Birds - White-Eye

"There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all of time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and be lost."

~ Martha Graham

A daily practice of sketching and painting gives you a chance to exercise the big three P's - practice, practice, practice!

"White-eye" sketch with watercolour on Bockingford 300gsm watercolour paper - Maree©

The White-Eyes are regular visitors to my garden. They normally flit around furiously catching the tiniest insects hardly visible to the eye and never sit still for long. Did a quick out-line sketch of this chappie as he gave me the cocky eye and finished it off once they had moved on.

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Gloomy picture?

"When it is gloomy outside, I find the sunshine within me. I smile and show others my sunshine. In return, others smile and show me theirs."

A daily practice of sketching and painting gives you a chance to exercise the big three P's - practice, practice, practice!

"Farm Cottage" watercolour on Bockingford 300gsm watercolour paper - Maree©

I did this painting yesterday, taking my inspiration from the weather outside - dark, gloomy, and only 13ºC outside! with intermittent rain - quite unusual for Gauteng to have rain in Winter, we're a summer rain-fall area - could the seasons be changing?

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Birds from Your Garden

Painting birds from your garden can be extremely rewarding. Not only does watching and photographing them provide hours of pleasure, but it gives us a little insight into their habits and daily living survival techniques.

The Fiscal Shrike below is a resident of my garden and she takes her job of keeping other Shrikes at bay very seriously. She knows when I bring mince and suet to the bird feeder, and immediately starts clearing the area, making sure the Robin doesn't get too close either.

"Fiscal Shrike" water colour - Maree©

I had the pleasure of rearing this Grey Lourie from a baby after she'd been rescued from some dogs in a neighbour's garden. She turned out to be a most loving and intelligent pet and we spent many happy hours together.

Grey Lourie and Fiscal Shrike water colour framed  - Maree©

She fell in love with my male Cockatiel and for weeks the two were inseparable until, one evening, she never returned home to roost on the top of her cage, as usual.

The next morning the reason was clearly apparent - she spent the whole day in the garden with a male that must have heard her calls. I put her food on a special bird table and they stayed for a couple of days and then, one morning, they were gone, never to be seen again.

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Wood Ducks (Carolinas)

I've got a pair of Carolina ducks (American Wood Ducks) and yesterday morning I found the male dead in the pond. I've no idea what happened. He showed no signs of being sick and he wasn't old, younger than his female. As usual, he's the more colourful of the pair, with the female being beige and brown.

I did this painting of my pair of Carolinas this morning.

"Carolina Ducks" (American Wood Ducks) watercolour - Maree©

Male Carolina drake (Wood duck)

The female Carolina duck in the fore-ground with her drake at the pond...

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Birthday portrait 2009!

The portrait is one of the most curious art forms. It demands special qualities in the artist, and an almost total kinship with the model.

- Henri Matisse

It's my birthday today! Something I saw on Arty Velarde's site, she does a birthday rhyme every year. I've decided to also do this, if Arty doesn't mind, so here goes :

At 63, I am free to be ME!

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