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Sunday, April 13, 2008

For The Birds...


I've been sketching birds, from life and from photos (mine and 'found' photos).  I like to study them as they're sitting, eating or just hanging out.  It seems to me they have a very complicated system of communication.  I have great empathy for them, and contrary to many people, find them 'lucky' and 'good omens' rather than the reverse. 


The top image is from a sketch I call "Visiting Hours".  The pigeon on the right is injured in it's leg, and is unable to walk around and peck for food.  This was in San Miguel, and the children were relentless in making it fly instead of leaving it alone.  I had to leave myself, or get in an argument with the parents.  These other two pigeons stuck with this injured one, where ever it landed, and kept it company.  You can't tell me they don't understand what's going on.  

The bottom image is the one I dreamt about.  The Friday version I did at the studio was very stilted and the birds were all dead-on frontal.  The wings were very stiff.  In my sleep I painted them like this.  Thankfully Tim felt like walking the Bristol Bike Path today and we went over to my studio and I just dived in and re-worked it.  Maybe still not 'final' but definitely getting there.

1 comment:

Mary Sheehan Winn said...

Also, the weather conditions for bird are tough. The one legged bird thing real gets me because they can't survive like that. Once I went painting down in Brant Rock and there was an injured gull just huddled on the beach in the winter, waiting to die. Bummed me right out. Had to leave. I'm just too soft :(
Wait'll I tell you my bird story from the 3rd Street South Painting day.
I like your birds. The yellow pigeons are wonderful.