Carolina Wren in the Snow

This little wren is just one of our many feathered friends who constantly beg to be painted. And in the background, you can see our new Lady Belle, who is also catching my eye!  I think she wants to be painted next, but Travis and Rebekah will be here soon to spend some time with her.  She's such a sweet addition to our family. Painting number 4781 in 4781 days. 

Chickadee in the Cedar

 

It was a beautiful afternoon to paint this chickadee in the cedar!  It's been so very cold the last couple of days that 21 degrees feels balmy in the sun!  After tending the chickens, horse and cats, Beau followed me out in the snow for a quick sketch.  Once the sun drops behind a tree, it starts cooling off fast. I hope i get to paint snow for a few more days before it all melts.  Painting number 4772 in 4772 days. 

Cardinal

 

We've had so many cardinals out in the snow  - so I just HAD to paint one!  So many were sitting on the ground under the feeders, gathering seeds dropped by other birds.  The north side was sheltered from the wind, and they shared the space with other feathered friends.  Perhaps I'll paint a few of them tomorrow!  Painting number 4771 in 4771 days. 

Winter Cardinal

We have so many cardinals frequenting the bird feeders, and I love to watch them and sketch them!  The light snow overnight left a perfect dusting on branches to add that winter magic!  So far, the new kittens are only watching the birds, and occasionally climbing the trees to get near them!  Our cats have always gotten along with the birds through the years, and I hope that continues!  Painting number 4765 in 4765 days. 

Cardinal Perch

 

These sweet little cardinals nest here every year, and I get to watch those babies grow to raise their own families, too.  I pulled out a selection of cardinal paintings for a patron to choose her favorite.  She selected this one, which I had never posted.  I used very heavy watercolor board at a time when I was newly exploring the medium.  It didn't feel finished, and is a little different than my usual work.  I'm so happy it found a home where it will be cherished as a remembrance of her mother.  Painting number 4716 in 4716 days. 

Chicadee Pine

 

I love sketching my feathered friends - and using three different inks to do it!  Chicadees are the sweetest little birds, and I enjoy watching them in the garden. I have all three pens loaded with favorite inks in matching colors, and I use a water brush pen to move the ink around a bit.  As I play with these inks, I am anxiously awaiting the newest Diamine Inkvent Calendar 2025! I can't wait to discover the little bottles of ink for each day until Christmas! Painting number 4710 in 4710 days. 

Cardinal

 

I love to paint my feathered friends in ink and watercolor - especially on such a beautiful January day!  The feeders need filling but I'm getting in a quick sketch before I go watch sweet Quinn and Layne this afternoon.  I'm getting used to the paper in this new journal and I've actually used a little gouache on this painting with the ink and watercolor.  It's fun to keep honing my skills, and I sure don't have a shortage of models around here!  Painting number 5082 in 5082 days. 

Downey Woodpecker

 

I've seen so many woodpeckers since the blizzard - and I'm happy to get to paint this Downey woodpecker today!  I've noticed them all over the trees, moving up and down in search of lunch.  The snow is a gift that shows them off to their best advantage, and I can't wait to do it again.  Painting number 5066 in 5066 days. 

Jingle Wren

This sweet Carolina wren is one of several that nest all around the place. I find their nests in watering cans, hanging baskets and even on my enclosed back porch when they find a way in!  I've hung a few red bells in their favorite places, and it is fun to watch their reactions!  At first, they were leary of the tinkle, but soon they got close and even pecked at them.  I'm painting these sweet birds for my Christmas cards, and choosing to do them simply, without the noise of a background to detract from the focus.  I like to get quiet and become one with my subject, and let all else fall away.  And then I finish, and the countless duties of the day are calling, and I rejoin the world once more  painting number 5042 in 5042 days. 

Jingle Titmouse

 

It was such a beautiful December day for sketching in the garden!  The birds are not too sure about the new red bells. They jingle slightly with movement, and I hope they get used to them, and even play with them.  They are not far from their feeders, so we'll see.  We spent the whole day outside with Casper and Kirby, taking care of many chores as we played.  It is nice to get in a quick painting, too.  Painting number 5032 in 5032 days. 

Jingle Chicadee

 

I think I've finally decided on a Christmas card theme! I found this little red bell at the Greenwood Country Tea Room today while lunching with Mom and the Tri-County Art League!  This is our annual holiday lunch, and I look forward to connecting with old friends that I don't see often.  Plein air season keeps me from many meetings until things lighten up this time of year. 

I hung a few bells where the birds come to my feeders, and I'm hoping to see plenty of play with these little bells as I wait with ink and watercolor!  Painting number 5028 in 5028 days. 

House Finch and Pine

This sweet house finch frequents my feeders and my front porch, perching on my string of Edison lights.  He kept me company as I tended my flowers, preparing to winter some over indoors.  As I sketched him, he popped in and out, hanging with the other birds who love the depth of my bridal white spirea at the porch's edge.  I'm using new ink in this new TWSBI Diamond fountain pen, a blue black from Robert Oster. Of course, I love it. I love all of his signature inks that I have tried.  I'm thinking of using a bird theme for this year's Christmas cards, I do live my time spent in nature.  Painting number 5187 in 5187 days. 

Chicadee and Pine

 

The little chicadees kept me company as I worked in the garden, and then I painted one! I'm using three inks, Diamine Nutcracker, Robert Oster's Detox, and Levenger Raven black on a watercolor paper I thought was handmade..... but now I'm not so sure sure... It should be cotton, but I don't think it's 100% based on the ink and water reaction.  It's not bad, but it's different, and every new paper is an exploration of how it handles my specific technique.  I love spending time in nature, and the birds are begging to be painted!  Painting number 5184 in 5184 days. 

Carolina Wren

 We have a pair of wrens that nest here several times a year.  The male makes multiple nests in any conceivable container, and his mate chooses her favorite.  It's a bit like hide and seek, just to discover their newest abode. Once, they even sneaked into the house - and I had to herd them back outside from their lofty perches!  I'm using a new TWSBI fountain pen filled with Diamine's Nutcracker to match the pen.  I've used a lot of it in the ink work, along with a couple of others.  This was so much fun, I think I'll paint more of my feathered friends!  Painting number 5183 in 5183 days. 

Cinnabun Bird

This sweet sparrow and many other birds frequent our feeders daily!  Choosing him for my muse was easy when I found Cinnabun ink behind the door in my Inkvent Calendar!  It is a warm ochre brown without sheen or shimmer, and is lovely for use in nature.  The glass dip pen I chose today (largely because it went well with my ink color) has a larger nib than most, leaving me wanting a finer nib for feather work and signing - especially on a miniature! Painting number 4002 in 4002 days. 

Winter Cardinal

And Christmas card crunch time continues as I paint this one in my kitchen!  With ink and watercolor I sketch a little slice of my world, to send out to family with a holiday greeting.  I am simplifying my subject matter this Christmas, longing to settle down and enjoy the little things.  All of life is about the little things, and I want to make them count.  Painting number 3991 in 3991 days. 

Cardinal Wreath

As I finish this season's paintings, shipments and deliveries, I now turn to my Christmas card painting.  I choose a different theme each year, and this year I drifted between multiple themes, unable to choose!  With the early snow, I painted several in oil for my cards.  Then I painted those bold and bright ornaments - what a cheerful card those would make, and I painted several!  Santas in pen and ink?  Acrylic Union Station paintings?  As my workload started to wind down, I was drawn to a simpler, more peaceful reflection of the season.  I began to paint little slices of home in ink and watercolor.  This vintage wreath in one I found in Sedalia while antique shopping with my mom - and I loved the light and airy feel of it, almost like it is icy and glistening.  I love the process of capturing this, so therapeutic is the act during a busy season.  It brings the simple pleasures back into focus, and the anticipation of making new memories here with the family through the holidays.  I am truly blessed beyond measure. Painting number 3990 in 3990 days. 

Red Robin Cardinal

With this new pale pink glass dip pen, I sketch out the little bird in front of me.  I filled the feeders this morning and it did not take them long to return!  I like the ink flow this pen has.  Besides it's lovely, spiral shape, the nib holds a lot of ink. I did all the line work with 2 dips in my newest ink to try - Diamine's Red Robin!  It is a rich, coppery red, which builds up to really get dark where heavily applied.  With water, it washes out warm and orangy.  This nib is very fine, and the ink flows right to the tip when held at a slant.  Love the little gifts of the Diamine Inkvent Calendar!  Painting number 3264 in 3264 days. 

Northern Flicker

These beauties have never been to my feeders before this weekend!  Two days ago, the baby of this Northern Flicker found my suet bell - and stayed on it all day!  From early morning until last light - he stayed there eating when most other birds had left for the night.  Then yesterday morning he arrived again in the snow.  He and both parents flew by the back windows, alerting me that the bell had been finished!  I hung another, and soon mama was on it, and papa was around back under the other feeders, grazing!  They were so much fun to watch, undaunted in the snow and wind.  This morning, it began again!  They finished the bell, I hung another, and topped off the feeders again.  I had plenty of time for sketching - because these guys camp out on the bells.  This is the last one, and they've cleaned me out of food again.  Guess I'm going to restock tomorrow!  Painting number 2961 in 2961 days.  So fun to have new friends at the feeder!

Blue Jay!

Sometimes, all I have time for is a quick ink and watercolor painting before meeting my obligations.  So, I sketched one of the many beautiful birds in my yard before presenting to a Virtual Summit Art meeting about mask making.  These birds are so striking in the landscape - and that gorgeous color unfolded just in time for me to drop it in!  I really want to spend more time sketching these birds this winter, and give them some deep study.  The way they swarm my feeders, I'll always have plenty of subjects to choose from!  Painting number 2924 in 2924 days.