Why does a painting express so much? What does an artist do to make it so expressive? Questions all artist's wish they had a concrete answer for. The one answer I live by is having something in front of or behind all things: breaking a plane in art terms. Would this bird be so connected to us if the branch in front were removed? Nature is nothing if not about connections. By showing the bird in the tree we remove the angst of isolating the bird. So we see it as simply "there." Breaking a plane is the simplification that works every time!

This quick watercolor of a Harris' Hawk shows the energy of the real hawk. Painter's that want to show what it "looks like" often concentrate too much on the surface and not the internal qualities of their images. Brushstrokes that are loose and expressive help determine the feel of a watercolor. Even original brushstrokes under the final brushstrokes help the viewer "see" the animal and allows the viewer to bring what they know to an image. It is the reason we connect to art!

This fledgling I assume is a ruby-throat because I live in Vermont. I find the energy of the bird as interesting as the coloring and brushstrokes can help explain motion.
What is the essence of the bird for you? Their shape can be very contorted when they reach up to the bird feeder, but this pose is restful.
Painting birds is a challenge!

Birds for years, have interrupted my view of a distant landscape. I came to birding because these fabulous creatures were always part of the landscape. I would stop my landscape painting to do a quick portrait of the bird in my view.
My own paintings taught me how birds connect the landscape, and it is how I see and paint the birds. They are the motion stirring the land and flitting through branches and they compel me to see. Learn how you see nature by looking at a series of your paintings which shows you what is important!

"Western Bluebird" watercolor 4" x 6" $85

Western Bluebirds landed on the barbed wire in Big Horn, WY last week and surprised me while I oil painted the Big Horn Mountains. This time I had my watercolors and quickly made a sketch.
Often the bird is only half visible and hidden by leaves, branches or rocks.
This was so in the open, with his mate close by. what a treat especially because they are less common every year. Feral Cats are a big problem for birds! I say keep cats indoors, so we can balance nature.

"Lark Sparrow" oil 4"x 6"

This Lark Sparrow surprised me at lunch one day. I didn't have my watercolors ready because I had a sandwich in my hands and friends eating with me.
Like a poem I memorized the markings and repeated the colors over and over so I would be able to paint the bird and look it up in my bird book.
What a beautiful bird!

Ruby Throats watercolor 5"x 10"

Ruby Throats were everywhere on Hog Island, Maine, when I was there last week. I painted this while we discussed "painter's block." Our facilitator, Julie Zuckefoose had a great quote from a writer who said it takes a really, really, really long time to write a book, if one does not write.
Painters unite and doodle(paint) while listening. Your innate sense of design will take over and voila, like these Ruby Throats, you have a painting. Let them add up and  enjoy a group of "doodles" with a friend.
In the Big Horns (trip right after Hog Island) we had art shows. Work was leaned against the tires and taped to the side of the RV! Granite peaks, passing clouds and all the campers stopped by to see great art.