Pati Bannister Original Exotic Bird

My newest ...   Red Crested Purple Breasted Pheasant*   6x6 acrylic on canvas 

* only one in existence, as far as I know

Getting Back Into the Saddle ...

At least I hope so ...   Today I worked on a 6x6 bird piece  ,, 2d session* .. and when it was time to stop for the day, had enough paint on my palette to rough in Chuck.  I knew he was going to be next, but rarely have more than one at a time going.   A former art instructor, way back in time, was fierce about waste, so as much as possible, I try not to.  Not always easy with acrylics, particularly when working small scale. 
I'm hopeful here that these will both make the grade.   

 

*sessions particularly in winter are usually only a couple of hours...fingers & shoulder object too much otherwise most days.

Discussing Where to Grab Lunch on the Blue Ridge

Finished.  I had thought there would be additional layer(s) of wildflowers but I soon realized precious little, if anything, would be gained, so I simply added more wild blackberries and suggestion of pastures in the land beyond. 
Acknowledging the nature of crows and their relatives, the title has been modified, grabbing lunch seeming most likely.
The canvas is 12 x 10 inches, the palette Quin. Magenta, Cadmium Red Med,  Azo yellow, Cadmium Orange, Cerulean Blue, Pthalo Blue, Pthalo Green, Unbleached titanium and Titanium Dioxide; Ivory Black.    While some black was worked into the birds' bodies, the "black" is primarily the pthalos and magenta. 

Discussing the Best Place for Lunch on the Blue Ridge

Wild blackberries added (liberties taken) ... one more layer  to go (I think) plus some tweaking here and there.  This was never meant to be so "complicated" a piece but ...

Winter Birds Move to the Blue Ridge

It appears my newest (Winter Birds) have rebelled and headed for the hills -- the  Blue Ridge, to be exact.   Yesterday was sunny, this morning was cold and raining and I have no idea why other than that.  But I'm happier ...

Winter Birds (working title)

Sketch done last night ..  I was thinking crows/ravens but as often happens they may not end up as such.  I've sketched onto 12 x 10 canvas and have painted in shapes ... roughly here at this point

Right now I prefer the sketch.   It is more lively right now -- hopefully the canvas will catch up.     I'm thinking of working with roughly the same palette as the yellow bird but in winter mode.  We'll see. 

I Wish I Was In Thailand .....

Yesterday I finished a new painting.  I haven't titled it yet but am really happy with it.  It is only the second piece I have done in some time.  As cold as it has been here (and almost everywhere) the colors alone have been cheerful.
The bird is a very rare creature; as far as I know, he is the only one of his kind.    So without further ado ...

I felt rather tentative until the last session (yesterday).  It's been a long time and  while you don't entirely forget, rustiness enters in.  First day  starting on a canvas which I had painted with a turquoise ground (mistake: should have only done background) ....not that it couldn't be overcome, but the one thing I had known from the beginning, was that the bird would be essentially yellow, and all yellows, even the cadmiums, tend toward transparency so it is easy to lose luminosity.    On the left is end at session 2; right session 3.  Sessi9on 1 was just ground color and sketching bird plus two of the flowers ....

 

The piece is 14 x10 and done in acrylic on stretched canvas. 

 

 

 

 

 

MOVABLE FEAST(ERS)

Up to 34 mourning doves in the tree outside a straight, short flight to tour deck feeders.  It appears they were taking turns coming to the deck, eating, then returning to roost, and another group of 3-4 would come in for nourishment.  At this point, there were 20-something.

Seems fitting I offered my first set of bird notecards today, though this group has no doves.