Bird Inspired

When I was a young 'un I liked to paint and sketch. As I got older I turned to other joys; cooking, travel, my love. And although inspiration is virtually everywhere, absolutely everywhere, I haven't done such things for quite some time. Alas, it is time that is my barrier, or so I ration.

I love and admire art in so many of it's forms. Color, space, texture. Wherever I travel I look for something of art to bring back home. I have paintings by local artists from my trips through the enchanting Alsace region of Strasbourg France, the medieval treasure of Venice Italy, and the colonial gem of Guanajuato Mexico.

I've been framing some photos from our trip to Africa for the bedroom as well as keeping an eye out for bird prints for the bathroom. The frame store where I've been shopping also has a small art supply section and as I walk the isles I've been looking at brushes and watercolors. For so little I can get a variety pack of brushes, an 8 color watercolor set and a 9x12 pad of heavyweight paper. While I didn't get them the first time, the second time I went to the frame shop I did.

For my first attempt I thought I'd try a folk art style bird.
It's not really a style that I have experience with but it's a style I love and I think I'll continue to practice it, but it didn't quite come out like I pictured.

My next attempt was a more realistic, but still unrefined depiction of the winged, and modeled after an image I found online, it turned out looking closer to how I wanted it to. It's been a joy to mix the pot of eight basic colors to varying shades and hues. This one might even make it to frame and hang with the other birds in the bathroom.

And now while the days are long and the light is with me I can squeeze in the time to paint and I can't wait to begin the next one. Soon enough I'll have to fight time as it relentlessly turns those days against me.