Bayou Dorcheat In Progress

I grew up near Bayou Dorcheat in Arkansas. It is a beautiful stream that has its origin in Arkansas and eventually empties into Lake Bistineau, Louisiana. Practically all of the Bayou is inaccessible except by boat.  Back in 2014 my brother, John, the ultimate fisherman, camper and explorer drove me into areas he knew to be accessible with only a 4 wheel drive truck so that I could take photographs.  I have used these photos as reference for an earlier painting my other brother, Bob, had commissioned.  Bayous like Dorcheat are simply the most beautiful examples of water, plant, animal life that mingle and reflect.  The cypress that rise out of the water are straight, strong and topped with delicate leaves.  I chose to paint the Bayou again to meet the requirements of the Copley Society of Art's call for the summer member's show, Summer Reflections. I'm going with the literal interpretation of reflections.  

Coming Out of the Darkness

Coming Out of the Darkness, 2020, Oil on Panel, 10"x10"

When the little Goldfinch fly they do so with a swooping up and down motion that resembles a scalloped edge.  They flap their wings for momentum, then relax wherein they begin to drop.  This guy had just left a perch on a branch.  I have submitted it to the Judith Klein Gallery in New Bedford, MA for consideration into the show, "Into the Light".  It is a thematic show to hopefully celebrate the end of the most critical Covid-19 times.  

Coming Out of the Darkness, In Progress

Today I darkened the ground behind the left side of the bird.  I roughly worked in the wings thinking I wanted to to appear to be emerging from the dark.  I don't have that yet.  Also the lower wing does not hold up as a form.  

Coming Out of the Darkness

Jan Timmons, a photographer on flickr was gracious enough to allow my use of her photograph, American Goldfinch in flight.  The area to the left of the bird is darker than indicated here. But, I intend to darken it more.  I want the bird to seemingly appear out of the dark ground.  That will mean working the tips of the wing on the left into the ground.  

Out of the Darkness

The Judith Klein Gallery has a call for a summer exhibition titled, "Towards the Light" with the theme of transition from dark toward the light.  Philip Rantzer is the juror.  It is a nod to the hope that the worst of the pandemic will be behind us by summer.  It is unclear if the show will be online or open to the public at the gallery.  This board has developed from my Red-winged blackbird painting palette.  I thought it would serve the theme of darkness.  I would like to have a small bird in flight emerging from the darker parts of the board.  

Painting, The Red-winged Blackbird

Painting, The Red-winged Blackbird, 2020,  Oil on Panel, 10"x10"

The Red-wings mate and nest in the marsh at the back of our house.  As they fly out of the marsh and directly at the house and the feeder, they make this very high pitched sound with a bit of vibrato.  When they sing while perched they often fluff their head feathers and spread their tale.  This is a male.  The females are very different, brown and flecked.  When the viewer looks, I want her to ask, "Why did the artist do that?  Is the bird the artist? Should I now consider the object as a painting before I consider it a representation of the bird? Is the bird saying, Consider me all you want, but protect me if you value me."  

Painting, Red-Winged Blackbird in Progress

Oil on Panel, 10"x10"

Returning to the paintbrush as a prop, I wanted a very black bird on this ground.  I had a photograph of this Red-Winged sitting on the bird feeder pole which the brush replaced.  He was singing which usually causes them to ruffle feathers and spread the tail.  But once the brush was in, I thought it looked as if he was riding a rocket.  So.....

Oil on Panel, 10"x10"

the next day, I changed both the angle and the colors of the brush. I received the most beautiful critique from my friend Carolyn regarding all the paintings with the brush.  She said,

 "I like these paintings of the birds on the paintbrush, Christy. I see deep respect for the Old Masters, but also a kind of postmodern nod, an acknowledgement to all who wonder about the function of painting now (that would be a whole lot of us). That paintbrush, loaded as it is, is still a potent tool, you seem to say. Look at the beauty of this bird, which can still be observed even as the earth warms and the species dwindle. That in the latest one, the paintbrush seems to be a rocket or even a missile, touches off associations that are almost painful, and the blackbird seems to be trying to communicate with us. That you are doing these in the age of global warming, diminishing species and coronavirus 19 is no coincidence, although there is nothing about it that feels contrived. :

Despite the Warning, He was Still Considering the Sun

When I finished the ground on this board I considered the yellow area to represent the sun.  Then I began to think about Icarus and his flight too close to the sun which melted the wax wings his father Daedalus crafted for him.  Daedalus had warned Icarus about the sun, but he failed to heed the warning.  He fell to his death as the wings melted in the sun.  How funny I thought that the Cedar Waxwing has the perfect name for this representation.  I have never seen nor photographed a Cedar Waxwing.  But I found the perfect image on flickr by Ronald Zigler.  Mr. Zigler was generous enough to allow my use of the photograph as a resource.  Below is the day to day progress of the painting. The right side of the bird was difficult and reworked each day with not much evidence.  

Three Dories in Progress

Dories, 16x24, Oil on Board

I was very unhappy with the feeling of the space.  Somehow the boats did not really sit right in the water nor feel as if they moved into the space.  I eliminated the horizon replacing it with reflected water.  This also allowed me to repeat the oranges in the boats and give more unity to the piece.  

He Looked, and Fell in Love with Himself

American Goldfinch, Narcissus, 2020, Oil on Panel, 10"x8"

To finish this piece, I added some texture to the upper left corner trying to balance the visual weight of the birds.  I also brightened the reflected bird a bit more and worked the water.  

Narcissus in Progress

I thought I had finished Narcissus.  Then looking at it photographed, I'm dissatisfied with the water.  It needs more texture and also appears to dip to the right.  I'm also unsure of the balance, or lack thereof.  

Dories in Progress

Three Dories

I've adjusted the water color to more of a blue hue.  Still a long way to go.  

Black-Chinned Hummingbird in Progress

Black-Chinned Hummingbird

This entire session was spent on the cup.  White! So much trouble!  Also, the hummingbird will need some real punch to distinguish it.  What is more important?  The cup?  The bird?

Dories and Narcissus in Progress

Dories

Narcissus

Painting the Northern Cardinal

Painting the Northern Cardinal, 2020, Oil on Panel, 10" x 10"

I am uncertain of the final mood of this piece.  The background coolness vs the stark red of the cardinal and brush seems to create a studio portrait.  This makes me consider future pieces in which the bird is actually presented as an artist's model.  When I first considered using the paintbrush, it seemed a way of incorporating the idea of 'painting' into work that is based on realism.  

Narcissus in Progress

New start with a new idea is to present the birds as mythical characters yet keep them in a somewhat natural setting.  The American Goldfinch becomes narcissus in this first session.  

Hummingbird in Progress

The work today was tedious and slow as I went after the cup.  The subtleties in the forward edge of the saucer create a problem with the point of view. I will need go increase the contrast between that fluted edge and the bottom of the saucer so the cup and saucer appear to be in the same perspectival plane.  It's slow going with white.

Dories and a Bluebird in Progress

I think maybe one more session with the bluebird.  Things need to be a little more chromatic to pop off that very active ground.

Painting the Bluebird

Dories

Cardinal and Hummingbird in Progress

Painting the Northern Cardinal, Session #3

The Cardinal session was spent refining the paint brush and roughing in the feet.  

Black Chinned Hummingbird, Session #4

The Hummingbird session was used to glaze the saucer reflection.  This will require a few more sessions.

Painting the Cardinal in Progress

Painting the Northern Cardinal

This was session #2 with this painting.  Most attention was paid to the bird using glazes to build the reds.

Dories and A Hummingbird in Progress

Session #3 for both paintings.  I've repositioned the dories and lightened the background in the hummingbird.  

Dories

Black-Chined Hummingbird

Works in Progress

One new painting, The Northern Cardinal, has been added to my works in progress. The other three below are in the second session of progress.   

Painting the Northern Cardinal

Black Chinned Hummingbird with Baba's Espresso Cup

Painting the Eastern Bluebird

Three Dories, Kennebunkport