Feeding Time

Feeding Time
Procreate on iPad
Prints Available on Etsy

Detail - Chickadee and Titmouse

Detail - Wren

I have become a bit of a birder over the past several years. I'm not sure if it started with the purchase of a camera, or the sighting of a hawk outside my office window (see below). For some reason it took me a while to recognize that in myself but I now clearly realize that I love watching birds. Heck, I love all animals, maybe that's why it feels weird to specifically single out birds.

A few weeks ago I was up early and painted an empty feeder, as birds have come along I've taken photos and have added them. Although these particular birds weren't actually all there at the same time it's not abnormal for me to look out and see 7 birds on the two side-by-side feeders. It's quite a sight! Who needs television? HAH!

Hawk on a limb outside my office window a few years ago.

My latest obsession is hummingbirds! I just love these little guys.

Hummingbirds - composite of four different photos taken near one of the feeders

I recently got a hummingbird feeder, which quickly turned into three hummingbird feeders, and have been thoroughly enjoying watching them! It's amazing how they just all showed up as soon as the feeders went out! I can see them perched up in nearby trees, on the fence, etc. keeping and eye on their feeder of choice. They're quite something and they just might be the subject of a future painting...

Colorado Bunny

Colorado Bunny
Procreate app on iPad
Prints Available on Etsy

Detail

A couple years back I went to Colorado to visit my friend who'd just had her first baby. One morning we went for a walk and this bunny was just hanging out watching us go by. He even posed for me to take a picture so I, of course, did. S/He been on my "to paint" list ever since and I've finally managed to get to it.

Puppies in the Mountains

Riley in the Mountains
Procreate on iPad

Above is another plein air, or if you'd prefer a digital painting from life, of my puppy Riley. This was done this past weekend while we were in the mountains. Riley and I were relaxing on the deck. He on his bed, I on a porch swing. I didn't get to work on it long because he got up to check things out.

Mountain Puppies
Morgan, my baby girl (top left)
Riley, my baby boy (bottom right)

Look at that big grin! I'm pretty sure they enjoyed themselves! That makes me a very happy puppy mama!

Twisted

Twisted
Plein Air
Procreate App on iPad
Prints Are Available on Etsy

For a long time I have been dying to get a pochade so I can do some plein air painting. In particular I've had my eye on one of the Alla Prima boxes. They are very beautiful, hand-crafted boxes! I may still end up getting one at some point, but recently I've decided to give my iPad a shot for plein air. Why not? I already love painting on it. There are so many benefits of painting on an iPad, no mess, no lugging heavy paints, boxes, tripods, etc around.

I was up in the mountains this past weekend staying in a lovely "cabin" "camping". Why the quotes? I grew up camping, sleeping on the ground, in a tent. Luxury camping was a KOA cabin where you had to walk up the hill to use bathrooms and take a shower (a SHOWER while camping? I was bowled over the first time I heard of this). To me, if it has running water and electricity (not to mention the three stories, wrap around deck, foosball table, hot tub...) it is no longer a cabin, we now call that a house. How can one say they are camping when they are sleeping in a house? I'm not sure how but that's what we were calling it. Well, so, while "camping" in the "cabin" last weekend I spent a lot of time outdoors, and I did a few plein air paintings on my iPad in my favorite painting app, Procreate. I found this cool little twisty tree by a creek and above is the end result.

It was so peaceful up there and so nice spending 3 days without a television always running and not even wanting to have my phone on me. I'm rather sad to be back.

iPad Ibis

A while back I went to the beach and took some photos of some Ibises feeding at the waters edge. I've painted one really small, 4"x4", and one rather large, 36"x36", in oils. I thought this one should be painted differently so I pulled out the iPad and dusted off my stylus!

Ibis
Procreate app on iPad
Prints are available in my Etsy Store

Now, if I could just get transported back to that spot for the day...or maybe a bit longer would be nice.