Chickadee

Chickadee, Oil on Board, 8"x8"

I've been working on this painting at the end of each studio day while I finished the Sippican Harbor piece.  I've mostly been playing with the ground color.  You can see the transitions that led from a gray to the last blue.  Fat little thing.

Sippican Harbor

Sippican Harbor, Oil on Board, 18"x36"

I began this painting to exhibit at Anthi's Drawing room during the Marion Art Center's Arts in the Park.  It has taken a different route and is now being considered for display and sale at the Wequasett Resort and Golf Club.  It could still find its way to Arts in the Park should the Resort reject it.  I'm really not confident that the Resort will sell any works.  These attempts rarely ever result in sales.

The scene is from a photograph I took in 1978.  This point of view of the harbor has little changed since then.  

Lilacs in the Mist

Lilacs, Oil on Board, 24"x17"

I made some minor adjustments when we returned from Florida.  Fresh eyes are always helpful.  I darkened the middle ground, brought the ski down a bit, and took out some leaves.  Hopefully this improved the focal point and compositional movement.  The piece is now in the Roger's Gallery awaiting a new home.  

Eastern Towhee

Eastern Towhee, 8"x10", Oil on Board

The most taxing part of this painting was achieving depth in the black feathers.  I'm reminded of the beautiful blacks of Manet's paintings, particularly La Muerte del Torero. This little guy is all puffed up with the cold which softens all the feathers and blends what texture would be present.  

Towhee and Bluejay

Towhee, 10"x8", Oil on Board

This is my second session on this eastern towhee whose photograph was generously provided by Jim Sears.  Towhees are a kind of large sparrow with a chunky body and a long rounded tail.  They rummage in the undergrowth for food making more noise than expected.  This one is making his way through the snow for seeds fallen from the feeder.

Bluejay, 10"x8", Oil on Board

I've been struggling with the ground on this bluejay painting. Yesterday's work yielded a much more orange ground.  I toned that today with some naples yellow and burnt sienna.  

Chirp, Chirp

Cardinals

Cardinals, 8"x8", Oil on Board

After spending 12 days in Costa Rica, I am more intrigued than ever by our feathered friends.  The diversity of the birds in Costa Rica is phenomenal.  However, I'm sticking with birds I live with and are indigenous to New England.  These two female cardinals represent how color can vary with light and weather.  The lady on the right is sitting in rain with her crown pulled back.  The light was low and gray.  The left hand cardinal sits on a branch in a bright snowy day.  She was chirping away and proud of her crown.