a fence. When painting this, I decided to play with abstracting the background a bit. I also went with a fall theme, since fall is here, with warmer colors in the background to contrast with the cooler traysContinue reading “Yellow-Rumped Warbler: Acrylic Painting”

Hummingbird in the Flowers

Okay, I realized when I did this painting that it could seem a bit cliche; after all, there are so many hummingbird paintings out there. But I couldn’t resist painting this little ruby-throated that I saw drinking from the last of the summer flowers a few weeks ago, so I make no apologies. I thinkContinue reading “Hummingbird in the Flowers”

Holiday Ornament time again….

It’s that time of year again, when I start painting ornaments to distribute at galleries and stores. It’s fun, and while I don’t make a ton of money from this, it’s great PR – I put one of my cards with each one. I paint the ornaments based on bird paintings I have done, thatContinue reading “Holiday Ornament time again….”

A Year of Birds: March

It is March, and the weather is finally starting to warm up a bit – it even goes into the mid-40’s on a sunny day! The snow is starting to melt, and the landscape is slowly turning from white to brown. Locals are used to the “spring slush” in which back roads turn into muddy,Continue reading “A Year of Birds: March”

Migrating Sanderling: acrylic painting

A 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.Continue reading “Migrating Sanderling: acrylic painting”