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A Year of Birds: December 2022
Read more: A Year of Birds: December 2022December has come in cold, but not bitter as it often does here in northeast Michigan. The days are often cloudy and gray, unless the sun decides to peek through. Some mornings, the banks of clouds on the horizon look like a small mountain range in the distance, and it is beautiful. While driving back…
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Art commission: Summer Beach, Lake Huron
Read more: Art commission: Summer Beach, Lake HuronRecently, I was commissioned to paint the shores of Lake Huron to be a Christmas gift for someone who wanted this reminder of fun times with a friend this summer. This is late summer, with the goldenrod blooming (no birds, either!) This painting was done in acrylic, and I enjoyed painting it with my usual…
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Heron in the Marsh: acrylic painting
Read more: Heron in the Marsh: acrylic paintingA few months ago, I found a heron in a marsh off of Misery Bay, and wanted to paint him. I used sgraffito technique for the grass, and wanted to experiment with getting a sense of light on the water. This was painted using my typical palette of ultramarine, yellow ochre, yellow hansa, burnt umber,…
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A Year of Birds: November 2022
Read more: A Year of Birds: November 2022Part 2 One morning during the second week of November, I got up before dawn, and watched while the sun rose. It was beautiful, and there were the ducks, enjoying the early morning light, looking like black silhouettes against the peach-colored water. I feel blessed to see sights like this, when nature proclaims its beauty…
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A Year of Birds 2022: November
Read more: A Year of Birds 2022: NovemberPart 1 During my hike today at the beginning of the month, the bay is silent compared to the almost constant background chatter of small tweets, whistles and the high “kews” of the yellow legs that are heard during the summer. When I went into town, I saw one of the few birds that has…
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Kingfisher: Acrylic painting
Read more: Kingfisher: Acrylic paintingI have been very busy with work and getting for an art fair next week, but I did finish a painting of a kingfisher. This was done in acrylic, and is based on a sighting in Presque Isle several weeks ago. There is a marsh near the lighthouse where these birds hang out during the…
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A Year of Birds
Read more: A Year of BirdsOctober 2022 The weather is swinging between very cold at night and warmer during the day as October starts. Today, I saw a blue heron that is still here in spite of the cooling days. This heron is one of those staying around When I went out to dinner in Presque Isle, I did…
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A Year of Birds: September 2022
Read more: A Year of Birds: September 2022September 2022 The days are still warm at the beginning of September, and there are plenty of bird sightings along the beaches and marshes. Today, on the way into town, I stopped by a local marsh on the river, and saw a pair of Greater yellow legs there, wading and fishing. Then, on the…
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A Year of Birds: July
Read more: A Year of Birds: JulyJuly 2022 The weather is getting warmer now each day, bringing the whine of mosquitoes and the droning buzz of deer flies. The only value I see in these pests that bite whenever I venture outdoors is that they do feed the birds and their fledglings. At a nearby park on the river, I saw…
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Family Outing: Acrylic Geese Painting
Read more: Family Outing: Acrylic Geese PaintingThis summer, I am exploring adding more color to my paintings. While the photo doesn’t do it justice, this one has a lot of cerulean and warm washes of sienna and some greens, and even alizarin – all colors that you can see reflected in the ever-changing waters. It was fun to paint what is…
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A Year of Birds: June 2022 (part 2)
Read more: A Year of Birds: June 2022 (part 2)The egrets can be seen in the marshes, but are quite shy, and will fly off as soon as they see me. I will keep trying, though. I also saw a sparrow on a log enjoying the sun. I love their markings and songs, which are so cheerful. As I was driving to the store…
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A Year of Birds: June 2022 part 1
Read more: A Year of Birds: June 2022 part 1The days are finally getting warmer, and there was a heat wave on the first of June: the temperature went above 80 degrees (F)- a miracle! And with the warm weather has come mosquitoes, the bane of Michigan bird watchers. Whenever I go into the marshes, clouds of them appear, and they seem to be…